The Parent Grandparent Program (PGP) is one of Canada’s highest demand programs. Many Canadian citizens and permanent residents wish to bring their relatives to Canada. In 2019, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) used a first-come, first-served process for applicants submitting “Interest to Sponsor” forms.
In January of 2019, the form was available for just minutes before it closed for the year. Online applications to sponsor parents and grandparents reached the limit in less than 11 minutes. In this time, 27,000 online applications were submitted and IRCC received extensive criticism for the competitive process.
Parent Grandparent Program (PGP) 2020
On December 16th 2019, the Government of Canada announced that family reunification remains a top priority and that the PGP continues to be a very popular program. While IRCC did not state when the program will re-open, they did announce that new plans for the program will be available soon.
IRCC also encourages interested applicants to visit IRCC’s website and social media channels to stay informed about the latest program updates.
Who can sponsor a parent or grandparent to Canada?
You can apply to sponsor your parent(s) and grandparent(s) if you:
Are 18 years of age or older
Live in Canada
Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
Have enough money to support the person(s) you want to sponsor
Your parent(s)/grandparent(s) must be related by blood or adoption. In the case of divorce/separation, you may sponsor your parents’ and your grandparents’ spouses, conjugal partners, or common-law partners. For example, if your mother divorced and re-married, you could apply to sponsor your mother and her current husband.
Minimum Income Requirements
The most up-to-date income requirements for family sponsorship are as follows:
2 persons = $40,379
3 persons = $49,641
4 persons = $60,271
5 persons = $68,358
6 persons = $77,095
7 persons = $85,835
If more than 7 persons, for each additional person, add: $8,740
When you apply to sponsor your parents and/or grandparents, you commit to being financially responsible for them. If you are invited to apply, you must prove that you meet the income requirements for each of the 3 taxation years right before the date of your application. To prove this, you will provide a Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the last 3 taxation years.
For more information about income requirements for family sponsorship, you may find Jade's video on the topic helpful:
Stay tuned for more information about the Parent Grandparent Program!
Our Services
Calver and Associates is a leading provider of Canadian Immigration services in Durham Region. We serve clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, and beyond. Our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant has over 10 years of experience in Canadian Immigration law and over four years of experience serving those in the Oshawa area.
We can provide assistance with applications for both temporary and permanent residency in Canada. We handle applications for study permits, permanent residency, family class sponsorship, visitor visas, work permits, and Canadian citizenship. We also handle criminal inadmissibility cases by developing remedies for refusal.
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