Every year, Canadian citizens or permanent residents who want to sponsor their senior family members under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) sponsorship are chosen by IRCC.
Because the agency employs a unique lottery mechanism for PGP choices, the process by which IRCC selects these sponsors has frequently been ambiguous. Nonetheless, the government’s recently released guidelines offer a more thorough understanding of the IRCC’s procedure for choosing PGP participants.
Understanding IRCC’s PGP Lottery System for Sponsor Selection
IRCC has selected prospective sponsors for the latest intakes of the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) based on a randomized list of “Interest to Sponsor” forms that were filed in 2020. First, an IRCC representative uploads the sequential entries that have not yet received an invitation into a bulk email tool, along with a preset number of email addresses. Using this tool, IRCC sends ITAs to potential sponsors identified and requested to submit an application package for sponsorship and permanent residence.
The IRCC sent out 35,700 ITA letters for the 2024 intake, with a goal of receiving 20,500 completed applications. To account for the possibility that some beneficiaries might not submit an application, IRCC issued a greater number of ITAs.
Key Details on the 2024 PGP Intake
For sponsors who got an ITA under the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) this year, certain requirements are now applicable due to the IRCC’s decision to choose sponsors from the 2020 pool who had previously filed an Interest to Sponsor form. These requirements may be implemented in subsequent selections as well. They were also enforced in prior years when the IRCC evaluated sponsors from the 2020 pool.
Requirements for Documentation
In order to be considered for sponsorship for the 2024 intake, sponsors had to send in their 2020 Interest to Sponsor form along with a copy of their “status in Canada” paperwork. In the event that there were any differences between the data in the sponsorship application and the data supplied in the Interest to Sponsor form, the sponsor was required to give a thorough justification for the modification. Furthermore, they must provide convincing proof that the application is for the same person initially listed on the 2020 form.
Processing Priority
Sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents are handled by IRCC on a first-come, first-served basis. As a result, individuals who have already applied for sponsorship as parents or grandparents are ahead of those who submit new applications for the 2024 intake. The methodical and fair processing sequence ensured by this methodology gives priority to individuals who have been waiting the longest.
The Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) has selected sponsors for 2024 from the 2020 pool for the fourth year in a row. Although IRCC is scheduled to increase admissions allocations from 32,000 this year to 34,000 in 2025 and 2026, demand continuously outpaces the available slots in the program. The IRCC’s family reunion initiatives have come under heavy fire as a result of this restricted allotment and the prolonged service requirements.
For example, there was still a backlog of 108,000 Interest to Sponsor forms after the 2023 PGP intake. Due to this backlog, even with the increasing number of new sponsors from later years, the IRCC may have to handle applications from the 2020 pool for the next three years, including 2024.