Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)

Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)

It is possible for both Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their own parents and grandparents for permanent residence in Canada under the Parents and Grandparents Scheme (PGP), a special immigration programme.

Who can sponsor their parents or grandparents under the PGP?

Sponsoring your parents or grandparents under the PGP requires that you:

• be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
• have received an Invitation to apply;
• be at least 18 years of age;
• live in Canada;
• have sufficient income to meet the needs of your parents and grandparents to be sponsored; and
• meet all other requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

What are my ongoing obligations if I sponsor my parents or grandparents under the PGP?

One must make an undertaking with IRCC in order to sponsor their parents or grandparents under the PGP. This undertaking obligates sponsors who live outside of Quebec to support their sponsored family members financially for 20 years starting on the day they become Canadian citizens. The provincial social assistance that your sponsored family member received over the course of the 20-year period will also need to be paid back.
You must also meet the basic necessities of the members of the family you are sponsoring, such as food, clothing, utilities, etc.
For sponsors who live in Quebec, the undertaking is valid for 10 years starting on the day when the sponsored family members are granted permanent residency in Canada.

How much income do I need to show to sponsor my parents and grandparents under the PGP?

The income of each sponsor must be sufficient to maintain their parents and grandparents in Canada. The sponsor must demonstrate that they have met the income criterion for the previous three tax years if they are requested to apply. You may use the income from their last three tax years to help you reach the minimal income cutoff if your spouse or common-law partner is serving as a co-signer on the application. The income from the tax years 2020, 2019 and 2018 will be evaluated for 2021 submissions by the IRCC.
The amount of total income you must prove will vary according on how many PGP applicants you are supporting, how big your family is, and if you live in Quebec. Here are the minimum income criteria.

COVID 19 affected my income, am I still eligible to sponsor my parent or grandparents under the PGP?

The IRCC has lowered the minimum income standards for the 2020 tax year in response to COVID 19. Sponsors may also count the following benefits toward their overall income for the 2020 tax year:
- Benefits from regular employment insurance;
- any benefits from Canada's emergency response;
- Additional short-term COVID-19-related advantages

Do I need to meet the financial requirement throughout the entire processing of the PGP application?

Your income from 2020, 2019 and 2018 will be evaluated for the 2021 intake to ensure that you meet the required minimum income. The IRCC has not stated if they will need more recent proof of income before approving an application.

Can my spouse or common-law partner support my PGP sponsorship application?

In fact, your co-signer on your PGP application might be your husband or common-law partner. You may utilise your co-salary signer's to reach the minimum income requirement if they are your spouse or common-law partner. A financial support agreement for your parents or grandparents must be signed by you and your spouse or common-law partner.

Can I sponsor my parents or grandparents under the PGP if I am currently outside of Canada?

Under the PGP, the sponsor must live in Canada in order to sponsor your parents or grandparents. This implies that until an application decision is reached, your principal residential address must be in Canada at the time the application is submitted.

Can I leave Canada during the processing of my sponsorship application under the PGP?

Under the PGP, the sponsor must live in Canada in order to sponsor your parents or grandparents. This implies that until an application decision is reached, your principal residential address must be in Canada at the time the application is submitted.

How do I receive an Invitation to Apply under the PGP?

The sponsor must first submit a sponsorship interest form to the IRCC PGP site in order to be invited to apply. Periodically during the year, the PGP portal accepts new sponsor interest forms. The PGP interface is not open at this time.

How are interest to sponsor forms selected from the PGP portal?

The PGP site is used to choose interest to sponsor forms at random. An email with a confirmation number will be sent to the candidate if they are chosen. When submitting the complete application to sponsor your parent or grandparent, you must provide this confirmation number.

What documents do I need to submit an interest to sponsor form to the PGP pool?

When submitting an interest to sponsor form to the PGP site, there are no documents that must be included. As an alternative, you must present evidence that you satisfy the PGP program's qualifying requirements. This contains details about the parents or grandparents you want to support as well as about you as the sponsor, your family, and your community. Declaring your income for the previous three tax years is another something you should be prepared to do.

What document do I need to submit an application for permanent residence under the PGP?

In order to sponsor your parents and grandparents, you must submit an application if you have been invited to apply for the PGP. You should prepare to provide the following as part of this application:

• - Completed application forms;
• - Proof of status in Canada;
• - Proof of physical presence in Canada;
• - Civil status documents;
• - Proof you meet the minimum income cut-off for the 3 tax years prior to submitting the application;
• - Police Certificate and Clearances from all countries your parent or grandparent has lived in for six months or longer past the age of 18;
• - Medical certificate for your parent and grandparent;
• - Proof of payment for applicable government fees;
• - Digital photo.

How do I submit an application to the PGP?

Through the IRCC's new permanent residence application platform, all applications must be made online. The only people who may ask for an exception to submit a paper-based application are those who have a disability that precludes them from doing so. As soon as you receive the invitation to apply, you must submit an email application for this exemption.

How long do I have to submit an application after receiving an invitation to apply under the PGP?

Within 60 days of getting the invitation to apply, you must submit a complete PGP sponsorship application. The letter you received from IRCC inviting you to apply will specify the submission deadline.

Do my parents or grandparents need a job offer to be sponsored under the PGP?

No, your parents or grandparents cannot be sponsored if they do not have a work offer. When individuals obtain permanent residency through the PGP, they are also under no duty to find employment in Canada.

Do my parents or grandparents need to demonstrate English or French language proficiency?

No, your parents or grandparents are not required to show proof of their ability to speak either English or French.

Can I include my brothers and sisters in a PGP application?

An application for PGP may also include eligible siblings. Your brothers and sisters must be younger than 22 at the time the application is made, or they must be reliant on you or your grandparents for financial support because of a medical or mental condition.

Can I sponsor my in-laws under the PGP?

The PGP does not allow you to sponsor your in-laws. However, as long as your spouse satisfies the requirements for a sponsor, you can sign as a co-signer on their PGP sponsorship application.

Are there any requirements my parents or grandparents need to meet to be sponsored under the PGP?

Parents or Grandparents must have a blood or adoptive relationship with the Sponsor in order to be Sponsored. In addition, they must pass a medical checkup, be eligible due to criminal activity, and supply biometrics.

My parent or grandparent has a serious medical condition, can I still sponsor them?

Your parent or grandparent must have a medical assessment to demonstrate that they have no conditions that could render them medically inadmissible before they are able to be sponsored.

When will IRCC invite more PGP sponsors to apply?

30 000 PGP applications are allotted by IRCC for 2021. All PGP invitations have so far been sent out between September 23, 2021, and October 7, 2021. The intake or quote period for 2022 has not yet been disclosed by IRCC.

Can my parents or grandparents travel to Canada while they are waiting for their PGP application to be processed?

The answer is that your parents and grandparents are permitted to visit Canada while they wait for the PGP application to be reviewed. Grandparents and parents who qualify may stay in Canada for up to two years at a time with the help of the IRCC's super visa programme.

What If I didn’t receive an invite to sponsor my parents or grandparents?

You can still invite your parents and grandparents to come visit for up to two years at a time through the super visa programme if you did not get an invitation to apply in the previous round of invites.