Canada has officially launched its Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) for 2025. If you are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada hoping to reunite with your parents or grandparents, this could be your opportunity. However, not everyone is eligible to apply this year.
Below is a breakdown of how the 2025 process works and what to expect if you’ve been selected.
Table of Contents
The Parents and Grandparents Program: What It Is
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence. This provides them with access to Canadian healthcare and other social benefits while allowing them to live in Canada indefinitely.
Who Can Apply in 2025
On 28 July 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) began sending Invitations to Apply (ITAs). The invitation process will continue over the following two weeks, targeting 17,860 individuals this year.
But there’s an important detail: Only individuals who submitted an interest-to-sponsor form in 2020 and have not received an ITA between 2020 and 2024 are eligible. If you didn’t submit the form in 2020, you are not part of the current selection round.
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IRCC aims to accept 10,000 completed sponsorship applications in 2025.
Two-Step Application: How It Works
If you receive an Invitation to Apply, you must submit two separate applications:
- A sponsorship application (submitted by you)
- A permanent residence application (submitted by the parent or grandparent)
Both applications must be submitted online through IRCC’s Permanent Residence Portal by 11:59 p.m. ET on 9 October 2025.
Each parent or grandparent requires a separate application. Exemptions to the online application process are rare and only granted under special circumstances.
Documents You’ll Need
Sponsors must complete:
- IMM 1344: Sponsorship Agreement
- IMM 5771: Document Checklist
- IMM 5768: Financial Evaluation
Parents or grandparents must complete:
- IMM 0008: Generic Application Form
- IMM 5669: Schedule A – Background/Declaration
- IMM 5406: Additional Family Information
All application details are outlined in Guide IMM 5772, which must be read thoroughly before submitting.
Application Fees: What It Will Cost
For one parent or grandparent, the total government fees are $872.77, broken down as:
- Sponsorship Fee: $61.54
- Processing Fee (Principal Applicant): $394.64
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee: $416.35
Additional fees apply if a spouse, partner, or dependent child is included. Applicants are also responsible for third-party costs, including:
- Medical exams
- Police certificates
- Biometrics collection
After Submission: Next Steps
Once your application is submitted, you must:
- Complete a medical exam (instructions will be sent by IRCC)
- Submit valid police certificates (less than 12 months old)
- Provide biometrics (required for applicants aged 14–79)
Make sure to include your Invitation to Apply (ITA) when submitting your application. Missing documents or late submissions may result in your application being returned without processing.
If You Were Not Selected
If you were not among those chosen in 2025, you can still prepare for future draws. IRCC frequently updates the program and may reopen interest-to-sponsor forms in the coming years.
