Parents and Grandparents (PGP)

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lets Canadian citizens and PRs sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence. Unlike spousal sponsorship, PGP has significant income requirements (MNI), a 20-year financial undertaking, and a lottery-based intake system that vastly limits annual capacity. The Super Visa is often a faster, more reliable alternative.

PGP at a glance

• Application fee: CAD $1,205 per principal applicant
• Processing time: 24–36 months (longer for visa offices in higher-volume countries)
• Financial undertaking: 20 years (10 years in Quebec for parents only — grandparents always 20 years)
• Income requirement: MNI for 3 consecutive tax years
• Intake: Lottery-based — Interest to Sponsor form + random selection
• Annual cap: ~15,000–25,000 sponsors selected per round (when the program reopens)

How the PGP lottery works

1. Program opens — typically once a year, IRCC announces an "Interest to Sponsor" submission window (usually 2–3 weeks)
2. Submit Interest to Sponsor form — basic info (name, address, family members in Canada, citizenship/PR proof)
3. Random lottery draw — IRCC randomly selects sponsors from the pool. Demand vastly exceeds capacity (typically 200,000+ submissions for ~25,000 selections).
4. If selected: 60-day window to submit the complete sponsorship application + supporting docs
5. If NOT selected: Your interest doesn't roll over to next year — you must submit again next round

Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) — the financial threshold

You must prove you've earned at least the MNI for the size of your family + the parents/grandparents being sponsored, for each of the 3 most recent tax years. MNI = LICO (Low Income Cut-Off) + 30%.

MNI table (2024 tax year — used for 2025/2026 applications)

Family size includes: the sponsor, sponsor's spouse/common-law partner, any dependents already in Canada, PLUS the parents/grandparents being sponsored AND their dependents (e.g., your unmarried sibling under 22 if they're coming with). MNI threshold updates annually.

What counts as income

• Employment income (T4)
• Self-employment income (declared on tax return)
• Pension income (CPP, OAS, private pensions)
• Investment income (interest, dividends)
• Spousal/common-law partner income (combined with sponsor)

Does NOT count: social assistance, EI, child benefits, RRSP withdrawals, casual cash income, or any income earned outside Canada.

Documentation

• Notice of Assessment (NOA) for each of the 3 tax years — from CRA
• Option C printout (full income breakdown by source)
• If self-employed: financial statements + business registration

The 20-year undertaking

This is the most overlooked part of PGP. By sponsoring parents/grandparents, you commit to financially supporting them — and their dependents — for 20 years from the date they become PRs. If they receive any social assistance during those 20 years, YOU are liable to repay it.

This obligation continues even if:

• You separate or divorce from your spouse co-sponsor
• The sponsored parent becomes a Canadian citizen
• You experience personal financial hardship
• The sponsored parent moves out of your home

Quebec is slightly different: 10-year undertaking for parents (not grandparents) since 2022.

Step-by-step PGP application

1. Watch for program opening — IRCC announces 1–2 months before the Interest to Sponsor window
2. Submit Interest to Sponsor form online during the 2–3 week window. Only ONE submission per sponsor allowed.
3. Wait for lottery results — typically 4–6 weeks after window closes
4. If selected: gather full application package within 60 days
   • Sponsorship forms (IMM 1344, IMM 0008, IMM 5669)
   • 3 years of MNI proof (NOAs, Option C printouts)
   • Parents'/grandparents' passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates
   • Police certificates from every country lived in 6+ months
   • Medical exam (Panel Physician)
   • Photos, biometrics, fees
5. Submit application + pay fees ($1,205 per principal applicant)
6. Wait for processing — 24–36 months typical
7. Visa issued — parents land in Canada and become PRs

Super Visa — the popular alternative

If you don't win the PGP lottery, can't meet MNI, or want a faster path, the Super Visa is often the better option:

• Multi-entry visa valid up to 10 years
• Each visit up to 5 years (was 2 years before 2022)
• Processing: 8–12 weeks (vs 24–36 months for PGP)
• Lower income requirement (LICO, not MNI) — though still must meet
• Mandatory private medical insurance: $100,000 minimum coverage for 1 year
• Letter of invitation from Canadian sponsor

Many families use Super Visa as a permanent solution — parents can spend most of their time in Canada with periodic renewals. See our Super Visa section for details.

Common PGP refusal reasons

• MNI not met in any of the 3 tax years — even $100 short causes refusal
• Income source not eligible — counted EI, social assistance, or foreign income
• R117(9)(d) — parent not declared on sponsor's original PR application — lifetime ban
• Sponsor's undertaking unfulfillable — bankruptcy, social assistance receipt during processing
• Parent inadmissible — criminality, security, or excessive demand on health
• Medical inadmissibility — excessive demand — common refusal for elderly parents with chronic conditions (subject to procedural fairness response)

Useful official resources

• IRCC — Sponsor Parents and Grandparents
• IRCC — MNI Income Table (current year)
• IRCC — Super Visa

Considering PGP? Most clients are better off with Super Visa given PGP's lottery odds and 20-year undertaking. We map both options against your family situation and income. Book a free parents-sponsorship assessment.