Canada pauses grandparent sponsorship applications for PR
Canada has paused new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program, meaning citizens and permanent residents cannot file new interest forms or sponsorship applications for a parent or grandparent until further notice. Existing files will still be processed, with plans to approve up to 15,000 permanent residents through the program in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is pausing intake of new Parents and Grandparents Program applications until further notice.
- No new interest-to-sponsor forms will be accepted, and no new invitations to apply will be issued for now.
- Existing sponsorship files continue to be processed, with a plan to approve up to 15,000 permanent residents through the program in 2026.
- Families can still use the super visa so a parent or grandparent can visit for up to five years at a time, for up to 10 years total.
- IRCC says demand for the program still exceeds available spaces under Canada's immigration levels plan.
The pause matters for multi-generational households and older relatives hoping to reunite permanently in Canada. Readers following aging, family care, and long-term wellbeing themes on BlasterPost's Longevity & Biohacking coverage will see why a closed permanent pathway changes planning for elder parents and grandparents.
What exactly did Canada pause?
According to CBC News, the federal government will not accept any new applications this year from people who want to sponsor their parents and grandparents as permanent residents. IRCC said it will not receive new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice.
Applications already submitted will keep moving. An official told CBC the pause does not change the decision to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence in 2026 and 2027 under the immigration levels plan. CIC News reports the same 15,000 annual Parents and Grandparents Program admissions target through 2028.
Why is the grandparent sponsorship pause happening?
IRCC framed the move as a way to manage the system responsibly and cut wait times. Interest in the program continues to exceed available spaces. CBC reported about 60,500 applications already in progress, with processing waits around 33 months—and up to 66 months in Quebec.
The Parents and Grandparents Program opened in 2020, when more than 200,000 permanent residents and citizens expressed interest. Because demand outstripped supply, invitations later ran through a lottery-style selection from that interest pool. Pausing new intake is meant to improve predictability for families already in the queue.
Can families still bring a grandparent to Canada?
Permanent sponsorship is paused, but temporary options remain. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can still apply for a super visa so parents and grandparents can visit for five years at a time, with validity of up to 10 years. Hosts typically need to meet income requirements and provide an invitation letter; applicants need health insurance and must meet temporary-resident entry rules.
IRCC has stressed that family reunification remains a pillar of Canada's immigration framework even as permanent PGP intake is paused. For now, anyone hoping to sponsor a grandparent for permanent residence should treat the door as closed until Ottawa says otherwise.