Canada to invite 17,860 sponsors for parent, grandparent PR from July 28

Starting July 28, 2025, Canada will invite 17,860 people from its 2020 sponsor pool to apply for permanent residency for their parents or grandparents

Good news! Thousands of Canadian citizens and permanent residents will soon get the chance to bring their parents or grandparents to live with them permanently.

 

Starting July 28, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin sending invitations to 17,860 potential sponsors who had submitted an interest-to-sponsor form back in 2020. The announcement was made in a notice published online on Wednesday.

 

IRCC said it will accept up to 10,000 complete applications under this year’s intake for the federal Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

 

“For those invited, applications must be submitted online, either through the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Permanent Residence Portal,” the agency said.

 

 

Only 2020 pool will be considered

 

Those who had filled out the interest-to-sponsor form in 2020 but haven’t heard back yet are advised to check their inboxes carefully—including junk or spam folders. IRCC made it clear that no fresh forms will be accepted this year. Invitations will only be issued to individuals already in the 2020 pool.

 

Missed out? Consider the super visa

 

If you don’t get an invitation to apply under the PGP, there’s still the super visa option. This is a long-term, multi-entry visa valid for up to 10 years, which allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time. They can also apply to extend their stay by another two years while still in the country.

 

According to IRCC, family reunification accounts for around 22 per cent of all permanent resident admissions, even as the federal government looks to scale down both temporary and permanent immigration levels this year.

 

How the Parents and Grandparents Program works

 

The Parents and Grandparents Program is a route to permanent residency for family members of Canadians.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

— Canadian citizens, permanent residents and registered Indians can sponsor their parents or grandparents

—  Applicants must receive an invitation to apply before submitting a sponsorship application

— Demand usually exceeds supply, so IRCC uses a lottery-style draw to select eligible sponsors

—  Applications are only accepted from those drawn in the lottery

 

What to know about the super visa

 

If you are unable to apply through the PGP, you can opt for the Super Visa, which is a more flexible alternative

 

Key points:

 

Valid for up to 10 years

Allows a stay of up to five years per visit

Can be extended by up to two more years at a time while in Canada

Requires the applicant to have private medical insurance

Hosts must meet minimum income requirements and commit to supporting their relatives during the visit

 

According to IRCC (updated June 3, 2024), the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirements for Canada’s Super Visa are:

 

For 1 person: CAD $29,380 (approx. ₹17.92 lakh)

For 2 persons: CAD $36,576 (approx. ₹22.31 lakh)

For 3 persons: CAD $44,966 (approx. ₹27.43 lakh)

For 4 persons: CAD $54,594 (approx. ₹33.30 lakh)

For 5 persons: CAD $61,920 (approx. ₹37.77 lakh)

For 6 persons: CAD $69,834 (approx. ₹42.60 lakh)

For 7 persons: CAD $77,750 (approx. ₹47.43 lakh)

For each additional person beyond 7: Add $7,916 (approx. ₹4.83 lakh)

 

This includes the host, their spouse or partner, dependent children, the parent(s)/grandparent(s) being invited, and anyone else they’ve sponsored who’s still under financial obligation.

 

The program continues to be popular among Canadians looking to reunite with family, especially amid limited slots in the permanent residency scheme.