(CANADA) Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program opened its 2025 intake on July 28, 2025, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sending 17,860 invitations to apply (ITAs) over roughly two weeks and targeting 10,000 complete applications for permanent residence sponsorship. But the window revived long-running complaints rather than relief: the draw again came only from interest-to-sponsor forms submitted in 2020, shutting out anyone who became eligible since then. Selected sponsors must file electronically by October 9, 2025, or lose their spot. Families welcomed movement after years of quiet, yet many more remain in limbo, waiting for an email that may never arrive.
How the 2025 intake worked
IRCC confirmed the 2025 round would pull exclusively from the 2020 pool, with no new interest forms accepted this year. That decision continues a lottery system that many call unfair because it relies on a five-year-old snapshot of potential sponsors.
- The process is random — there is no queue or priority for earlier filers.
- Someone who filed an interest form in 2020 still might not receive an invitation this year.
- Individuals who became eligible after 2020 have no path to be considered in 2025.
IRCC urges potential sponsors to watch their email closely, including spam folders, because missed messages could cost a rare chance to apply.
Caps, demand and criticism
As in earlier cycles, the Parents and Grandparents Program is capped well below demand. The gap between interest and available spots keeps families apart and adds stress.
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes the reliance on the 2020 list leaves newer would-be sponsors feeling shut out.
- Long-time applicants remain uncertain when — or if — they’ll be invited.
- IRCC has not announced any expansion of intake or a plan to refresh the pool this year, leaving the current system in place.
The program’s lottery-style approach manages volume but creates a system that feels closed to newcomers and too slow for earlier registrants.
Policy decisions and deadlines
Once an invitation arrives, the clock starts. IRCC requires a complete electronic submission through the Permanent Residence Portal by October 9, 2025. The package must be accurate on first submission.
Core forms include:
– IMM 1344 (Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking) — link: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm1344e.pdf
– IMM 5768 (Financial Evaluation for Parents and Grandparents) — link: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm5768e.pdf
– IMM 0008 (Generic Application Form for Canada) — link: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm0008enu_2d.pdf
Other mandatory items:
– Police certificates
– Medical exams
– Biometrics for applicants aged 14 to 79
Sponsor obligations:
– Show ability to support parents/grandparents for 20 years (or 10 years in Quebec).
– Support covers basic needs and any social assistance repayments that may arise.
These long-term financial commitments can be difficult to meet, especially given inflation and income volatility since the pandemic.
Steps to complete after receiving an ITA
- Confirm you have the latest versions of required forms (IMM 1344, IMM 5768, IMM 0008).
- Gather supporting documents: identity, relationship, income proof, police certificates.
- Book and complete medical exams.
- Schedule biometrics if applicants are aged 14–79.
- Submit a complete application electronically via the Permanent Residence Portal by October 9, 2025.
Missing the deadline or submitting errors can cause delays, refusals, or loss of the ITA.
Alternative: the Super Visa
IRCC highlights the Super Visa as an alternative for family visits. Key features:
– Multiple entries for up to 10 years.
– Stays of up to 5 years per visit.
– Possible 2-year extensions without leaving Canada.
– Requires private health insurance and medical exams.
– Does not grant permanent residence, access to social benefits, or a path to citizenship.
For many families the Super Visa helps with visits and caregiving, but it cannot replace the stability and rights of permanent residence under the Parents and Grandparents Program.
For official program details, IRCC’s page: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-parents-grandparents.html
IRCC advises all potential sponsors to keep contact details current and check email regularly during the invitation window.
Human impact
The human cost is clear: grandparents miss first steps and graduations, adult children juggle long-distance care, and families who saved for years still wait for ITAs that may never come.
- A common scenario: a permanent resident who filed an interest form in 2020, updated income records, prepared documents, and yet remains uninvited in 2025 while caregiving needs increase.
- The program’s combination of limited intake, heavy financial obligations, and random selection makes such stories common across provinces.
Options and advocacy
For those invited this summer, the timeline is tight: submit a complete electronic application by October 9, 2025, and ensure all requirements (forms, police certificates, medicals, biometrics) are met precisely.
Families without an invitation have limited recourse:
– Consider the Super Visa for temporary visits and caregiving, while recognizing its limits and costs.
– Advocates call on Canada to refresh the pool, expand intake, or introduce a system that recognizes urgency (e.g., health needs or caregiving shortages) rather than relying solely on chance.
Critics highlight that the 20-year sponsorship promise (10 years in Quebec) and strict income tests can exclude middle-income Canadians who might otherwise sponsor with community support. Supporters argue that rigorous financial requirements protect social programs and ensure newcomers do not rely on public assistance.
Current status and next steps
- IRCC used the 2020 pool to manage volume, but five years later that approach feels outdated to many families and observers.
- There is no announced plan in 2025 to reopen the interest form, raise caps, or replace the lottery with a queue.
- Stakeholders continue to press for greater transparency about when the 2020 pool will be exhausted and whether new family-reunification pathways will be added.
Meanwhile, sponsors must watch for emails, prepare documentation carefully, and — if uninvited — consider temporary visits via the Super Visa while waiting for future ITAs.
This Article in a Nutshell
Canada issued 17,860 ITAs on July 28, 2025, from the 2020 interest pool only. Sponsors must submit complete electronic applications by October 9, 2025. Critics say the lottery-style selection and 20-year sponsorship obligation exclude many eligible families while the Super Visa remains a temporary alternative without permanent residency rights.
