Canada places an immense priority on reuniting family members through immigration. That is why the family class is consistently Canada’s second-largest group of immigrants. In the first half (Jan-July) of 2022, 51,745 immigrants came to this country through family-class programs.

1. Reuniting with your loved
ones through Canada’s
Parents and Grandparents
Program
Every year, Canada uses the Parents and
Grandparents program to allow Canadians to
sponsor loved ones living abroad. This year, it
could be your turn.

2. Canada places an immense priority on reuniting family members
through immigration. That is why the family class is consistently
Canada‟s second-largest group of immigrants. In the first half
(Jan-July) of 2022, 51,745 immigrants came to this country
through family-class programs.
From dependent children and spouses to parents and
grandparents, Canada takes great pride in providing Canadian
citizens and permanent residents with programs to help bring their
loved ones to this country.
One of these programs is called the Parents and Grandparents
Program (PGP).
A program that uniquely only lasts several weeks every year, the
PGP provides Canadian citizens and permanent residents with a
way to help their parents and grandparents receive permanent
residence in this country. Eventually, parents and grandparents
who become permanent residents through this program may also
be eligible for Canadian citizenship.
Under this program, Canadians can sponsor either one or both of
their parents or grandparents, but they are still required to list their
other living parent/grandparent on the application to Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Past years of the PGP
The PGP changes the number of applications it takes every year.
For context prior to providing an explanation of the program,
IRCC accepted a maximum of 10,000 applications in 2020 but
that number rose to 30,000 in 2021.

3. This number could change once again when the IRCC opens
PGP applications for the 2022 year.
2021 PGP eligibility criteria (Canada
excluding Quebec)
Although this criteria may change for the 2022 program year, the 2021
eligibility criteria for this program were as follows:
 A sponsor must be invited to apply
 A sponsor must be either a Canadian citizen, permanent resident,
or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
 A sponsor cannot be a temporary resident on a visa or permit nor
have an „in progress‟ permanent resident application
 Sponsors must be at least 18 years of age
 Sponsors must be residing in Canada (potential applicants will
need to provide proof of status during the „Interest to Sponsor‟
phase) during the application process and after the application
decision
 The person or persons being sponsored must not, as determined
by the Canadian government, have a medical condition that either
poses a danger to public health and safety or places excessive
demand on health/social services
 The sponsor must not be receiving social assistance from IRCC
(Employment Insurance and the Canada Emergency Response
Benefit do not qualify as social assistance)
 A sponsor must meet all other requirements under the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Regulations
 Exceed the minimum necessary income (MNI) level for this
program and provide proof of income to IRCC (details below)
 Sign an undertaking (details below)
Details regarding the MNI requirement for the Parents and
Grandparents program are as follows:

4.  The MNI is a measure of the level of income in a household, used
to determine whether an applicant can support themselves, their
family unit, and those they wish to sponsor (details on the
definition of a family unit and the PGP-specific MNI for Canadians
outside of Quebec can be found here
 If married or in a common-law relationship, the income of both the
sponsor and spouse can be included
 The sponsor on a PGP application (outside Quebec) must exceed
the MNI for the three consecutive taxation years prior to the
submission date of their application to be eligible for this program
 To prove that an applicant meets MNI requirements, they must
submit Canada Revenue Agency-issue notices of assessment to
support their application
Details regarding the undertaking process for the Parents and
Grandparents program are as follows. By signing an undertaking,
the Canadian applicant (outside of Quebec) is making a 20-year
commitment to:
 Financially support, including for essential needs, the sponsored
person(s) (starting when they become permanent residents)
 Repay any social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored family
members (if applicable)
PGP ineligibility (Canada excluding
Quebec)
There are several reasons a potential PGP sponsor may be
deemed ineligible for this program. Some of those reasons
include if the potential sponsor:
 Is in jail, prison, or penitentiary
 Did not give the financial support they agreed to when signing a
sponsorship agreement to sponsor a relative in the past
 Has declared bankruptcy and are not discharged
 Has received social assistance for a reason other than a disability

5.  Was convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a
relative, or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada
 Cannot legally stay in Canada and must leave the country
because they received a Removal Order
 Did not pay back: An immigration loan, a performance bond
and/or a court-ordered family support payments such as alimony
or child support
2021 PGP application steps (Canada
excluding Quebec)
The following were the four application steps for this program in
2021. Please note that this process may change for the 2022
program year.
Step 1: Ensure you have met the eligibility criteria
If a sponsor wishes to do so, they may have their common-law
partner or spouse co-sign the PGP application to help meet the
minimum necessary income criteria for eligibility. The co-signer
must also prove income for the three taxation years prior to the
application submission. Additionally, a PGP co-signer will be
subject to the same eligibility requirements as the primary
sponsor as well as the terms associated with the signed
undertaking.
Step 2: Have completed an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC‟s
website
Step 3: If a sponsor has submitted a past „Interest to Sponsor‟,
they must ensure they update the information entered in those
forms

6. Step 4: Wait for the IRCC to hold their annual PGP lottery, after
which sponsors will have 60 days to submit completed
sponsorship applications to IRCC if selected
IRCC lottery note: IRCC has found their lottery system to be the
fairest and most transparent selection process for the PGP. It
removes duplicate applications and ensures true randomization.
2021 PGP in Quebec
There are crucial differences in the PGP process for Quebec
when compared to the rest of Canada.
Below are differences in eligibility criteria and application steps
from 2021. Please note that these criteria and steps may change
again for the 2022 program year.
2021 Eligibility Criteria:
 The Quebec government has its own set of immigration
sponsorship requirements that a Canadian sponsor living in that
province must meet beyond the criteria established by IRCC.
Details can be found on the Quebec government website.
 Quebec also uses a different standard for MNI, although it is still
based on the size of a sponsor‟s “family unit (MNI and family unit
details for Quebec can be found here. The Government of
Quebec will also assess the sponsor‟s income.
 The province of Quebec imposes a 10-year undertaking
agreement as opposed to the 20-year commitment throughout the
rest of the country. In this part of Canada, sponsors will also be
required to sign an additional undertaking form on top of the one
provided through IRCC.

7. 2021 Application Steps:
Step 1: Ensure you have met the eligibility criteria
Step 2: Have completed an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC‟s
website
Step 3: If a sponsor has submitted a past „Interest to Sponsor‟,
they must ensure they update the information entered in those
forms
Step 4: Wait for the IRCC to hold their annual PGP lottery, after
which sponsors will have 60 days to submit completed
sponsorship applications to IRCC if selected
Step 5: Obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (“CSQ” in French)
by applying to the Quebec government. Once it is obtained,
submit it to IRCC
PGP application processing
The IRCC notes that the average processing time for a PGP
application is between 20 and 24 months.