Family Sponsorship • Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship
Canada’s commitment to family reunification is exemplified through the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP). This program enables Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residency, allowing families to live together and support one another in Canada.
Eligibility Criteria for Sponsors:
To sponsor your parents or grandparents, you must:
- Age and Status: Be at least 18 years old and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- Residency: Your primary residential address must be in Canada when you submit your application and until a decision is made on your application.
- Financial Requirements: Meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for the past three consecutive tax years prior to application submission. The income of married couples can be included to calculate the income requirement.
- Undertaking Commitment: Agree to financially support the sponsored individuals for 20 years (or 10 years if residing in Quebec), starting from the day they become permanent residents. The sponsor and the sponsored person must sign a sponsorship agreement that commits the sponsor to provide financial support for the sponsored persons, if necessary. This agreement also states that the person becoming a permanent resident will make every effort to support himself or herself. Dependent children under age 22 do not have to sign this agreement. The sponsor must promise to provide financial support for the sponsored relative for a period of 20 years. This time begins on the date the sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident.
- Interest to Sponsor Form: Have submitted an Interest to Sponsor form during the designated intake period.
- Invitation to apply: You must have been invited to apply for Parent and/or Grandparent sponsorship to submit the sponsorship application.
Who Can Be Sponsored?
Eligible individuals for sponsorship include:
- Parents and Grandparents: Biological or adoptive parents and grandparents.
- Separated Families: If parents or grandparents are divorced or separated, you can sponsor them separately.
- Dependents: Dependent children of the sponsored individuals may be included in the application.
Who is not eligible to sponsor a parent(s) or grandparent(s) ?
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:
- haven’t been invited to apply.
- Are less than 18 years old.
- Are in prison.
- Defaulted on an immigration loan (late or missed payments).
- Have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it yet.
- Received government financial assistance for reasons other than a disability.
- Did not pay a court-ordered support order, such as alimony or child support.
- Did not provide the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor another relative in the past.
- Were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence.
- Can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order.
Minimum income required for the 3 years right before the day you apply (Sponsors applying in 2023)
| Family Size Sponsor(s) + dependent children + parents/grandparents | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| 2 | $44,530 | $43,082 | $32,898 |
| 3 | $54,743 | $52,965 | $40,444 |
| 4 | $66,466 | $64,306 | $49,106 |
| 5 | $75,384 | $72,935 | $55,694 |
| 6 | $85,020 | $82,259 | $62,814 |
| 7 | $94,658 | $91,582 | $69,934 |
| If more than 7 people, for each additional person, add | $9,636 | $9,324 | $7,120 |
Co-signer Option
If you do not meet the income requirements alone, your spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the application. The co-signer must:
- Meet the same eligibility criteria as the sponsor.
- Agree to co-sign the undertaking, making them equally responsible for the sponsorship obligations.
- Provide proof of income for the same three-year period.
Note: If your co-signer is your spouse, you must submit your marriage certificate. If you were married in Quebec, only a marriage certificate issued by the Directeur de l’état civil is acceptable. If your co-signer is your common-law partner, you must submit the Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union [IMM 5409].
Application Process:
- Interest to Sponsor Form: Submit this form during the designated intake period announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- Invitation to Apply: If selected, you will receive an invitation to submit a complete application.
- Application Submission: Submit the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application for your parents or grandparents within the specified deadline.
- Processing: IRCC will assess the applications for completeness and eligibility.
- Decision: If approved, your parents or grandparents will receive permanent resident status in Canada.
Processing Time
20 – 24 months. Check processing times.
Government Fee
- Sponsorship fee ($85.00 CAD)
- Principal applicant {$1120.00 CAD (Processing Fee $545.00 + Right of Permanent Fee $575.000}
- Spouse or partner of your parent or grandparent ($1210.00 CAD)
- Biometric fee ($85.00 CAD per person, $170.00 per family (2 or more people)