Parents and Grandparents Program
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is a Canadian immigration program designed to reunite families by allowing Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residency in Canada.
Under the PGP, interested sponsors must first submit an online Interest to Sponsor form to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) during the specified application period. The IRCC then conducts a random selection process to invite potential sponsors to submit a complete application.
To be eligible to sponsor their parents or grandparents, sponsors must meet certain requirements. These include being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, being at least 18 years old, residing in Canada, and meeting the minimum income requirements to demonstrate the ability to support their sponsored family members financially.
Once selected, sponsors are required to submit a complete sponsorship application within a specified timeframe. They must also provide supporting documents to prove their relationship with the sponsored family members and demonstrate their financial ability to support them. The sponsorship application is assessed by IRCC, and if approved, the sponsored parents or grandparents can apply for permanent residency in Canada.
It's important to note that the Parents and Grandparents Program has limited spots available each year, and the application process is highly competitive. The Canadian government has made efforts to improve the program and make it more accessible, such as increasing the number of available spots and introducing a randomized selection process to provide equal chances to potential sponsors.