Canada pauses parents and grandparents sponsorship program through 2026
IRCC says the pause allows focus on processing the 60,500 applications already in the system to address extended wait times.
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced that it will no longer accept new applications for the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) sponsorship program for 2026.
"The decision to pause the acceptance of new PGP sponsorship applications will allow IRCC to focus on processing those applications already in the system to address wait times and manage expectations for families in the process," said IRCC spokesperson Anahita Beladi.
As of January 1, 2026, there are around 60,500 applicants for PGP sponsorship. The Immigration Levels Plan for 2026 to 2028 had outlined that the government would accept up to 15,000 applicants this year.
"The Government of Canada continues to work to ensure immigration levels are aligned with program intake, to support a well-managed, more sustainable system that works for newcomers and Canadians," Beladi said.
Parents and grandparents can still visit their children or grandchildren in Canada through super visas, which allow visits for up to five years and provide multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years. The agency did not specify how long the pause on sponsorship applications will last, but stressed it applies to new applications for 2026.
By the numbers
How many parents and grandparents sponsorship applications are currently being processed?
As of January 1, 2026, there are around 60,500 applicants in the Parents and Grandparents sponsorship program system.
How many new PGP sponsorship applicants was Canada planning to accept in 2026?
The Immigration Levels Plan for 2026 to 2028 outlined that the government would accept up to 15,000 applicants in 2026 before the pause was announced.
Can parents and grandparents still visit Canada if they can't sponsor?
Parents and grandparents can visit through super visas, which allow visits for up to five years and provide multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years.
