IRCC to Issue 35,700 Invitations in the Next Round

IRCC to Issue 35,700 Invitations: The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the reopening of the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) this month. The PGP, a cornerstone of IRCC’s family reunification initiatives, allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for Canadian Permanent Residence (PR). Starting May 21, 2024, the IRCC will issue 35,700 invitations to potential sponsors. The goal is to approve 20,500 complete applications.

What is the process for obtaining permanent residency (PR) through the PGP?

To attain permanent residence (PR) through the PGP, applicants must:

• Check eligibility: Ensure they meet all relevant eligibility criteria, including being eligible to sponsor, residing in Canada, signing an undertaking, and meeting minimum necessary income levels.
• Interest-to-Sponsor Form Submission: Complete an interest-to-sponsor form on IRCC’s website. To be eligible for the 2024 round, applicants must not have received an invitation to apply (ITA) in 2021, 2022, or 2023.
• Check Email Update: Check the email on the interest-to-sponsor form for an invitation once the PGP lottery reopens and for two weeks after it restarts.
• Receive ITA and Apply: Upon receiving an ITA, sponsors must submit their application through the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Residence Portal (if using an authorized representative) by the deadline stated within the invitation email.
• Processing: Once an application is submitted, IRCC aims to process it within 112 days. Between 2022 and 2023, the department processed 67% of applications within this standard.

What happens to those who are not selected?

For those not selected in the PGP, the IRCC offers the Super-Visa pathway. This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to visit Canada on an extended visitor visa. Unlike the PGP, the Super Visa program operates throughout the year, with sponsors able to apply year-round.

Historical Data on Parents and Grandparents Program

As of July 6, 2023, the table below displays the number of complete applications received by the Department in each intake period, along with the target number of applications. The Department received more applications than the target in both 2020 and 2022, but fell short of the target in 2021.

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