Parents and grandparents in 2026

If you were hoping to bring a parent or grandparent to Canada for good this year, this news is hard to hear, and it is completely normal to feel disappointed or worried. Here are the facts. Under Ministerial Instructions that took effect on January 1, 2026, IRCC is not accepting any new Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) applications in 2026. It is only processing applications from the 2025 intake. On July 15, 2026, IRCC paused the program until further notice. The door to permanent residence is closed for now, but there is still a lot you can do: your family can be together on a Super Visa, and you can get ready for whenever IRCC opens the program again. This guide walks you through each step.

What IRCC announced

There are two official announcements to know about, plus the target for this year. All of them are linked in the sources below.

• January 1, 2026: Ministerial Instructions 89 (MI89) took effect. IRCC receives no new PGP permanent residence applications, and no related sponsorship applications, in 2026. It can accept up to 10,000 applications from the 2025 intake into processing this year.
• July 15, 2026: IRCC announced it is pausing the program. It will not accept new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice. It keeps processing the applications it already has.
• The 2026 target: IRCC plans to admit about 15,000 parents and grandparents as permanent residents in 2026, within a range of 13,000 to 19,000, in line with the 2026 to 2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

IRCC says demand for the program is higher than the number of spaces, and that the pause should make processing times shorter and more predictable for families. It has not said when a new intake will open. MI89 says only that details on the next intake will be shared when they are available.

If you applied in the 2025 intake

The 2025 intake did not use a new form. Starting July 28, 2025, IRCC invited sponsors who had submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, and the last day to apply was October 9, 2025. If you were invited and sent your application by that date, you can breathe a little easier: the pause does not cancel it, and IRCC is still processing these applications. Waiting is tiring, so here is what helps keep your file moving:

• Keep your main home in Canada. Sponsors must live in Canada when they apply and until IRCC makes a decision.
• Answer every IRCC request quickly, including requests for medical exams, biometrics, police certificates or updated documents.
• Tell IRCC about changes, such as a new address or email, a marriage, or a birth in the family.
• Check the official PGP processing time with the IRCC processing times tool, rather than relying on posts from other applicants.
• Remember the commitment you signed: the undertaking lasts 20 years from the day your parent or grandparent becomes a permanent resident, or 10 years if you live in Quebec.

If you were never invited

We know this is the hardest part to read, especially if your family has been waiting for years. IRCC sent the 2025 invitations to the email address on each 2020 interest to sponsor form. If you did not receive one, or you never submitted a form, there is nothing you can submit for the PGP right now. No new interest to sponsor forms are being accepted, and IRCC has not set a date for another intake. Be careful with anyone who offers to get you a place while the program is paused: there is no official process open. Our Parents and Grandparents Program guide explains how the program works when it is open.

The Super Visa: the main option right now

IRCC itself points families to the Super Visa. It is a multi-entry visa for the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and registered Indians. Your parent can stay up to 5 years at a time, the visa can be valid for up to 10 years, and they can apply from inside Canada for 2-year extensions. There is no lottery and no intake window. It is a visitor visa, though: it does not lead to permanent residence, and your parent cannot work on it. Dependants cannot be included, so each parent applies separately. Our Super Visa guide covers every step.

The insurance rules

• At least CAD $100,000 in emergency coverage.
• Valid for at least 1 year from the date your parent enters Canada, and valid for each entry.
• Covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
• Bought from a Canadian insurance company, or from a foreign company that is authorized by OSFI (the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions) and appears on its list. Brokers and claims administrators do not count.
• Paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit. A quote is not accepted.

The income rules since March 31, 2026

On March 31, 2026, IRCC changed how it calculates the host's income. The new rules apply to new applications and to applications that were already in processing. There are now two ways to qualify:

1. 01

   Option 1: either of your last two tax years

   You, plus a co-signing spouse or common-law partner if you have one, meet the full minimum income in either of the 2 tax years before you apply. A CRA notice of assessment is the usual proof.

2. 02

   Option 2: at least 75%, plus your parent's income

   If your household income in the last tax year is at least 75% of the minimum, the visiting parent's or grandparent's own income can cover the rest. They must show they will keep earning it while in Canada, with documents such as pay stubs, an employer letter, bank statements or pension statements that show the currency they are paid in.

3. 03

   Count your family size correctly

   The minimum depends on your family size, and it includes every parent or grandparent you are inviting. Check the current table on IRCC's proof of financial support page before you apply.

Other options to know about

For shorter trips, a parent or grandparent can come as an ordinary visitor. A regular visitor is usually allowed to stay up to 6 months at a time, which can be enough for a birth, a wedding or a long summer together. If your goal is permanent residence, IRCC has not announced any other route for parents and grandparents while the PGP is paused.

Getting ready for a future intake

IRCC has not said when the PGP will reopen. What you can do is be ready, so that if a new intake is announced you can act calmly and quickly instead of rushing. Based on the rules for the 2025 intake, here is what to keep ready:

• Keep your CRA notices of assessment for at least the last 3 tax years. For the 2025 intake, sponsors had to meet the income requirement in each of the 3 tax years before they applied.
• Know the income test. Outside Quebec, it is the minimum necessary income plus 30%, based on your family size. A spouse or common-law partner can co-sign to combine incomes.
• Count your family size carefully. It includes you, your own family, and every person you plan to sponsor.
• If you live in Quebec, Quebec sets its own income requirements and its own undertaking.
• Check for issues that can make a sponsor ineligible, such as receiving social assistance for a reason other than disability, or not meeting the terms of a past sponsorship.

Frequently asked questions