Canada takes steps to responsibly manage the Parents and Grandparents Program

Ottawa, July 15, 2026—The Government of Canada is taking steps to maintain a well‑managed, sustainable immigration system that works for newcomers and Canadians alike. As part of these efforts, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is pausing the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP Program). We will continue to process existing applications and plan to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the PGP Program in 2026, in line with the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. This approach will help reduce processing times and improve predictability for families.

Family reunification remains an important pillar of Canada’s immigration system. Parents and grandparents continue to be able to visit their children and grandchildren in Canada through the super visa, which allows them to visit their children or grandchildren for 5 years at a time and provides multiple entries to Canada for up to 10 years. IRCC recently made the super visa more accessible by implementing changes to the income and health insurance requirements.

Interest in the PGP Program continues to exceed the spaces available under the levels plan. To manage this pressure responsibly, IRCC will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice.