BREAKING: Canada shuts door to sponsoring parents and grandparents for permanent residence
The Canadian government has paused the intake of new applications for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) for permanent residence. Existing applications will continue to be processed, but no new interest forms will be accepted until further notice.
Why it matters
This policy change significantly impacts immigrant families seeking reunification in Canada and reflects ongoing adjustments to national immigration levels.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents will have no further opportunities to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence, unless the federal government reverses course.
Canada is “pausing the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program” (PGP), according to a government news release published on July 15, 2026.
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The immigration department “will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice.”
The department says it will continue to process PGP sponsorship applications which have already been received, with the objective of approving 15,000 applications for permanent residence in 2026.
As of the time of writing, the immigration department's processing times web page reports a PGP inventory of 50,900 applications.*
Under the latest immigration levels plan , the federal government has set the following targets for annual PGP admissions:
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