Canada opens 2025 parent and grandparent sponsorship program: Here's what to know

Canada has reopened its Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) for 2025, offering permanent residents and citizens a fresh opportunity to sponsor family members for immigration. Started on July 28, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has begun issuing 17,860 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) by lottery. Applicants selected must submit completed applications by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 9, 2025.

Who is eligible?

Only individuals who submitted an interest-to-sponsor form in 2020 and did not receive an invitation between 2020 and 2024 are eligible to be selected in this round. The IRCC aims to approve 10,000 complete applications from this pool.

Two-step process for selected applicants

Once selected, applicants must complete two applications:

• Sponsorship application, submitted by the sponsor

• Permanent residence application, submitted by the parent or grandparent

Both applications must be completed online via the Permanent Residence Portal, though provisions exist for those unable to apply digitally.

Key forms and requirements

For sponsors:

• IMM 1344 (Sponsorship agreement)

• IMM 5771 (Document checklist)

• IMM 5768 (Financial evaluation)

For parents or grandparents:

• IMM 0008 (Generic application form)

• IMM 5669 (Background/declaration)

• IMM 5406 (Additional family information)

All instructions are detailed in Guide IMM 5772.

Application fees

The base fee for sponsoring a single parent or grandparent is CAD 1,205, which includes:

• Sponsorship fee: $85

• Processing fee: $545

• Right of permanent residence fee: $575

Additional fees may apply for dependents or services like medical exams and police certificates.

What happens after applying?

Applicants must:

• Submit all required documents

• Include a copy of their ITA

• Pay the applicable fees

Incomplete applications risk being returned unless corrected within 30 days.

Post-submission follow-up

After submitting the application, applicants are required to:

• Undergo medical exams (as instructed by IRCC)

• Provide police certificates (valid for one year)

• Submit biometrics (for applicants aged 14–79)

Any delays or missing documentation may result in rejection. The entire process can be tracked online once the application is submitted.