How Does IRCC Choose Sponsors for the Parents and Grandparents Program?

Every year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects Canadian sponsors—both permanent residents and citizens—who want to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). Here’s a simple breakdown of how this process works.

The Lottery System

IRCC uses a special lottery system to pick sponsors for the PGP. Recently, the government shared more details about how this system works.

Selection Method

For the recent PGP intakes, IRCC has been selecting sponsors from a list of interest to sponsor forms submitted back in 2020. Here’s how it works:

1. Randomized List: IRCC uses a randomized list of email addresses from the 2020 forms.
2. Bulk Email Tool: They upload a certain number of these email addresses to a bulk email tool.
3. Invitation Letters: The tool sends out Invitation to Apply (ITA) letters to selected potential sponsors, inviting them to submit a full sponsorship and permanent residence application.
   
   

2024 Intake

For the 2024 intake, IRCC sent out 35,700 ITA letters with the aim of accepting 20,500 complete applications. The higher number of ITAs helps ensure enough complete applications are received, as not everyone invited will apply.

Special Conditions for 2024

Since IRCC is still drawing from the 2020 pool, there are specific conditions for those receiving ITAs:

• Status Document: Sponsors must include a copy of the “status in Canada” document they submitted with their 2020 form.
• Consistency Check: If there are any differences between the 2020 form and the current application, sponsors must explain and prove that the application is for the same person.
  
  

Processing Order

Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This means new applications for 2024 go into the queue behind existing applications, ensuring fair processing and prioritizing those who have been waiting the longest.

Growing Demand and Criticism

2024 marks the fourth year IRCC is using the 2020 pool. Although the program's admission targets are increasing (from 32,000 this year to 34,000 in 2025 and 2026), the demand still far exceeds the available spots. This has led to criticism of IRCC’s family reunification efforts, as the backlog from 2020 continues to grow. For instance, after the 2023 intake, there were still 108,000 interest to sponsor forms in IRCC’s backlog.

By simplifying this complex process, we hope potential sponsors can better understand how IRCC selects sponsors for the PGP and what they need to do if invited to apply.