The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is scheduled to reopen this month, with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) gearing up to issue invitations to potential sponsors. According to an official statement from the department, starting May 21st, 2024, a total of 35,700 invitations will be sent out, aiming to approve 20,500 complete applications.
Who is eligible for the next round of the PGP?
The next round of the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) will invite candidates who submitted their applications in 2020. This marks the fourth consecutive year that only applications from 2020 will be considered. Invitations will be sent randomly through a lottery system, with sponsors receiving them via email provided on their interest to sponsor form. Sponsors should monitor their emails starting May 21st, with invitations expected to be delivered within about two weeks.
What is the process to receive permanent residence through the PGP?
To obtain permanent residence through the PGP, applicants need to ensure they meet all eligibility criteria, including being eligible to sponsor, residing in Canada, signing an undertaking, and meeting minimum necessary income levels. They must then complete an interest to sponsor form on IRCC's website, ensuring they haven't received an invitation to apply in the preceding years. After the PGP lottery reopens, applicants should monitor their email for an invitation during the two-week period following the reopening. Once they receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), sponsors must submit their application through the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Residence Portal (if applicable) by the deadline stated in the invitation email. IRCC aims to process applications within 112 days, with 67% of applications processed within this timeframe between 2022-2023.
About the PGP
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) enables Canadian citizens or permanent residents meeting eligibility criteria to sponsor their parents or grandparents for Canadian permanent residence (PR). This program is a vital component of IRCC's family reunification efforts, reflecting the department's core mission. Parents and grandparents sponsored through the PGP receive PR upon their arrival in Canada.
Sponsors are required to sign an undertaking committing to supporting their parents or grandparents in Canada for a period of 20 years, with a shorter commitment of 10 years for sponsors applying from Quebec.
The PGP operates on a lottery basis, opening for application intake and issuing invitations only once a year.
What if you are not selected?
If you're not selected for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), there's still an alternative pathway available through IRCC called the Super Visa program. This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for an extended visitor visa to visit Canada, rather than permanent residence as offered by the PGP.
Under the Super Visa program, approved applicants can stay in Canada for up to five years at a time, with the option to extend their stay for an additional two years. Sponsors can apply for the Super Visa year-round, unlike the once-a-year intake of the PGP. The processing time for Super Visa applications is the same as for the PGP, with IRCC aiming to process all complete applications within 112 days.
댓글