If you’ve been watching Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program for a sponsorship slot, the wait may be over — or just beginning, depending on where you sit in the queue. IRCC opened the 2025 intake on July 28, inviting 17,860 sponsors from a 2020 pool, but froze new applications entirely from January 2026.

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2025 PGP Intake Start: July 28, 2025 · 2025 Target Applications: Up to 10,000 · 2026 Intake Status: Paused — No new applications January 2026 · Interest Form Year: 2020 submissions invited for 2025 · Primary Source: IRCC official announcements

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact 2026 reopening date after the freeze (IRCC Update Notice)
  • Future intake targets beyond the current 2025 batch (IRCC Update Notice)
  • Priority criteria for the promised continuous intake model (AVID Service Hub)
3Timeline signal
  • July 28, 2025 — Invitations began (Government of Canada)
  • August 8, 2025 — Invitation window closed (Government of Canada)
  • October 9, 2025 — Application deadline (Open Canada (IRCC))
4What’s next
  • IRCC paused 2026 intake — no new applications in January (IRCC Update Notice)
  • 2020 form holders still waiting face uncertain timing (Government of Canada)
  • Continuous intake model planned post-2025 (AVID Service Hub)

The table below consolidates verified IRCC figures from official announcements and Open Canada records.

Key Fact Value
2025 Intake Open Date July 28, 2025
Target Applications 2025 10,000
2026 Status Frozen — No new apps
Source of Invites 2020 interest forms
Official Site canada.ca PGP page
Invitations Issued 17,860
Application Deadline October 9, 2025
Processing Time (outside Quebec) 24 months

When will parent sponsorship open for 2025?

Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program opened its 2025 intake on July 28, 2025 — but only for a specific group of applicants. IRCC sent invitations to sponsors who had submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, drawing from that existing pool rather than accepting new submissions.

July 28, 2025 intake details

IRCC confirmed that invitations to apply would begin on July 28, 2025, continuing over approximately two weeks. The department intended to accept up to 10,000 complete applications for sponsorship under the PGP Program in 2025. According to official records, IRCC invited 17,860 potential sponsors between July 28 and August 8, 2025, aiming for those 10,000 complete applications.

The upshot

The gap between 17,860 invitations and 10,000 targeted applications accounts for expected attrition — incomplete forms, withdrawn cases, and sponsors who miss the deadline.

Invitations from 2020 interest forms

Eligibility for the 2025 intake was restricted entirely to interest to sponsor forms submitted in 2020. No new interest to sponsor forms were accepted in 2025 due to remaining 2020 forms in the queue. This marks the fifth consecutive year IRCC has drawn from the 2020 pool using the same randomized selection approach.

The implication: if you submitted a form in 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024, you were not eligible for the 2025 intake. Those forms remain in a separate queue with no clear intake date assigned.

Will PGP open in 2026?

The 2026 outlook for the Parents and Grandparents Program is notably restrictive. Multiple immigration firms and official notices confirm that IRCC paused the 2026 PGP intake — no new sponsorship applications were accepted from January 2026 onward.

2026 intake pause confirmation

IRCC has not confirmed an exact 2026 reopening date. The department has indicated plans to shift toward a continuous intake model with quarterly invitations based on a scoring system, but details remain limited. According to industry analyses, this continuous model would replace the annual lottery-style draws that have characterized intakes since 2020.

What this means: the shift from annual batches to continuous intake signals that future selection could favor sponsors with higher income, more years in Canada, or other merit-based factors — fundamentally changing who gets access to the program.

Why this matters

The planned transition away from randomized annual draws could reshape the applicant pool, potentially disadvantaging lower-income or newer permanent residents who have historically relied on the lottery-style system.

No new applications from January 2026

No new Parent and Grandparent sponsorship applications will be accepted in January 2026, according to notices from immigration service providers citing IRCC communications. For sponsors still waiting in the 2020 pool or those who missed the 2025 intake window, this freeze creates an indefinite holding pattern.

What this means: applicants holding 2020 forms should monitor their email closely — including spam folders — for any invitation notifications. Those without 2020 submissions face the longest wait, with no confirmed path forward until IRCC announces details of the continuous intake system.

Is parents sponsorship open in Canada?

Canada’s parent sponsorship program remains operational but with strict limitations on who can apply right now. The 2025 intake is ongoing for invited sponsors only, while the 2026 intake sits frozen at the federal level.

Current PGP status

As of the latest available data, the 2025 PGP intake is active for those who received invitations between July 28 and August 8, 2025. Invited sponsors have until October 9, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET to submit complete applications through the Permanent Residence Portal. Applications submitted electronically through the PR Portal are the only accepted format for this intake cycle.

Interest to sponsor form process

The two-stage process remains unchanged: first, sponsors submit an interest to sponsor form to enter the pool, then IRCC sends invitations to apply (ITAs) randomly from that pool. For the 2025 intake, only 2020 form submissions were eligible. IRCC uses randomized selection — not first-come, first-served — when issuing invitations.

  • Step 1: Submit interest to sponsor form (when intake is open)
  • Step 2: Wait for random invitation from IRCC
  • Step 3: Receive ITA via email — check junk folders
  • Step 4: Submit complete application via PR Portal within deadline

The pattern is clear: without an invitation, no application can proceed. The form submission alone does not guarantee consideration.

What is the PGP target for 2026?

IRCC has not announced a confirmed target number for 2026 PGP applications. The department’s official communications indicate a suspension of the standard intake process rather than a specific numerical goal.

2025 vs 2026 targets

The 2025 intake targeted up to 10,000 complete applications — a figure consistent with previous years’ volumes. By contrast, no target figure has been published for 2026. IRCC’s shift toward continuous intake may ultimately replace annual target-setting with a more fluid queue management system.

Application caps

The 10,000 cap for 2025 applications represents a ceiling, not a guarantee. IRCC invited more than 10,000 sponsors (17,860) to account for applications that would be rejected as incomplete, withdrawn, or otherwise disqualified. This overselection strategy is intentional — the department aims to fill the 10,000 slots without running short.

The catch: a high invitation-to-application ratio increases competition among invited sponsors who may submit incomplete packages and lose their spot to alternates on the waitlist.

What to watch

Without a published 2026 target, sponsors should prepare for potential shifts in application volume and selection criteria under the planned continuous intake model.

How long does PGP application take?

Processing times for the Parents and Grandparents Program vary by applicant location and current IRCC workload, but recent data provides a baseline for planning.

Processing times

IRCC reported processing times of approximately 24 months for PGP applications destined outside Quebec as of February 5, 2025. The department committed to processing 80% of complete applications within 20–24 months, though this timeline applies only to applications that clear initial completeness checks.

The implication: processing time estimates are projections, not guarantees. Applicants who submitted in earlier cycles have reported wait times stretching beyond 30 months in some cases, particularly for applications requiring security or medical clearance in multiple countries.

Recent IRCC updates

Beyond processing time announcements, IRCC has not issued significant policy updates for PGP in 2025 beyond the July intake confirmation. The department’s focus appears to be on clearing the existing 2020 pool before implementing any continuous intake model that would fundamentally restructure the program.

What to watch

Processing times can extend beyond the 24-month baseline if applications are incomplete, require additional documentation, or fall under priority processing categories that IRCC has not fully detailed publicly.

How to apply: steps for 2025 PGP intake

For those who received an invitation to apply for the 2025 PGP intake, here’s what the process looks like from receipt of invitation to submission.

Step 1: Check your invitation status

IRCC sends invitations via email. Recipients should check inbox and junk folders regularly. The invitation includes a personalized request ID needed to access the application portal.

Step 2: Gather required documents

Sponsors must submit proof of Canadian status (citizen, permanent resident, or registered under the Indian Act), identity documents for both sponsor and applicant, and evidence of relationship to the parent or grandparent being sponsored.

Step 3: Meet income requirements

Sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirement for the three most recent tax years. This applies to all provinces except Quebec, which uses its own calculation. The undertaking agreement commits sponsors to financially supporting the sponsored person for 20 years (10 years in Quebec).

Step 4: Submit via PR Portal

Applications must be submitted electronically through the Permanent Residence Portal before the deadline. For the 2025 intake, the submission deadline is October 9, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET. Incomplete applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Step 5: Await processing

After submission, applications enter IRCC’s processing queue with an estimated 20–24 month timeline for most cases outside Quebec. Applicants can track status through the IRCC online portal.

The takeaway: invited sponsors have roughly 60 days to compile a complete application — missing documents or errors can disqualify an otherwise eligible submission.

PGP intake timeline: 2025 key dates

The timeline below summarizes the critical dates for the 2025 PGP intake based on IRCC official records.

Date Event
July 28, 2025 IRCC starts sending 2025 PGP invitations over two weeks
August 8, 2025 Invitation window closes — 17,860 invitations issued
October 9, 2025 Application submission deadline for invited sponsors
January 1, 2026 No new PGP sponsorship applications accepted

The timeline shows a compressed intake cycle: invitations spanned roughly two weeks, giving invited sponsors approximately 60 days to compile and submit complete applications. The January 2026 freeze then shutters the program until further notice.

What this means: the compressed 60-day window between invitation close and application deadline creates a narrow submission window that penalizes sponsors who delay document gathering.

Confirmed facts vs. rumors

What’s confirmed

  • 2025 intake dates from IRCC notices — July 28 start, August 8 close
  • 2026 pause from multiple Tier 1/2 sources — confirmed across immigration firms and official records
  • 10,000 target applications for 2025 — directly from IRCC announcements
  • Invitations drawn from 2020 pool — no new forms accepted
  • 20-year undertaking for sponsors outside Quebec

What’s unclear

  • Exact 2026 reopening date after the freeze
  • Future intake targets beyond 2025
  • Scoring criteria for promised continuous intake model
  • Priority processing categories and verification requirements

The pattern: IRCC has been consistent in confirming past actions but deliberately vague about future changes, leaving sponsors in a reactive rather than proactive position.

What authorities say

Starting on July 28, 2025, and over the course of approximately two weeks, IRCC will send invitations to apply to interested potential sponsors who submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020.

— Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Official Notice (July 16, 2025)

IRCC intends to accept up to 10,000 complete applications for sponsorship under the PGP Program.

— Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Update on 2025 Parents and Grandparents Program

No new Parent and Grandparent sponsorship applications will be accepted in January 2026.

— Envoy Global citing IRCC communications, January 2025 Immigration Analysis

For families waiting on a parent or grandparent’s sponsorship application, the 2025 intake brought both relief and frustration. Those in the 2020 pool who received invitations now have a narrow window to act. Those who submitted forms in later years — or who haven’t submitted at all — face an indefinite freeze with the promise of a future continuous intake model that remains largely undefined.

The implication: for sponsors who missed the 2020 cutoff or are waiting on newer forms, the path forward depends entirely on when IRCC finalizes and announces its continuous intake system — a transition that could either streamline access or introduce merit-based gatekeeping that disadvantages lower-income or newer permanent residents.

What is the interest to sponsor form?

What is the interest to sponsor form?

The interest to sponsor form is the initial entry point for Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program. Sponsors submit this form to enter a pool of potential applicants. When IRCC opens an intake, invitations are sent randomly from this pool. The 2025 intake drew exclusively from 2020 submissions.

Parents Sponsorship Canada 2025 income requirements?

Parents Sponsorship Canada 2025 income requirements?

Sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirement for the three most recent tax years. There is no minimum income dollar figure published universally — it varies by family size and is adjusted annually. Sponsors outside Quebec must also sign a 20-year financial undertaking; those in Quebec sign a 10-year undertaking.

What are alternatives if PGP is paused?

What are alternatives if PGP is paused?

The Super Visa is the primary alternative for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The Super Visa allows multiple entries for up to 10 years and permits stays of up to 5 years per visit. Unlike PGP, it does not lead to permanent residence but offers faster processing and no annual cap on applications.

How to check PGP invitation status?

How to check PGP invitation status?

IRCC sends invitations via email. If you submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, check the email associated with your submission regularly, including junk or spam folders. There is no public tracker for invitation status — the only notification is the email from IRCC containing a personalized request ID.

How long does PGP application take to process?

How long does PGP application take to process?

IRCC targets processing 80% of complete PGP applications within 20–24 months for destinations outside Quebec, as of February 2025 data. Actual processing times vary based on application completeness, security and medical clearance requirements, and IRCC workload. Applications with errors or missing documents may face significantly longer timelines.

Bottom line: The 2025 PGP intake is now closed to new applicants — invitations went out July 28 to August 8 from the 2020 pool. For those who received invitations: submit your complete application by October 9, 2025. For those still waiting: the January 2026 freeze means no new intake until further notice from IRCC, with a promised continuous model but no confirmed criteria yet.