An Update on Canada’s 2025 Parents and Grandparents Program

Family reunification continues to be a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration efforts. Through the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) Program, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their loved ones, enabling them to live and work together in Canada.

For 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plans to process up to 10,000 complete sponsorship applications under the PGP Program. This year, instead of opening a new pool for applications, IRCC will invite applicants who previously submitted interest to sponsor forms back in 2020. This approach is consistent with what has been done since 2020.

As of early February 2025, the processing times for PGP applications vary. For applicants outside Quebec, the processing time is approximately 24 months. Quebec-based applicants face a longer timeline of 48 months due to the province’s specific family class admission limits.

To keep wait times manageable, IRCC carefully balances the number of PGP applications with the spaces available in the annual Immigration Levels Plan. With overall immigration targets adjusted in the 2025–2027 plan, IRCC must also adapt the number of new PGP applications it accepts each year.

Although this approach focuses on the existing pool of applicants, those who haven’t had a chance to submit an interest to sponsor form still have options. The super visa allows parents and grandparents to visit Canada for extended periods, offering five-year stays per visit and multiple entries over ten years. Recent changes to the super visa have also made its health insurance requirements more flexible.

More information on the 2025 PGP Program, including details on when invitations to apply will be sent, will be provided in the coming months.