Your Journey Begins Here

Your parents and grandparents can enjoy the full benefits of Canadian permanent residence including being able to work in Canada, obtain health care, get full protection under Canadian law and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and apply to become a Canadian citizen once they meet the eligibility criteria.

To be eligible the 2021 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), sponsors must have met this criteria:

• Have completed an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC’s website between October 13, 2020 (12:00 PM EDT) and November 3, 2020 (12:00 PM EST).
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act;
• Be 18 years of age or older;
• Be residing in Canada (potential applicants will need to provide a proof of status during the Interest to Sponsor phase);
• Exceed the minimum necessary income level set by IRCC for this program (if married or in a common-law relationship, the income of both the sponsor and spouse can be included) and provide proof of income to IRCC; and
• Sign an undertaking
  • to financially support the sponsored for 20 years (starting when they become permanent residents); and
  • to repay any social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored family members (if applicable) for a period of 20 years.
  • If the sponsor resides in Quebec, an additional “undertaking” must be signed with the province of Quebec.

Applicants to the PGP will have to prove that they meet the minimum income requirements by submitting notices of assessment issued by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) in support of their application.

The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to come to Canada as visitors for up to five consecutive years (effective July 4, 2022) on their initial visit without having to renew their status. Those with a Super Visa already will also be able to apply for an extension that may enable them to remain in Canada as a visitor for up to 7 years. The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to enter Canada multiple times for up to 10 years.  To be eligible for the Super Visa program, parents and grandparents must meet standard visitor visa requirements. In addition, they must:

• Provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada;
• Show that the sponsor in Canada meets minimum income requirements;
• Prove they have purchased Canadian health insurance for at least one year; and
• Complete an immigration medical examination.

Depending on their nationality, parents/grandparents may require a Temporary Resident Visa in addition to the Super Visa. To qualify for a Super Visa, the child or grandchild who is inviting their parents or grandparents will need to prove that their household meets the required Low Income Cut-Off (LICO). This proof may consist of the following documents:

• Notice of Assessment (NOA) or T4/T1 for the most recent tax year;
• Employment Insurance stubs;
• An employment letter including salary and date of hiring;
• Pay stubs; or 
• bank statements.