Canada's updated 2020 Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) sponsorship online lottery program will open October 13, 2020, and remain open for three weeks until November 3, 2020. The relaunch of PGP family sponsorship was delayed from its original planned reopening in January 2020 due to administrative issues followed by COVID restrictions. After the three-week period ends, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will randomly select potential sponsors and invite them to submit applications.
How To Apply For the Parent Grandparent Program Lottery
Eligible Canadians and permanent residents can submit an ‘interest to sponsor’ PGP form online to sponsor their foreign national parents and/or grandparents for Permanent Residence in Canada. Selected applicants have 60 days to complete their applications. In previous years there have been 20,000 PGP spots available, but due to the late re-opening caused by COVID-19, there will be 10,000 available PGP spots in 2020 and 30,000 in 2021.
Step 1
The online PGP Interest to Sponsor form will open on October 13 and stay open through 12 PM EDT through November 3 2020 until 12 PM EDT.
The Interest to Sponsor form requires sponsors to declare that they have the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) to support their parent or grandparent. Due to COVID-19, IRCC has introduced a temporary public policy to reduce the income requirement for the 2020 tax year to the minimum necessary income (based on family size) rather than the regular approach of minimum necessary income plus 30%.
Step 2
IRCC will review applications and issue an Invitation to Apply to 10,000 applicants.
Step 3
Applicants will have 60 days to complete and submit their PGP application.
The new PGP sponsorship lottery replaces the failed first-come, first-served online application system launched in 2019.
Now, more than ever, family reunification is an important component of Canada’s immigration system. It plays a key role in attracting, retaining and integrating the best and the brightest from around the world. Our government strongly believes in the importance of keeping families together—particularly during difficult times. The Parents and Grandparents Program is a dedicated pathway to reuniting more families in Canada.
- Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino
PGP Alternative: Parent and Grandparent Super Visa
Individuals who have a child or grandchild in Canada, and who wish to spend an extended period of time with their families in Canada, also have the option to apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. While they will not have access to health insurance or be eligible for employment, a Super Visa will permit them to stay in Canada for up to two years. A Super Visa is only available to someone who is either the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. The parent and grandparent super visa is a temporary resident permit that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit Canada for up to 2 years per visit, and visit multiple times over 10 years without renewing their status.
FREE CHECKLIST: ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CANADA
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS SUPER VISA
To apply for a Super Visa you have to be able to:
- demonstrate the relationship claimed
- have a letter of invitation
- meet other criteria, including income, medical coverage and more
For more information and solutions for crossing borders seamlessly to live and work in Canada or the United States, contact Ackah Business Immigration Law today at (403) 452‑9515 Ext. 100 or 1-800-932-1190 or email us directly.
