- IRCC paused new PGP intake starting July 15, 2026, with no announced reopening date.
- Canada aims to admit fifteen thousand permanent residents through the program using existing inventory.
- The Super Visa remains available for parents and grandparents seeking temporary stays up to five years.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada paused new intake under the Parents and Grandparents Program on July 15, 2026, stopping new interest-to-sponsor forms and invitations until further notice. Existing permanent-residence applications will continue moving through the system.
The department also confirmed that the Super Visa remains available to eligible parents and grandparents seeking extended visits. The visa does not provide permanent residence.
IRCC made three decisions. It will accept no new forms, issue no additional invitations and continue processing applications already in its inventory.
Free toolCanada Express Entry Points CalculatorThe pause has no announced reopening date. It also does not cancel applications already accepted, revoke permanent residence or close Canada’s family-visit routes.
Canada plans to approve up to 15,000 people through the PGP in 2026. IRCC said limiting new intake would help reduce processing times and make outcomes more predictable for families already waiting.
The target covers people, not necessarily files. One application can include a parent and that parent’s spouse.
The pause affects people who never received an invitation
The decision directly affects Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other eligible sponsors who had not received an invitation to begin a new case. It also affects people who submitted an interest form in the past but were never selected.
An interest form is only an entry into a selection pool. It is not a permanent-residence application, and a confirmation number does not guarantee an invitation.
People who were never invited should not submit an unsolicited sponsorship application. Filing one does not bypass the pause.
IRCC has not said when the next intake will open or whether it will use an old pool. Families should rely on an official departmental announcement rather than claims about a future opening.
The 2026 target comes from the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which sets 15,000 parent and grandparent admissions for each of 2026, 2027 and 2028. The published range for each year is 13,000 to 19,000.
Those figures do not mean that Canada will invite 15,000 new applications in 2026. The department said it will draw on existing inventory while intake remains paused.
Existing cases should remain active
Families that already submitted complete sponsorship and permanent-residence applications should not withdraw or duplicate them because of the announcement. IRCC says those cases will continue processing.
Applicants should monitor their IRCC accounts and answer document requests by the stated deadlines. They may also need to complete medical examinations, provide biometrics, submit police certificates or send updated forms.
Changes in family composition must be reported. Applicants should also keep their addresses and contact details current.
Processing will still depend on admissibility checks, complete documentation, medical results, security screening and any additional evidence the department requests. The pause does not guarantee approval or faster decisions for every pending case.
A pending sponsorship case remains separate from temporary entry. A parent or grandparent can apply for a visitor visa while awaiting a permanent-residence decision, but the second application must independently meet temporary-resident requirements.
The 2025 round used an older pool
Canada did not open a new interest form for the 2025 intake. Instead, IRCC selected potential sponsors from forms submitted in 2020.
The department sent 17,860 invitations beginning July 28, 2025, over approximately two weeks. It aimed to accept up to 10,000 complete applications.
Invited sponsors faced an October 9, 2025 deadline. Someone who submitted a form in 2020 but never received an invitation should not assume that the form reserves a place in a permanent queue.
The current pause means there will not be another invitation round or fresh expression of interest for now. Whether a future intake returns to the 2020 pool remains undecided.
The temporary visa allows longer visits, but not settlement
Parents and grandparents who cannot access sponsorship can consider the temporary family-visit route. It is a multiple-entry visa that can remain valid for up to 10 years.
Eligible holders can generally stay in Canada for up to five years at a time. They may apply from inside Canada for an extension of up to two additional years.
It is still temporary status.
A holder must maintain valid visitor status, does not receive an unrestricted right to work and does not automatically qualify for provincial health coverage. The person must leave Canada or extend status when the authorized stay ends and continue meeting entry and admissibility requirements.
Approval is not automatic because the applicant has a Canadian child or grandchild. The applicant must also show that the visit is temporary and that they are likely to leave when required.
Sponsorship and extended visits serve different purposes
| Route | Result | Main requirements | Current position |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGP sponsorship | Permanent residence | An invitation, financial requirements and a long-term undertaking | New intake paused |
| Super Visa route | Temporary visitor status | An eligible host, income, medical examination and qualifying private medical insurance | Available |
| Regular visitor visa | Usually shorter temporary visits | Visitor eligibility and temporary-intent requirements | Available |
Sponsors outside Quebec generally face financial requirements based on three tax years. They also sign a long-term undertaking to support the sponsored family members.
Most regular visitors are ordinarily admitted for up to six months unless a border officer authorizes another period. That route does not provide the same potential five-year stay available through the extended-visit visa.
Hosts and visitors must meet separate requirements
The host must generally be the applicant’s biological or adopted child or grandchild. The host must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, at least 18 years old and living in Canada.
The host must meet the applicable minimum-income requirement and provide a signed invitation letter. The visiting parent or grandparent must apply from outside Canada.
The visitor must pass an immigration medical examination, remain admissible and obtain qualifying private medical insurance valid for at least one year from the expected date of entry. IRCC will assess whether the applicant is a genuine temporary visitor.
A family’s ability to pay for a visit does not replace the required financial evidence. Medical history and age can also affect insurance availability and premiums.
Income rules changed on March 31, 2026
Canada changed the way family income may be calculated for eligibility on March 31, 2026. Hosts and eligible co-signers may meet the threshold in either of the two taxation years before the application.
Under certain conditions, the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s income may also be added after the host meets the prescribed minimum portion of the required amount. The change may help households whose income fluctuated or whose latest tax year alone fell short.
Applicants still need acceptable supporting documents. The revised calculation does not remove the income threshold or other visa requirements.
A parent or grandparent with a pending sponsorship application may apply separately for the temporary visa. The sponsorship case seeks permanent residence, while the visit application seeks temporary entry.
The pending sponsorship does not guarantee approval. The applicant must still show they will leave Canada if authorized temporary status ends before permanent residence is granted.
Families can prepare while intake remains paused
Potential sponsors can keep Canadian tax filings current and retain Notices of Assessment and proof of income. They can also review family-size calculations and check whether an earlier sponsorship undertaking remains active.
Civil-status and relationship records can be collected in advance. Preparation does not create eligibility or reserve a place, but it may reduce delays if Canada announces a new intake.
Families should assess whether the temporary visa or an ordinary visitor visa fits the planned stay. They should also account for private medical insurance costs before choosing the longer-visit route.
The department’s current plan is to use existing PGP inventory for 2026 admissions. Families without an invitation must wait for a future intake announcement if their goal is permanent residence.
