Who Can Apply for Canada’s 2025 Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program?

Canada has reignited its commitment to family reunification by reopening the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) for the 2025 intake.

This offering Canadian citizens and permanent residents the opportunity to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residency. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) commenced issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) on 28 July, initiating a two-week distribution period aimed at a pre-selected group who had previously expressed interest in sponsorship back in 2020. 

This year's programme is targeting those individuals who, despite submitting an interest-to-sponsor form in 2020, were not selected in the intervening rounds between 2020 and 2024. This latest iteration of the PGP intends to issue a total of 17,860 invitations, with the ultimate goal of approving 10,000 complete applications. The programme aims to balance the strong desire to unite families with the practical considerations of Canada’s immigration capacity.

The structure of the programme remains largely unchanged, maintaining the two-part application process that requires both the Canadian sponsor and the parent or grandparent seeking residency to submit detailed applications. Sponsors must provide a sponsorship application, while the parents or grandparents must complete a permanent residence application. 

The deadline for submitting both components via the Permanent Residence Portal is set for 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 9 October 2025. IRCC has specified that exceptions for paper-based submissions will only be considered under exceptional circumstances. The application process is both intricate and document-intensive. Sponsors are responsible for completing a range of forms, including IMM 1344 (Sponsorship Agreement), IMM 5771 (Document Checklist), and IMM 5768 (Financial Evaluation). 

Those seeking sponsorship must submit forms such as IMM 0008 (Generic Application Form), IMM 5669 (Background/Declaration), and IMM 5406 (Additional Family Information). Guide IMM 5772 provides detailed instructions, which IRCC advises applicants to consult thoroughly. The financial commitment required for sponsorship is significant. The base fee for sponsoring a single parent or grandparent is CAD 1,205. 

This amount encompasses a sponsorship fee, a processing fee, and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. Additional costs may include fees for biometrics, medical examinations, police certificates, and the inclusion of dependents in the application. Beyond the paperwork and associated costs, applicants must also satisfy specific requirements relating to medical examinations, police certificates issued within the past year, and biometrics if aged between 14 and 79. 

A critical requirement is the inclusion of the ITA within the application package. Failure to do so, or submission of incomplete documentation, risks the application being returned or rejected. By restricting eligibility to those who registered their interest five years ago, IRCC maintains a lottery-based selection process, underscoring the high demand for the programme and the challenges of managing it within existing immigration constraints. 

Recognising that not all potential sponsors will be selected, alternative pathways such as the Super Visa remain available. This visa allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years per visit, with multiple entries permitted over a ten-year period. While the Super Visa does not grant permanent residency, it provides a viable option for extended family visits and temporary stays.