The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) allows Canadian citizens and PRs to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residence. It is one of the most in-demand immigration programs — and one of the most competitive.
How the PGP Works
The PGP operates as an annual lottery (officially called an expression of interest process). Each year, IRCC opens a limited-time window for eligible Canadians to submit an online expression of interest (EOI) to sponsor a parent or grandparent. After the window closes, IRCC randomly selects from the eligible pool of submissions and invites selected sponsors to submit a full sponsorship application. Only those who receive an invitation can proceed — the selection is random from among eligible submissions, not based on a scoring system.
Eligibility to Sponsor
To be eligible to submit an expression of interest, you must: be a Canadian citizen or PR who is at least 18 years old; meet the minimum income threshold (your income must be at least 1.5 times the Low Income Cut-Off for your family size — the LICO +30% requirement, updated annually); not be in default on any previous sponsorship undertaking; and not be in receipt of social assistance (except for disability). The income requirement applies for the most recent tax year at the time of invitation.
Income Requirements
The PGP has strict income requirements. Outside Quebec, IRCC generally assesses income using Notices of Assessment and requires sponsors to meet the applicable income requirement for each of the three tax years before applying. For 2026 planning, do not rely on approximate older thresholds; use IRCC’s current PGP income table and intake instructions.
The Undertaking Period
Sponsors of parents and grandparents must sign a 20-year undertaking. This is the longest undertaking period in Canadian immigration law. For two decades after landing, you are financially responsible for your parents or grandparents — meaning if they access most social assistance programs during that time, you may be required to repay those costs to the government. This is a serious, long-term financial commitment that should be carefully considered before applying.
Super Visa as an Alternative
Many families use the Super Visa as a practical alternative or complement to the PGP. The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years per visit, with the visa valid for up to 10 years — without going through the PGP lottery. For families where the parents primarily want to visit (not necessarily immigrate permanently), the Super Visa may be a more practical and faster solution than waiting for PGP lottery success.
How to Turn This Guide Into an Action Plan
Use this Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP): Sponsorship Guide guide as a decision framework rather than a shortcut. Start by writing down the exact outcome you want: eligibility, a stronger ranking profile, a safer application package, a better provincial option, or a clearer timeline. Then separate what is confirmed from what is assumed. Confirmed facts are supported by documents, official pages, valid test results, current fees, and dates. Assumptions should be resolved before submission because immigration files are assessed on evidence, not intent.
Family and visitor pathways depend heavily on evidence, consistency, and timing. Relationship documents, financial support, residence history, previous refusals, travel history, custody issues, and admissibility facts can matter as much as the basic form answers. Sponsors and applicants should build the file around proof rather than assumptions. If the plan includes a later work permit, study permit, or permanent residence route, the temporary or family application should not contradict the long-term immigration story.
Evidence and Risk Checklist
Before acting, build a simple evidence folder for this topic. It should include identity documents, current status documents, official letters, education records, language results where relevant, employment letters, pay records, family documents, proof of funds where required, and screenshots or PDFs of the official instructions you relied on. This is especially useful when a program changes after you first researched it. A dated record helps you understand whether your plan is still current.
Review the file for contradictions. Names, dates, job titles, wages, hours, school names, program dates, family details, and passport numbers should match across forms and supporting documents. If something does not match, explain or correct it before submission. Small inconsistencies can create larger credibility questions, especially in applications involving work experience, funds, family relationships, or previous immigration history.
When to Recheck the Official Rules
Recheck the official sources immediately before submitting anything, after a major program announcement, when a fee changes, when a draw pattern shifts, when your passport or language test is close to expiry, and whenever your family, job, school, or province changes. Immigration planning is not a one-time read. For competitive programs, a strategy that looked strong three months ago may need adjustment after new invitation rounds or policy updates.
If your case includes a previous refusal, a status gap, inadmissibility concern, medical issue, criminal record, custody question, self-employment evidence, inconsistent work history, or urgent deadline, treat this guide as background only and get individualized advice. Those facts can change the risk level even when the general pathway appears available.
Final Verification Step
Before relying on this information, complete one final verification pass. Open the official government page, confirm the latest update date, compare the rule with your exact facts, and make sure every important claim is supported by a document you can provide. This last review is especially important when fees, invitation rounds, processing times, language requirements, proof-of-funds amounts, or provincial priorities have changed recently.
If the plan depends on a deadline, create a timeline that includes test booking, result release, document requests, translations, passport renewal, biometrics, medical exams, employer letters, and fee payment. Most weak files are not weak because the applicant ignored the main rule; they are weak because one supporting detail was missing, expired, inconsistent, or submitted too late.
Quick Planning Note
Keep this page bookmarked and recheck it when your facts change. A new job, new test result, new passport, family change, refusal, provincial move, or updated government instruction can change the best next step even when the general pathway remains the same.