Canada has paused new applications under its Parents and Grandparents Program, preventing citizens and permanent residents who have not already entered the process from submitting a fresh sponsorship application.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the change on July 15, 2026, saying it will remain in effect until further notice. Existing applications will continue to be processed, and the government still plans to admit parents and grandparents from files already in its inventory.
- 60,500 applications are already in progress.
- Processing takes about 33 months outside Quebec and up to 66 months in Quebec.
- Up to 15,000 people may be admitted through the program in 2026.
- The Super Visa remains available for temporary family reunification.
What has Canada paused?
IRCC will not accept new interest-to-sponsor forms or issue new invitations under the Parents and Grandparents Program, commonly known as the PGP.
The program operates through invitations, so meeting the general eligibility rules is not enough to submit an application. A potential sponsor must first be selected and formally invited by IRCC.
No reopening date has been announced. Families should not assume that another invitation round will take place later in 2026 unless the department publishes a new notice.
Who is affected?
The pause affects Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have not received an invitation to sponsor a parent or grandparent. It also affects people waiting for IRCC to open a new interest-to-sponsor pool.
More than 200,000 people expressed interest when the current pool opened in 2020. IRCC later continued selecting potential sponsors from that same pool rather than opening registration to new applicants.
Will existing applications be cancelled?
No. Around 60,500 applications already in the system will continue to be assessed. Applicants may still receive requests for medical examinations, police certificates, updated forms or additional evidence.
Sponsors must continue meeting the program’s financial and eligibility requirements, while sponsored parents and grandparents must satisfy health, security and admissibility rules.
A pending application is not guaranteed approval, but it will not be cancelled simply because new intake has stopped.
Why are admissions continuing?
Accepting applications and granting permanent residence are separate stages. Canada can stop adding new files while immigration officers finalize cases submitted in previous years.
The government still plans to admit up to 15,000 parents and grandparents in 2026, using applications already in the processing queue. Admissions are also planned for 2027.
Canada’s wider Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 permanent residents annually from 2026 through 2028. People following other pathways can also read about Canada’s first Express Entry draw of 2026, although Express Entry is separate from family sponsorship.
Why did IRCC pause the program?
IRCC said demand continues to exceed the number of available places. Limiting new intake allows officers to concentrate on older files without adding more applications to an already lengthy queue.
Processing takes approximately 33 months for many cases outside Quebec. Quebec applications may take up to 66 months because the province applies separate sponsorship requirements and controls the number of family-reunification undertakings it accepts.
The pause also comes amid wider pressure on Canada’s immigration system. As of April 30, 2026, IRCC had more than 2.1 million applications across its programs, with over 922,000 considered backlogged because they exceeded service standards.
Between January and April 2026, approximately 112,900 people became permanent residents through different immigration streams.
Why does the decision matter now?
The government is reducing immigration growth while responding to pressure on housing, healthcare and public services. Its revised plan is expected to keep population growth broadly flat in 2026 for a second consecutive year.
Immigration has also become a major political issue. Government polling cited in briefing materials showed declining public support, with more than half of respondents in November 2024 saying they believed too many immigrants were coming to Canada.
Families seeking professional assistance should also understand Canada’s immigration consultant rules and applicant protections before paying someone to prepare a case.
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Can families still use the Super Visa?
Yes. The Super Visa remains available to eligible parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
It can permit stays of up to five years per visit and may remain valid for up to 10 years. However, it is a temporary visa and does not provide permanent residence or an automatic path to citizenship.
Applicants must meet medical and admissibility requirements, obtain qualifying health insurance and show that their Canadian host meets the applicable income threshold.
What should families do now?
People who have not received an invitation should not submit a PGP application. A representative cannot reserve a place, obtain a guaranteed invitation or bypass the official process.
Families should monitor the official IRCC program notice for any reopening announcement.
Existing applicants should keep their contact and family details updated and respond promptly to document requests. Those seeking temporary reunification can compare the Super Visa with a regular visitor visa while considering insurance costs, income rules and length-of-stay limits.
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