Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program Reopens in 2025

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Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is one of the most significant immigration pathways for family reunification. Each year, thousands of Canadian citizens and permanent residents seek to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada as permanent residents, granting them access to social benefits, healthcare, and a path to citizenship. After much anticipation, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially reopened the PGP for 2025. However, the program’s scope this year is limited, and only a specific group of individuals are eligible.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the 2025 intake, including critical dates, eligibility criteria, how to apply, and alternative options for those who may not qualify this year.

Overview of the 2025 PGP Intake

In March 2025, IRCC announced that it will begin issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for the Parents and Grandparents Program starting July 28, 2025. The goal for this intake is to approve up to 10,000 complete applications, based on 17,860 invitations that will be issued over several weeks.

The most important detail to note is that only individuals who submitted an Interest to Sponsor (ITS) form during the 2020 intake period are eligible to be selected this year. There is no new intake of sponsorship interest forms in 2025, which means that individuals who did not previously express interest in 2020 cannot participate in this round.

Key Dates

• Invitations begin: July 28, 2025
• Application deadline: October 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
• No new ITS submissions will be accepted in 2025

This marks the third consecutive year IRCC has drawn from the same 2020 ITS pool, which originally included over 100,000 submissions. The department continues to clear this backlog before launching new ITS collection rounds, possibly in future years.

Who Is Eligible in 2025?

The 2025 PGP intake is strictly limited to sponsors who meet the following criteria:

1. Submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020.
2. Have not yet received an ITA in previous PGP intake rounds.
3. Are still Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or older.
4. Meet the minimum income requirements for each of the three years preceding the application.
5. Are willing to sign a sponsorship undertaking for 20 years (10 years for Quebec residents).

If you meet these requirements and receive an invitation from IRCC, you will be eligible to submit a complete sponsorship application.

How the Invitation Process Works

IRCC sends out ITAs via email to eligible sponsors using the email address they provided in their 2020 ITS submission. Sponsors are advised to check both their inbox and spam folders regularly starting July 28, 2025.

Once an invitation is received, sponsors have until October 9, 2025, to gather the required documents, complete the forms, and submit a complete application package through the Permanent Residence Portal or Representative Portal.

Only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be considered. Late or incomplete applications will be rejected.

Step-by-Step Application Process

If you are invited to apply, follow these steps:

1. Gather Documentation: This includes proof of relationship to the sponsored person, identification documents, income tax records, civil status documents, and any necessary translations.
2. Complete Application Forms: Both the sponsor and the sponsored parent or grandparent must fill out IRCC’s official forms. These include the sponsorship agreement, undertaking, and permanent residence application forms.
3. Meet Income Requirements: Sponsors must provide Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the three most recent tax years prior to the application date. These documents prove that the sponsor has met the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) required to support the sponsored family members.
4. Submit Online Application: Applications must be submitted via IRCC’s online portal before the October 9 deadline.
5. Pay Fees: The required fees include a sponsorship fee, processing fee, right of permanent residence fee, and biometrics fees. Total costs can range between CAD 1,050 to CAD 1,200 per parent or grandparent.
6. Medical Exams and Police Certificates: Sponsored individuals must undergo a medical examination and provide police clearance certificates from all countries where they have lived for six months or more.
7. Wait for Processing: Application processing times currently range from 24 to 36 months, depending on the applicant’s country of residence and whether additional documents are requested.

Income Requirements for 2025

To be eligible to sponsor under the PGP, you must demonstrate that you met the income threshold for the past three tax years. These thresholds are based on the size of your family, including the number of people you intend to sponsor.

As an example, the 2024 Minimum Necessary Income for a family of four is approximately CAD 60,271. The specific income figures for 2022, 2023, and 2024 are required, and sponsors must have met or exceeded the required amount in all three years.

It is important to note that Quebec has its own income evaluation and sponsorship requirements, and applicants residing in Quebec must be approved both federally and provincially.

What if You Are Not Invited?

If you are not among those selected from the 2020 pool this year, you have several options:

Super Visa

The Super Visa remains a strong alternative for family reunification. It allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to stay in Canada for up to five years per visit, with multiple entries allowed over a 10-year period. Recent policy changes have made Super Visas more flexible, including allowing insurance from foreign providers and simplifying extensions.

Eligibility for the Super Visa includes:

• Letter of invitation from the child or grandchild residing in Canada.
• Proof of relationship.
• Minimum income threshold met by the host.
• Valid medical insurance coverage.
• Medical examination and security clearance.

Wait for Future PGP Intakes

While the 2025 intake is limited to 2020 ITS submissions, IRCC may open new sponsorship interest forms in 2026 or later. Sponsors who missed the 2020 window should monitor official announcements closely and prepare documents early in anticipation of future opportunities.

Final Thoughts

The reopening of the Parents and Grandparents Program in 2025 offers a limited but valuable opportunity for certain Canadian families to reunite with their loved ones on a permanent basis. If you submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020 and still meet all eligibility criteria, it is essential to act promptly once an invitation is received.

Given the complexity of the application process and the limited time window, consider seeking the assistance of a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer to ensure your application is accurate and complete.

For those not invited this year, the Super Visa continues to be a viable option for long-term family visits. Meanwhile, prospective sponsors should prepare for possible future intake rounds and keep documentation updated.

Bringing parents and grandparents to Canada is not just a legal process, but a deeply personal one. Careful planning, timely action, and accurate information are your best tools to succeed.