Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides two means whereby Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their parents and grandparents who wish to settle in Canada. These programs are the Parent & Grandparent Program and the Super Visa Program.

What is the Parent & Grandparent Program?

IRCC allows a certain number of Parent & Grandparent Program (PGP) applications per year. In 2018, the initial quota of 10,000 was increased to 17,000. For 2019, the quota has been set at 20,000. In addition, the randomized selection process used in 2018 has been scrapped in favour of a first-come-first-served system.

If you are interested in sponsoring your parents or grandparents who want to move to Canada, you need to wait until IRCC has opened their invitation round for the current year. At that point, you will be able to complete an online form called an Interest to Sponsor. If selected, your parents or grandparents will be invited to submit an application for permanent residence. This must be done within 90 days of the invitation to apply being issued, and it includes the submission of supporting documents and payment of the relevant fees.

The Parent & Grandparent Program is subject to the following eligibility criteria:

• The sponsor must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada who is 18 or older
• The sponsor and his or her spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must demonstrate that their combined income has met the minimum income level for the program for three consecutive years
• The sponsor must agree to repay social assistance benefits paid to his or her parents or grandparents for a period of 20 years (an additional agreement is required for applications to immigrate to Quebec)

What is the Super Visa Program?

Parents and grandparents who hold Super Visas are not in Canada as permanent residents, but as long-term visitors. Under this program, the child or grandchild of the applicant does not have to complete a formal application to be a sponsor, but he or she will need to provide a written commitment of financial support.

The Super Visa is essentially a multiple-entry visa that is good for up to ten years. It can be used for two years before needing renewal, unlike the standard visitor’s visa, which is only valid for six months.

The eligibility criteria for the Super Visa program are as follows:

• The applicant’s child or grandchild in Canada must provide a written commitment to financially support their family member. This must be supported by evidence that the child or grandchild meets the minimum income requirements.
• The applicant must purchase health insurance that can be used in Canada for at least one year
• The applicant must complete a medical examination.

Some applicants may need a temporary resident visa in addition to the Super Visa. This will depend on which country they are coming from.