Canadian citizens and permanent residents hoping to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada permanently now face an indefinite wait. The Parents and Grandparents Program paused announcement, published by the federal government on July 15, 2026, confirms that Canada will not accept new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply “until further notice.”
For families who have been waiting years for another opportunity to enter this pathway, the Parents and Grandparents Program paused decision effectively closes the door on new applications unless the federal government reverses course.
Quick Highlights : Parents and Grandparents Program Paused
- The Parents and Grandparents Program paused as of July 15, 2026, with no new interest-to-sponsor forms being accepted
- IRCC will continue processing existing applications, targeting 15,000 approvals in 2026
- The current PGP inventory stands at 50,900 applications: 40,400 outside Quebec, 10,500 within Quebec
- Annual PGP admission targets remain fixed at 15,000 for 2026, 2027, and 2028
- Processing times for July 2025 applicants are estimated at 18 months outside Quebec, 54 months within Quebec
- The PGP last opened for new interest-to-sponsor submissions in 2020, receiving 203,213 unique submissions
- The government is directing shut-out sponsors toward the Super Visa as an alternative
What the Parents and Grandparents Program Paused Announcement Actually Says
According to the government’s July 15, 2026 news release, Canada is “pausing the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program.” The immigration department confirmed it “will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice”—language that leaves the timeline for any resumption entirely open-ended.
This is a significant development because the Parents and Grandparents Program paused status doesn’t just affect brand-new applicants. It means the invitation-based lottery system that has governed this program since 2020 has effectively stopped generating any new opportunities for sponsors who haven’t already submitted an interest-to-sponsor form.
What Happens to Applications Already in the System
Importantly, the Parents and Grandparents Program paused status does not affect applications that have already been received. IRCC has confirmed it will continue processing the existing inventory, with a stated objective of approving 15,000 applications for permanent residence in 2026.
As of the time of writing, the immigration department’s processing times webpage reports a total PGP inventory of 50,900 applications, broken down as follows:
| Destination | Applications in Inventory |
|---|---|
| Outside Quebec | 40,400 |
| Within Quebec | 10,500 |
| Total | 50,900 |
This means that while the Parents and Grandparents Program paused announcement blocks any new entries, tens of thousands of families with applications already submitted will continue moving through the processing pipeline.
Annual Admission Targets Remain Fixed
Under the current Immigration Levels Plan, the federal government has locked in PGP admission targets for the next three years, and these figures remain unchanged despite the pause on new intake:
| Year | PGP Admissions Target |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 15,000 |
| 2027 | 15,000 |
| 2028 | 15,000 |
With 50,900 applications already sitting in inventory and only 15,000 admissions targeted annually, the math suggests the existing backlog alone could take more than three years to fully clear at current target levels—even without any new applications being added to the system.
Current Processing Times for Existing Applicants
For those who submitted their PGP sponsorship applications in July 2025, IRCC’s current estimates show a stark difference depending on the applicant’s intended province of settlement:
- Outside Quebec: approximately 18 months remaining processing time
- Within Quebec: approximately 54 months remaining processing time
This nearly three-fold difference reflects the additional layer of provincial review that Quebec-bound applications require, since Quebec maintains its own separate immigration selection processes that must be satisfied alongside federal requirements.
How the PGP Lottery System Has Worked Since 2020
Understanding why the Parents and Grandparents Program paused announcement matters so much requires understanding how access to this program has worked over the past several years. The PGP operates as a family reunification pathway available to eligible Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and registered Indians, but because demand has consistently outstripped available spots, IRCC has used a random lottery system to manage intake.
The program last accepted new interest-to-sponsor submissions during a three-week intake window in 2020, during which the government received an extraordinary 203,213 unique submissions from interested sponsors. Since that single intake window, there has been no additional opportunity for new Canadian citizens or permanent residents to submit interest-to-sponsor forms for consideration.
Instead, from 2020 through 2025, IRCC held annual invitation periods, randomly selecting individuals from that original 2020 pool of interested sponsors and inviting them to submit a full sponsorship application. With the Parents and Grandparents Program paused as of July 2026, it remains unclear whether any further invitation rounds will be drawn from that same original pool, or whether the entire system will need to be reconstituted once (or if) new intake eventually resumes.
The Government’s Suggested Alternative: The Super Visa
In its official release titled “Canada takes steps to responsibly manage the Parents and Grandparents Program,” the government has directed potential sponsors who are shut out by the Parents and Grandparents Program paused decision toward the Super Visa as an alternative pathway.
The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to visit their sponsoring relatives in Canada for up to five years at a time, with the visa itself carrying a validity period of up to 10 years. This stands in sharp contrast to standard visitor status, which typically permits foreign nationals to remain in Canada for no longer than six months at a time.
Super Visa Requirements
To qualify for a Super Visa, several conditions must be met:
- The parent or grandparent must hold a letter of invitation from their hosting relative in Canada
- The applicant must purchase health insurance covering the full duration of their stay
- The host relative must formally agree to provide financial support for the duration of the visit
- The host relative must meet minimum income requirements set by IRCC
- The applicant must satisfy Canada’s standard entry requirements for temporary residents, including demonstrating to an immigration officer that they intend to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay
While the Super Visa does not lead to permanent residence the way the PGP does, it remains the government’s primary recommended solution for families affected by this pause, offering meaningfully longer stays than standard visitor visas.
Why This Matters for Families Waiting to Reunite
The Parents and Grandparents Program paused decision represents a significant blow to family reunification plans for countless Canadian households. Unlike temporary program adjustments or minor policy tweaks, this pause halts the entire front-end intake mechanism indefinitely, with no confirmed date for resumption.
For families who never had the opportunity to submit an interest-to-sponsor form during the 2020 window, or who submitted but were never randomly selected for an invitation in subsequent years, this announcement effectively removes any near-term pathway to sponsoring a parent or grandparent for permanent residence in Canada.
What Affected Families Should Do Now
Given the indefinite nature of the Parents and Grandparents Program paused status, families should consider their available options carefully. Those with applications already submitted and in process should continue monitoring their file status through IRCC’s official processing times page, given the extended timelines—particularly for Quebec-bound applications facing a 54-month wait.
Families who have not yet had any opportunity to enter the PGP system should seriously evaluate the Super Visa as a near-term option for reuniting with parents or grandparents, given that no new PGP intake is currently scheduled. Those pursuing the Super Visa route should begin preparing the required letter of invitation, health insurance arrangements, and financial documentation well in advance, since these requirements involve coordination between the host relative and the visiting parent or grandparent.
Key Takeaways Of Parents and Grandparents Program Paused
The Parents and Grandparents Program paused announcement marks a significant shift in Canada’s family reunification immigration policy, halting new intake indefinitely while continuing to process the existing 50,900-application inventory toward an annual target of 15,000 approvals. With no confirmed timeline for resuming new interest-to-sponsor submissions, and the government actively steering affected families toward the Super Visa as an interim solution, Canadian citizens and permanent residents hoping to sponsor parents or grandparents for permanent residence should prepare for an extended period without a clear path forward through the PGP itself.
FAQs : Parents and Grandparents Program Paused
What does the Parents and Grandparents Program paused announcement mean?
IRCC will not accept new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, effective July 15, 2026. Existing applications already in the system will continue to be processed.
How many applications are currently in the PGP inventory?
As of the announcement, 50,900 applications are pending: 40,400 from those intending to settle outside Quebec and 10,500 from those intending to settle within Quebec.
How long will it take to process an existing PGP application?
For applicants who submitted in July 2025, estimated remaining processing time is approximately 18 months for those settling outside Quebec and 54 months for those settling within Quebec.
Can I still submit a new interest-to-sponsor form for the PGP?
No. As of the Parents and Grandparents Program paused announcement, no new interest-to-sponsor forms are being accepted, and no timeline has been given for when this might resume.
What alternative does the government recommend for affected families?
The government is directing potential sponsors toward the Super Visa, which allows parents and grandparents to visit for up to five years at a time, with the visa valid for up to 10 years overall.
Source : CIC News
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