The number of permanent residents reaching Canada through the Parents and Grandparents Program has been increasing at a mounting speed since 2021.
| Date | Number of Immigrants under PGP |
| January 2023 | 2,065 |
| January 2022 | 1,300 |
| 2021 (Throughout the year) | 11,740 |
Canada to bring 28,500 PR under the Parents and Grandparents Program
Immigrants, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aim to welcome 28,500 candidates desiring to immigrate to Canada in 2023. The authority surpassed the record in 2022 when it invited 27,255 immigrants, which is 132% of the candidates invited in 2021.
According to the Canada Immigration Level Plans 2023- 2025, Canada is preparing to invite 465,000 permanent residents, which includes 28,500 candidates under the Parents and Grandparents Program.
P. The authorities have provided the Canadian PR Status to 50,885 candidates. The target of inviting 465,000 permanent residents includes 106,500 immigrants under the Family Sponsorship program.
What is Family Sponsorship Visa?
Canadian Immigration System allows newcomers to settle and bring their families to live, study, and work in Canada. You can apply for Family Sponsorship Visa If your family member or relative is a permanent resident of Canada. They can invite you to stay with them if they commit to supporting you financially.
Parents and Grandparents Program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents and help them immigrate to Canada. The govt will verify if the host fulfills the eligibility criteria to become a sponsor before providing Family Sponsorship Visa under PGP. After getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA), the candidate can migrate to Canada with permanent resident status. Later on, they might apply for Canadian citizenship.
Eligibility Criteria for Sponsor
All Canadian Citizens are not eligible to sponsor foreign candidates. Authorities verify that the host can take complete responsibility for the migrant for several years. Here is how one becomes eligible to sponsor a foreign immigrant.
- Must submit an Interest to Sponsor Application on IRCC Website. (Between October 13, 2020, to November 3, 2020)
- Enjoys the status of Canadian Citizen, Canada PR, Registered Under
- Canadian Indian Act
- Must be 18 Years or Older
- Must be residing in Canada during this phase
- Must exceed the minimum income requirements for Family Sponsor Program.
- Provide Regular Income Proof to IRCC
- Sign an Undertaking to take the financial and social responsibility of the sponsored person.
Parents and Grandparents Program, 2023
IRCC has announced to invite 28,500 permanent residents under the PGP. It has not announced the list so far. In 2022, IRCC adopted a lottery system to send Invitations to Apply for selected Sponsors. The sponsors become eligible to invite their families after receiving ITAs from IRCC.
SUPER VISA! An alternative to PGP
Don\’t worry if you did not get ITA under the Parents and Grandparents Program. You are still left with options as Canada prioritizes the reunification of families. You have the option to invite your family via Super Visa. It allows your parents to come to Canada as Visitors.
More about Super Visa?
Super Visa allows a family member to come and stay in Canada as a visitor and stay there for a maximum of 5 Years. They don’t need to do any formalities or paperwork for this period. They can apply for an extension of a super visa for up to 7 years.
It works as a Temporary Resident Visa as it allows migrants to travel between their native country and Canada. They won’t require to reapply or get a new visa every time they reach Canada.
The best part of a Super Visa is that it is beneficial for countries not requiring a Temporary Resident Visa.
How to Apply for PGP?
The pre-application process requires two applications;
- Application to become a sponsor
- Parents’ application for Canada PR
Complete the Online Process after getting an Invitation to Apply
Payment of Application Fees
Submit the Online Application
- Correctly answer all the questions mentioned in the application form
- Sign the application electronically
- Add the fees receipt
- Upload all the documents in the required format
Submit the required documents of the immigrant
Submit Relationship Proof
- Marriage Certificate
- Birth or adoption Certificate