The PGP welcomed over 2,065 new permanent inhabitants in Canada, thus leading to the highest Canadian immigration. 

Canada expects to bring almost 28,500 permanent inhabitants this year under the PGP. Moreover, in 2022, 27,255 immigrants came to Canada through the program, which was 132% more than the 11,740 in 2021. 

The Canadian immigration level plans for 2023-25 have a target to bring 465,000 permanent inhabitants. In January 2023, 50,885 immigrants came, which is 44% more than the immigrants who came last year. 

Of the 2023 immigration target, 106,500 permanent inhabitants will be under the family sponsorship category. Family sponsorship comprises of partners, children, joint law partners, parents, & grandparents under PGP. 

 

PGP: How It Works

Canadian citizens, as well as people residing permanently in Canada, can sponsor their parents & grandparents for Canadian immigration. If approved, the parents/ grandparents will receive permanent accommodation, thus being able to apply for Canadian citizenship. 

In order to be eligible for PGP, here are the criteria that one needs to meet: 

  • Become a citizen of Canada, get a PR, or become a registered Indian under Canadian Indian Act. 
  • Be 18 years or older. 
  • Exceed this program’s minimum necessary income level and prove your income to IRCC. 
  • Live in Canada. 
  • Attest and sign an undertaking to show that you will support the sponsor for a period of 20 years. 
  • Repay the benefits of social assistance to sponsored parents or grandparents over a span of 20 years. 

You might need an additional undertaking if you are sponsoring someone in Quebec. 

IRCC hasn’t offered any details concerning PGP. However, in earlier years, IRCC utilized a lottery system to select interested candidates. Further, ITAs are issued through PGP. All ITAs since 2020 are given to candidates who expressed interest in sponsoring the program between October and November. 

The last PGP lottery occurred in October 2022, & there were over 155,000 sponsors present in the pool. 

 

Super Visa 

An option for the program is a Super Visa, which allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens to immigrate to Canada as visitors for at least 5 years from their initial visit without renewing their status. 

Those parents and grandparents with a Super Visa can apply for an extension that allows them to stay in Canada as a visitor for 7 years. In addition, they can come to Canada multiple times for a span of 10 years. 

The Super Visa is an excellent option for parents and grandparents who reside in a country that needs TRV, i.e., a Temporary Resident Visa for Canada immigration. With a Super Visa, they can travel between Canada and their resident country without applying continuously for TRV. 

The benefit of a Super Visa also extends to grandparents & parents from countries that have been exempted from TRV, like the US. US citizens can come and live in Canada for 6 months. Moreover, visitors can enter Canada and stay for up to 5 years. 

The application process is exactly the same as the TRV process. But you might need some additional documents to show that children/ grandchildren will support parents & grandparents during their stay. The documents include the following: 

  • A letter of invitation either from the child or grandchild. 
  • Documents that prove that the person sponsoring has met the LICO, i.e., Low-Income-Cut-Off.
  • Medical insurance proof.
  • Proof showing a parental relationship with the child, like a birth certificate.