No New PGP Intake Planned for Now
Canada Suspends New Parent and Grandparent PR Sponsorship Applications Until Further Notice
Canada has announced a significant change to its family reunification immigration system by suspending new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). The decision means Canadian citizens and permanent residents will no longer be able to submit new sponsorship requests for their parents or grandparents to become permanent residents unless the federal government introduces a new intake process in the future.
The announcement, made on July 15, 2026, marks another major shift in Canada’s immigration priorities as authorities attempt to manage application volumes and reduce pressure on the immigration system.
No New PGP Intake Planned for Now
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that it will not accept new Interest to Sponsor forms or issue invitations to potential sponsors until further notice. This effectively freezes new entries into the Parents and Grandparents Program. Individuals who were hoping to submit their names for a future selection round will now have to wait for the government to announce any changes or reopening of the program.
However, the suspension does not affect applications that have already entered the processing system. IRCC will continue reviewing existing files and aims to finalize thousands of permanent residence applications during the current year.
Existing Applications Will Continue Moving Forward
For 2026, Canada plans to grant permanent residence to 15,000 parents and grandparents through applications already in its inventory. The same admission target has also been established for the following two years.
Parents and Grandparents Admissions Targets
Check the latest Canada Parents and Grandparents admissions targets, immigration levels, sponsorship requirements, and application updates.
| Year | Planned Admissions |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 15,000 |
| 2027 | 15,000 |
| 2028 | 15,000 |
These targets reflect Canada’s decision to manage the existing backlog rather than increase the number of new sponsorship opportunities.
Large Backlog Continues to Challenge Processing
One of the key reasons behind the pause is the substantial number of applications already waiting for decisions. Current figures show that nearly 51,000 Parent and Grandparent sponsorship applications remain in processing.
The inventory includes:
- Around 40,400 applications for families planning to settle outside Quebec.
- Approximately 10,500 applications destined for Quebec.
This sizeable workload has contributed to lengthy processing timelines across the program.
Processing Times Remain Lengthy
For applications submitted during the 2025 intake:
- Families settling outside Quebec can expect an estimated remaining processing period of 18 months.
- Applicants destined for Quebec face significantly longer waits, with estimated processing extending to 54 months.
The difference reflects Quebec’s separate immigration selection process and annual admission allocations.
How the Parents and Grandparents Program Worked
Because demand has consistently exceeded the number of available spaces, the government has relied on a randomized invitation system rather than accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis. The last time Canada accepted new Interest to Sponsor submissions was in 2020, when more than 203,000 individuals registered their interest during a short intake window.
Instead of opening fresh registrations in subsequent years, IRCC continued selecting potential sponsors from that same 2020 pool. Between 2020 and 2025, invitations were issued only to people who had already submitted forms during that intake period.
With the latest announcement, there is still no opportunity for new sponsors to join the selection pool.
Families May Need to Consider the Super Visa Instead
Unlike permanent residence sponsorship, the Super Visa is designed for extended temporary visits. It allows eligible parents and grandparents to stay with their family members in Canada for significantly longer periods than a standard visitor visa.
A Super Visa can remain valid for up to 10 years, and each visit can last up to five years, providing greater flexibility for long-term family reunification.
By comparison, most regular visitor visas generally authorize stays of up to six months at a time.
Who Can Apply for a Super Visa?
Applicants are generally required to:
- Receive a formal invitation from their child or grandchild living in Canada.
- Purchase qualifying Canadian medical insurance covering their stay.
- Meet Canada's temporary resident admissibility requirements.
- Demonstrate that they intend to leave Canada once their authorized stay expires.
Meanwhile, the Canadian host must:
- Meet the government's minimum income threshold.
- Sign a commitment to provide financial support throughout the visitor's stay.
Meeting these conditions does not automatically guarantee approval, as immigration officers continue to assess each application individually.
What This Means for Families
The suspension represents another challenge for families hoping to reunite permanently through sponsorship.
Individuals who have never entered the Parents and Grandparents Program currently have no pathway to submit sponsorship interest for permanent residence. Unless the federal government announces a future reopening or redesign of the program, prospective sponsors will need to rely on temporary options such as the Super Visa.
For families whose applications are already under review, processing will continue according to existing priorities, with Canada maintaining annual admissions of 15,000 parents and grandparents through at least 2028.
Conclusion
Canada’s latest decision signals a stronger focus on managing existing application inventories rather than expanding family sponsorship opportunities in the short term. While permanent residence sponsorship remains available only to applicants already in the system, the government has encouraged families to explore temporary reunification options until further policy changes are announced.
3. Full-Time Equivalency Standard
Full-time work is defined as at least 30 hours per week. Candidates must accumulate the equivalent of 12 months at this standard.
- 30 hours per week for 12 months qualify.
- Part-time work is acceptable if it equals the same total number of hours (for example, 15 hours per week over 24 months).
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