Parents & Grand Parents Sponsorship

This program reached a maximum allocation for 2019 and is no longer available at this moment.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has operated a lottery system for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program since January 2017.

From 2019, the system will change to a first-come, first-served process.

Sponsors will still be required to complete an ‘interest to sponsor’ form during January, but instead of the IRCC drawing names at random, candidates will be invited to apply in the order they submit the form.

Those invited must submit a complete application within 90 days.

To qualify to sponsor parents and grandparents, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident must meet, in addition to the general requirements for sponsorship, the following enhanced criteria:

• – Demonstrate, for a period of 3 consecutive years prior to sponsorship, income greater than the annual Minimum Necessary Income published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada;

• – Sign an undertaking to financially support the parent or grandparent, and reimburse the government for any social assistance paid out to the relative, for a period of 20 years from the date of permanent residence;

Individuals who meet the above criteria, and also meet the general criteria for sponsoring family members, will be eligible to sponsor their parents and grandparents for Canadian permanent residence. Parents and grandparents of qualified applicants, who do not meet the annual application intake threshold, may continue to apply for temporary admission to Canada. Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents intending to obtain temporary residence to visit their close relatives may apply for extended visitors’ visas known as Super Visas.