The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents may be sponsored to immigrate to the country. If your family is accepted into the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), they will be granted permanent residency in Canada and may be qualified to apply for citizenship in the future.
30,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents were asked to enter a lottery organized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2021 to submit their PGP sponsorship applications. The 2022 PGP's details are not yet published.
Eligibility Requirements
Sponsors need to have complied with the following standards in order to be eligible for the 2021 PGP:
Be a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act, a citizen of Canada, or a permanent resident of Canada.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a Canadian citizen.
- Earn more than the MNI required for this program and present IRCC with documentation of your income.
- Agree to support the sponsored person financially for 20 years and to return any social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored person's family members during that time. In Quebec, the undertaking duration is 10 years.
Free Canada Immigration Assessment Form
Minimum income requirement
IRCC mandates that you fulfil a minimum essential income criterion before you can sponsor any family members. The criterion is there to make sure you can sustain yourself, your family, and the people you want to sponsor.
You must have met the MNI criterion for the PGP for each of the three most recent tax years prior to the date your application is due. Your Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency forms the basis of the MNI.
The MNI specifications for the 2021 PGP are displayed in the following table (excluding Quebec). The MNI 2021 requirements for PGP 2022 applicants have not yet been released by IRCC. Remember that the IRCC has decreased its MNI for 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Size of Family Unit | MNI 2020 | MNI 2019 | MNI 2018 |
2 persons | $32,270 | $41,007 | $40,379 |
3 persons | $39,672 | $50,414 | $49,641 |
4 persons | $48,167 | $61,209 | $60,271 |
5 persons | $54,630 | $69,423 | $68,358 |
6 persons | $61,613 | $78,296 | $77,095 |
7 persons | $68,598 | $87,172 | $85,835 |
Each additional person | $6,985 | $8,876 | $8,740 |
Quebec sponsorship of a parent or grandparent
After IRCC authorizes you as a sponsor, you must complete the Quebec government's immigration sponsorship standards if you want to sponsor a parent or grandparent there. You must execute a sponsorship undertaking with the province of Quebec in addition to a commitment to provide financial support for the sponsored individual and reimburse any social aid. Last but not least, the province has a different income criterion for sponsors than the rest of Canada.
Using a Super Visa
Another choice for sponsoring parents and grandparents is the Super Visa, which is accessible all year long. In addition to attempting to be chosen for the PGP, you can apply for a Super Visa. Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents are permitted to visit their relatives for up to five years in a row without having to renew their visitor status thanks to the Super Visa. The Super Visa also allows parents and grandparents to enter Canada repeatedly for a period of up to ten years.
What conditions must be met to be eligible for a Super Visa?
An applicant must be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada in order to qualify for a Super Visa. No dependents may be listed on the application; however, the applicant's spouse or common-law partner may.
A letter from your kid or grandchild inviting the applicant to Canada that is signed and includes the following information is also required.
You can also read the latest Canada Immigration News and Draw Updates here.
A commitment to providing funding for the duration of your visit:
- The names and numbers of those living in this person's home.
- A copy of this person's permanent residency card or citizenship certificate
- Additionally, the applicant must possess health insurance from a Canadian insurance provider that is
- At least $100,000 in emergency coverage and
- Valid for at least a year from the date of admission.
- Have documentation showing that the medical insurance has been fully paid.
Also, read: Canada will extend the Super Visa to 5 years per entrance.
The applicant's child or grandchild must also be able to demonstrate that they can meet the low-income cut-off (LICO) standards, which are shown in the table below. The income requirement's goal is to determine if a child or grandchild can support their family members financially, especially in light of the significant obligation that comes with caring for an older relative.
Size of the family unit | Minimum necessary gross income |
1 person (your child or grandchild) | $25,921 |
2 persons | $32,270 |
3 persons | $39,672 |
4 persons | $48,167 |
5 persons | $54,630 |
6 persons | $61,613 |
7 persons | $68,598 |
More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add | $6,985 |
