New Parents and Grandparents Program intake paused

What changed

On July 15, 2026, IRCC announced it is pausing intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) as part of what it describes as an effort to maintain a "well-managed, sustainable" immigration system. Effective immediately and until further notice, IRCC will not accept new Interest to Sponsor forms and will not invite any additional potential sponsors to apply. IRCC states it will continue processing applications already in the system, and plans to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the PGP program in 2026, consistent with the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. The department frames the pause as a way to reduce processing times and improve predictability for families already in the queue, citing demand for PGP sponsorship that continues to exceed the number of spaces available under the levels plan.

The notice does not announce a date, intake target, or selection process for a future round — IRCC's language is that new intake is paused "until further notice," with no committed reopening timeline.

Why it matters

The PGP has historically been oversubscribed relative to the sponsorship spots available in any given year, and past intake rounds — whether through lottery-style random selection or an Interest to Sponsor pool — have left many hopeful sponsors waiting years for an invitation that might never come. Pausing intake entirely, rather than running another capped round, signals that IRCC is prioritizing working through its existing backlog of PGP applications before adding new applicants to the pipeline.

For Canadian citizens and permanent residents hoping to sponsor a parent or grandparent, this means there is currently no route to submit a new Interest to Sponsor form or otherwise start the PGP process. The pause applies specifically to new intake, not to applications already filed, and it does not affect other Canadian immigration streams such as Express Entry, spousal and dependent-child sponsorship, study and work permits, or refugee programs.

What this means for your options

If you already submitted an Interest to Sponsor form, or your application was invited and filed in a previous intake round, IRCC says it will continue processing your file, so this pause should not by itself stop your existing application from moving forward. If you have not yet had the chance to apply, there is currently no application window to enter and no announced date for one to reopen — checking IRCC's PGP page periodically is currently the only way to know when, or if, intake resumes.

In the meantime, the super visa remains available as a way for parents and grandparents to spend extended time in Canada — it allows multiple entries over up to 10 years and stays of up to 5 years at a time, and IRCC has recently made its income and health insurance requirements more accessible. It is not a substitute for permanent residence, but it is the main immediate option for families who want a parent or grandparent physically in Canada for an extended period while the PGP intake pause remains in effect. Anyone weighing the super visa against waiting for PGP intake to reopen should discuss the trade-offs for their specific family situation with a qualified professional.