To help your parent(s) or grandparent(s) live with you long-term in Canada, you have two main options: the Parent(s) and Grandparent(s) Program (PGP) and the super visa.
Both programs allow your relatives to stay with you in Canada, but there are key differences between them:
| Super Visa | PGP |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | Can apply at any time |
| Typical Wait Time | 3 months |
| Status Granted | Visitor status |
| Maximum Length of Stay | 5 years |
| Processing Time | 3 months |
The super visa lets your parent(s) or grandparent(s) visit for up to five years, with multiple entries over a 10-year period (as of June 2023).
The PGP allows you to sponsor your parent(s) or grandparent(s) for permanent residency in Canada.
Do your relatives need a super visa or PR?
Typically, the super visa or the PGP are options for allowing your parents or grandparents to live in Canada long-term.
If they plan to stay for six months or less, they can enter Canada on visitor status instead.
Eligibility for Super Visa and PGP
Super Visa EligibilityParents or grandparents can apply for a super visa if:
- They have a child or grandchild who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian, and lives in Canada.
- The host is at least 18 years old, meets the minimum income requirements, and promises financial support.
- They purchase health insurance for the duration of their stay.
Income Requirements for Super Visa
- 1 person: $29,380
- 2 people: $36,576
- 3 people: $44,966
- 4 people: $54,594
- 5 people: $61,920
- 6 people: $69,834
- 7 people: $77,750
- Additional person: $7,916
Health InsuranceThe insurance must:
- Be from a Canadian company or approved foreign provider.
- Cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation, with at least $100,000 in emergency coverage.
- Be valid for at least 1 year from entry and fully paid.
PGP EligibilityTo sponsor through PGP, the host must:
- Be invited to apply, at least 18 years old, and live in Canada.
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and meet the income requirements.
- Sign a sponsorship agreement to support the applicants.
Income Requirements for PGPBased on family size:
- 2 people: $44,530 (2023)
- 3 people: $54,743 (2023)
- 4 people: $66,466 (2023)
- 5 people: $75,384 (2023)
- Additional person: $9,636
Super Visa Application ProcessApplicants must:
- Be outside Canada and apply through a visa office.
- Complete a medical exam.
- Prove they will leave Canada at the end of their stay.
Application Process
Invitation OnlyTo be considered for the PGP, you must complete an interest-to-sponsor form. IRCC will then determine whether to invite you to apply.
For the super visa, no invitation from IRCC is needed, but you must submit a letter inviting your parent(s) or grandparent(s) to Canada. The letter should include:
- A promise of financial support for the duration of the visit
- A list of people included in the family size calculation (names and dates of birth)
- The total number of people in the family size calculation
Application for Quebec ResidentsIf your sponsorship application is approved by IRCC, you will be asked to submit an undertaking application to Quebec’s immigration ministry and meet Quebec’s sponsorship requirements.
Do not submit your undertaking application to Quebec until IRCC instructs you to do so, as failure to wait for their confirmation will result in Quebec not processing your application.
Application Process
Invitation OnlyTo apply for the PGP, you must first complete an interest-to-sponsor form. IRCC will then decide whether to invite you to apply.
For the super visa, no invitation from IRCC is required. However, you must provide a letter inviting your parent(s) or grandparent(s) to Canada. This letter should include:
- A promise of financial support for the duration of their visit
- A list of individuals included in the family size calculation (with names and dates of birth)
- The total number of people in the family size calculation
Application for Quebec ResidentsIf your sponsorship is approved by IRCC, you will be required to submit an undertaking application to Quebec’s immigration ministry and meet their specific sponsorship criteria.
You should not submit the undertaking application to Quebec until IRCC gives you instructions to do so. If you proceed without their confirmation, Quebec will not process your application.
Permanent Resident Privileges
Permanent residents enjoy many of the same benefits as Canadian citizens, including:
- The right to work in Canada
- The right to study in Canada
- The ability to live in Canada permanently
- Eligibility for provincial health insurance programs
- Access to Canadian social programs
However, while sponsored parents and grandparents are eligible for social programs, their sponsor must cover any social assistance costs they receive during the sponsorship period (20 years outside Quebec; 10 years in Quebec).
Wait Times
The deadline to apply for the 2024 PGP intake was August 2, 2024. Applicants were randomly selected from those who submitted their interest in 2020.
For those selected, IRCC reports a processing time of approximately 24 months.
Due to historically long wait times, submitting an interest-to-sponsor form does not guarantee that an invitation to apply will be issued.
Unlike the PGP, there is no annual cutoff for the super visa. Typically, super visa applications are processed within about three months or less.
