The Canadian government has decided to increase the number of accepted applications for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) from 15,000 to 25,000. Ministerial Instructions
The Canadian government has decided to increase the number of accepted applications for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) from 15,000 to 25,000.
Ministerial Instructions published in the Canada Gazette on March 22, 2025, state that some applications will be from the 2025 intake, while others will be from the 2024 intake.
This represents a shift from early this year, when the government declared in January that it would only process at least 15,000 applications from the 2024 intake. They further announced that no new applications would be accepted in 2025. Although it did not provide a revised cap, the government did declare on March 7 that it would be sending invitations in 2025.
When the PGP opens intake this year, Canadian citizens and as well as permanent residents who had not yet received an invitation to apply but had filled out interest to sponsor forms during the 2020 intake will have the opportunity to do so. Those who successfully complete the PGP are granted permanent residence in Canada.
What is the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)?
One route to permanent residency is the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), which reunites families. The government chooses sponsors through a lottery because the program’s demand greatly exceeds the number of spots available. Only one intake has been held for the program so far in 2020, and all invitations to sponsor have since been sent to those who filled out interest forms for the 2020 intake.
Information on Super Visa
Another program by the Canadian government allows parents and grandparents to travel to Canada for extended stays with their relatives. Canadian citizens and permanent residence holders can sponsor parents and grandparents to visit Canada under the Super Visa program.
Super Visas are valid for 10 years, and their holders may stay in Canada for almost five years at a time with the option to extend for an additional two years. A visitor with a Super Visa is required to purchase private health insurance for the total time of their stay. A visitor in Canada can typically only stay for up to six months without the Super Visa.