The Parents and Grandparent Program (PGP) Canada lets you sponsor your parents and grandparents to become PRs. However, you can only apply for their sponsorship if you are invited by IRCC. Moreover, both the sponsor and the sponsee must meet the eligibility requirements.
The Family Sponsorship Program lets PR and citizens of Canada sponsor their eligible family members so they may apply for residency themselves. These family members include, parents and grandparents, spouse, common-law partner, child, and relatives, etc.
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Am I Eligible to Sponsor?
There are certain eligibility requirements that you must meet to sponsor your biological/adopted parents and grandparents.
- You must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be invited to apply for the sponsorship
- You need to be a Canadian citizen/PR
- Live in Canada
- Not just you but your parents and grandparents also need to meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)
- Have enough financial resources to support the sponsee
- Prove your financial resources by providing proof of income
- Your spouse/partner can co-sign the application so as to combine both of your incomes
For those planning to live outside Quebec:-
You must commit an undertaking no matter where you’ll be living in Canada. Committing an undertaking means you’ll promise to financially support the sponsee for a specific period.
From the day they become Canadian PRs, you must financially support them for the next 20 years. Also, the undertaking commits you to repay any kind of provincial social assistance that the sponsee receives during the undertaking.
Along with the undertaking, the sponsor and the sponsee must agree to take on some responsibilities. Taking on such responsibilities is included under the sponsorship agreement.
In simple terms, you will provide for the basic needs of the sponsee. Moreover, the sponsored person must also do everything in their power to not just support themselves but also their family members.
The sponsorship agreement will still be valid even if these situations arise:
- Unemployment
- Marriage ending/ divorce/ separation
- Family separations
- Death of the principal applicant (in case the sponsor is also sponsoring their family members)
At the time of applying for PR, the sponsor will complete a form that will include both the undertaking and the sponsorship agreement.
For those planning to live in Quebec:-
To live in Quebec, you must meet the sponsorship requirements set by the province otherwise you won’t qualify for the sponsorship. Quebec will assess your income and if you qualify, it will let you know what to do next.
Even if you plan on living in Quebec, you’ll sign an undertaking that will last for 10 years.
Documents Required for PR Application
| S.No. | Documents for the Sponsor | Documents for the Sponsee |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement, Undertaking | Generic Application Form for Canada |
| 2. | Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union | Schedule A – Background/Declaration |
| 3. | Financial Evaluation for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship | Additional Family Information |
| 4. | Proof of status in Canada | Supplementary Information – Your Travels |
| 5. | Passport/ Travel Documents |
Income Requirements to Meet to Sponsor Your Parents & Grandparents
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will determine whether you have enough money to support the sponsee or not.
Before the date you apply to become a sponsor, you must submit proof that you meet the income requirements for the previous 3 tax years. IRCC is yet to issue the income requirements needed according to 2024. Save this page for future reference because we will add the information as soon as IRCC announces it.
Who Can I Sponsor?
You may be eligible to sponsor your adopted and biological parents and grandparents.
If you are sponsoring your divorced parents and grandparents, you must submit separate applications. In such cases, if the divorced parents and grandparents have a spouse/common-law partner/conjugal partner, they may be considered dependents.
If IRCC approves them, the spouse/common-law partner/conjugal partner can immigrate to Canada with the principal applicant (meaning, with your parents and grandparents).
The sponsee can include their sisters/ brothers/ half-sisters/ half-brothers/ step-sisters/ step-brothers if they qualify as dependent children. You, as the sponsor, must meet the income requirements for the sponsee and their dependents.
Who I Cannot Sponsor?
- Your in-laws (but you can still be a co-signer on their application)
- Anyone who is inadmissible to Canada
How to Apply: From Sponsorship to PR Application
To sponsor your parents and grandparents, you must first receive an invitation to apply. Once you do:
- Apply to become a sponsor
- The parents and grandparents must apply for PR through the Family Sponsorship Program
Once the PR and the sponsorship application are completed, you must submit both of them at the same time.
To become a sponsor, you must submit an “Interest to Sponsor” form. If you are eligible, IRCC will place you in the pool of potential sponsors.
Step 1
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects sponsors from the pool of potential sponsors randomly. Once selected, IRCC will send them an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to move forward with the steps.
Step 2
Once invited, the principal applicant can start filling out the permanent residency application through the online PR portal.
If there are more than one principal applicant, each of them must create their own account online and sign their application.
Step 3
As the sponsor, pay for the processing fee, biometric fee, right of permanent residence fee, and third-party fees.
Step 4
Submit both the sponsorship and the residency application. Make sure that the PR application is complete and not missing any documents.
Step 5
While processing the PR application, IRCC will ask for more information. The sponsee will submit their biometric information, police clearance certificate, and medical exams.
What happens when you arrive in Canada?
At the time the sponsored family members arrive in Canada, they need to show the border services:
- valid passport/ travel document
- Confirmation of Permanent Residence
- PR visa (if they were issued one)
- Quebec Selection Certificate (if they’re going to live in Quebec)
- Any other document IRCC mentioned them to bring
If your sponsored family members are bringing any kind of funds to Canada, they need to let the border officers know. These funds include:
- Stocks
- Cash
- Bonds
- Money orders
- Traveller’s cheques
Processing time
| You are sponsoring | You will be living in | Expected Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Parents or Grandparents | In Quebec | 50 months |
| Outside Quebec | 24 months |
Fee
| You are sponsoring | Fee Type | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Parent or Grandparent | Sponsorship Fee | CAD$85 |
| Principal Application Processing Fee | CAD$545 | |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee | CAD$575 | |
| Including the Spouse or Partner of your Parent or Grandparent | Application Processing Fee | CAD$635 |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee | CAD$575 | |
| Include a dependent child | – | CAD$175 |
| Biometrics Fee Per Person | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | CAD$85 |
| 2 or more | CAD$170 |
How We Help
When you think of sponsoring your parents or grandparents, think of us. Talent Connected Worldwide will be your reliable partner in this journey. We are not just one of the leading immigration consultancies of India but we are also an award-winning company. We won the “Best Immigration Company in India 2022-2023” award.
TCWW has been in this industry for more than 15 years and has helped thousands and thousands of people realize their potential. Moreover, we are also recognized by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), hence you can trust us to take care of your legal matters.
Thus, no matter what your query is regarding immigration matters, just get in touch with us!
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