Sponsor your parents and grandparents: Find out if you’re invited to apply

We invited potential sponsors for 2020

In 2020, the interest to sponsor form was open for a limited time. Since then, we

• removed duplicate submissions
• randomly selected potential sponsors to invite to apply

We’ll accept 10,000 complete applications. To get up to 10,000 applications, we invite more than 10,000 potential sponsors to apply.

Between January 5-11, 2021, we invited potential sponsors to apply. You can check if you were invited using the table below.

If you’re invited to apply, we must get your application package 60 days from the date of your invitation. The deadline is clearly shown on your invitation to apply.

If you can’t get a supporting document due to service disruptions from COVID-19

Include an explanation and/or proof you can’t submit it within the 60-day deadline. If you still don’t have it after the 60 days, you’ll get a 90 day extension. Send us the documents as soon as you’re able to get them.

We’ll post details about the process for 2021 on this page when they’re available.

Sending invitations

When we invite a group of potential sponsors to apply, we call this a round of invitations. For 2020’s invitations:

• We only email you if you’re invited to apply. To make sure you don’t miss our email:
  • Check the same email account you used on the interest to sponsor form.
  • Check your junk mail and spam folder to see if an email from us is there.
  • If we couldn't send the invitations through your email, we've sent it by mail, so you should check your mailbox as well in the upcoming days.
  • If the tool below says you were invited but you still don't have the invitation, you can ask for a copy using this online form (you should get an answer within 10 business days).
• We announce the round of invitations on our Facebook page, our Twitter account and on our website.

Check your invitation status by using your confirmation number in the tool below. We emailed your confirmation number after you submitted the interest to sponsor form.

Find out if you’re invited to apply

Answer a few questions to look up your confirmation number and find out if you’re invited to apply.

If you lost or forgot your confirmation number: Check your invitation status through our online form. We’ll respond within 10 business days.

If you’re invited to apply

We need to receive your sponsorship application within 60 days. The exact deadline will be in your invitation to apply.

If your application isn’t complete, we return it to you without processing it. However, for the 2020 process, we know that you may not get your 2020 Notice of Assessment (NOA) until after you apply. So, for the 2020 process, we’ll accept your application if you submit your NOAs for the 2018 and 2019 tax years, and submit your 2020 NOA as soon as it’s available.

If you mail your application and we get it after the deadline, we return it to you. You can’t defer your invitation and apply later. You won’t get another invitation.

When you’re invited to apply, you’re automatically removed from our pool of potential sponsors for 2020. If you’re invited this year but you change your mind about applying, you have to submit another interest to sponsor form in another year if you still want to sponsor your parents and grandparents.

If you’re not invited to apply

Parents and grandparents can visit for extended periods

If you’d like your parents and grandparents to come to Canada, they may be eligible to apply for a super visa which could let them stay in Canada for up to 2 years at a time.