On May 21st, the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) reopened its doors. However, this year also marks the fourth consecutive year that Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will select eligible applicants from the 2020 pool. Consequently, sponsors in subsequent years haven't had the opportunity to enter the PGP candidate pool to sponsor their loved ones for Canadian permanent residence (PR).
Given this situation, individuals who haven't been able to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents still have another option to bring them to Canada: the Super Visa. Although different from the PGP, the Super Visa serves a similar purpose, facilitating the reunion of Canadians with their loved ones.
Availability:
The PGP and Super Visa programs differ significantly in their availability.
The PGP is accessible only once a year, with an even more restricted availability due to IRCC's decision to solely consider eligible sponsors from the 2020 intake. Operating on a lottery system, the PGP opens once annually for a two-week period, randomly selecting candidates from the eligible pool to distribute invitations to apply (ITAs) for PR.
Conversely, the Super Visa program remains open year-round for eligible sponsors. Accepting applications throughout the year, it treats all eligible sponsors equally, unlike the PGP's lottery system. Consequently, the Super Visa program boasts a much higher average success rate for applications.
Eligibility:
Both programs cater exclusively to the parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. There are no specific minimum time requirements for candidates to hold this status, but sponsors must be either Canadian citizens or permanent residents at the time of application.
It's worth noting that while eligible sponsors must initially submit candidate profiles and applications for the PGP, the Super Visa requires that sponsored individuals (i.e., the parents or grandparents of a permanent resident or citizen) apply themselves.
To qualify for the PGP, candidates must:
Have submitted an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC's website in 2020;
Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act;
Be 18 years of age or older;
Reside in Canada (potential applicants will need to provide proof of status during the Interest to Sponsor phase);
Meet or exceed the minimum necessary income (MNI) level for this program (if married or in a common-law relationship, the income of both the sponsor and spouse can be included) and provide proof of income to IRCC; and
Sign an undertaking:
to financially support the sponsored for 20 years (starting when they become permanent residents)—applicants in Quebec will need to sign an undertaking for 10 years; and
to repay any social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored family members (if applicable) for a period of 20 years.
To be eligible for the Super Visa, applicants must:
Be outside of Canada at the time of their application;
Provide proof of an eligible host (who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act) including:
Proof of the applicant’s relationship to the host;
Proof of the host’s status in Canada;
Proof that the host is 18 years of age or older and resides in Canada; and
Proof that the host meets Canada’s low-income cut-offs (LICO) criteria.
Under both programs, those being sponsored cannot be medically or criminally inadmissible to travel to Canada.
Immigration Outcomes:
The PGP and Super Visa programs offer different immigration outcomes to successful applicants.
Under the PGP, successful applicants receive PR status, allowing them to live, work, and settle in Canada indefinitely, with access to most of the rights of a Canadian citizen.
Under the Super Visa program, successful applicants are granted temporary resident status, akin to those on a work or study permit in Canada. Consequently, their stays in Canada are also limited. Super Visa holders can stay in Canada for up to five years at a time, with the option to extend for an additional two years, potentially allowing temporary residents to remain in Canada for seven years before needing to leave.
Cost:
Due to their distinct immigration outcomes, both programs entail varying costs.
Note that in addition to application costs, sponsors under the PGP must meet or exceed the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) criteria for sponsorship, while Super Visa sponsors must meet the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO).
For the PGP, successful applicants are obligated to pay $1,205 CAD for a principal applicant, comprising a sponsorship fee ($85 CAD), principal applicant processing fee ($545 CAD), and right of permanent residence fee ($575 CAD).
An additional $1,210 is necessary to include the spouse or partner of the parent or grandparent, which covers a $635 CAD processing fee and a $575 CAD right of permanent residence fee.
In certain circumstances, applicants can waive the permanent residence fee for the principal applicant and their spouse/partner.
In contrast, applicants under the Super Visa program are required to pay $100 CAD for their single or multiple entry Super Visa for a single applicant, or a $500 CAD fee per family* of five being sponsored. Applicants may also incur an additional $100 CAD fee to extend their stay as a visitor or a $229 CAD fee to restore their status in Canada, if necessary.
*To qualify as a family under the Super Visa, all family members must apply simultaneously and in the same location, and all children in the family must meet the criteria as dependents.
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