Canada suspends parents and grandparents sponsorship pathway

Canadian citizens and permanent residents will no longer be able to submit new applications to sponsor their parents or grandparents (PGP) for permanent residency.

The information was published in an official government release published recently by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Although new entries are suspended, the IRCC confirmed that it will continue to process applications already within the system. The government aims to approve 15,000 permanent residency applications under the PGP in 2026.

According to the immigration department, it will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice.

Clearing the backlog

The IRCC department faces a backlog, with the current inventory standing at 50,900 pending applications. Of this total backlog, 40,400 applications are from families intending to settle outside Quebec, while the remaining 10,500 applications represent those planning to reside within Quebec.

To systematically clear this queue, the federal government has set flat admission targets for the next three years rather than adjusting them upward. Under the current immigration levels plan, the annual target for PGP admissions will remain capped at exactly 15,000 arrivals for 2026, 2027, and 2028.

For individuals who managed to submit their applications in July 2025, wait times remain significant. The expected remaining processing time is 18 months for those settling outside Quebec, rising steeply to 54 months, equivalent to four and a half years.for those intending to reside in Quebec due to provincial immigration caps.

The PGP has historically been one of Canada’s most popular yet highly competitive family reunification pathways. It operates on a lottery system that has not accepted new sponsor profile submissions since 2020.

The Super Visa route as an alternative

The Canadian federal government has now urged affected families to consider the Super Visa scheme as an alternative.

The two pathways differ fundamentally in legal status, duration of stay, and entry requirements. While the Parents and Grandparents Programme grants permanent residency, allowing sponsors’ relatives to live and work in Canada indefinitely, it is currently suspended and was previously restricted to those lucky enough to be selected via the random lottery.

In contrast, the Super Visa remains open to new applications but only grants temporary resident status as an extended visitor. This multi-entry visa is valid for up to 10 years and allows holders to stay in Canada for up to five years per entry, which is a significant extension compared to the standard six-month limit imposed on typical tourists.

However, obtaining a Super Visa comes with distinct financial and administrative responsibilities. To qualify, applicants must secure a formal letter of invitation from their host relative in Canada, buy comprehensive Canadian medical insurance for the duration of their stay, and demonstrate that their host meets the government’s minimum income threshold.

Additionally, applicants must satisfy standard admissibility criteria, including demonstrating to immigration officials that they will leave Canada at the end of their authorised stay.

Ngozi Ekugo

Ngozi Ekugo is a Senior Correspondent at BusinessDay. She holds a Masters in management from the University of Lagos, an undergraduate from University of Lagos, and is in an alumni of Queen's College. Shes currently an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). She has a brief experience at Goldman sachs, London in its Human Capital Management division. She is interested in human capital development and is leveraging her varied experience across sectors to report labour and global mobility trends for stakeholders to make informed decisions.