Parents and Grandparents

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can bring their parents and grandparents to Canada either through the Canadian Family Class Sponsorship Program, or, through the Super Visa Program.

 

Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP)

 

Through the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP), Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada as permanent residents. Prior to 2017, the Parents and Grandparents Program selection cycles worked in a first-come-first-serve basis. In the new Invitation-to-Apply system – which came into effect in the year 2017 – eligible applicants must first submit the “Interest to Sponsor” form during the specific intake period.

 

In the year 2018 alone, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to receive 10,000 new and complete PGP applications. It is also interesting to note that the high rate of failure of PGP applications till this point of time has been the incompleteness of the applications received by IRCC. Taking this fact into consideration, it is vital to make sure that the application is complete with all required documentation before it is submitted for processing.

 

Eligibility Requirements for PGP

 

Requirements for the Sponsor:

 

  • The sponsor (the Canadian citizen or permanent resident) must certify that he or she will provide financial support for the sponsored person (the parent or grandparent), including other accompanying relatives, for a time period of at least 20 years. However, this time period will commence only once the person (the parent or grandparent) has become a Canadian citizen;
  • The sponsor must sign a sponsorship agreement with the sponsored person, certifying that he or she will provide financial support for the person, should the need arise;
  • In the province of Quebec, an undertaking in the sponsorship category must be signed if the sponsor is inviting his or her parent or grandparent to the province;
  • The sponsor must meet the minimum necessary income (MNI) to be eligible to sponsor under this program.

 

Requirements for the Sponsored Person:

 

  • The Sponsored person must be the parent or grandparent of the sponsor, related by either blood or adoption.

To know more about the Invitation to Apply (ITA) system through which PGP application are dealt with by IRCC, click here. To know the complete requirements for sponsoring your parent or grandparent through the Canadian Family Class stream, click here.

 

Super Visa Program 

 

The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa allows parents and/or grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to come to Canada as visitors and stay up to a maximum period of 2 years in the initial entry without the need to renew their status. This is a multi-entry visa, valid up to 10 years.

 

Note: It is important to note that a person who is coming to Canada under a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is not authorized to work in Canada during their period of stay in Canada.

 

On 1 December 2011, the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa program was introduced by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to facilitate hassle-free travel and stay in Canada (without the need to renew their status) for parents and/or grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The visa allows the applicants(s) to come to Canada and stay up to a maximum period of 2 years continuously on the first entry, while the visa is a multi-entry visa valid up to a period of 10 years.

 

To know more about the Super Visa program, click here.

 

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