Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship 2025: Eligibility & Income

If you’ve been waiting years to bring your parents or grandparents to Canada, the 2025 Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship (PGP) intake might finally be your chance — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) started sending out 17,860 invitations on July 28, 2025, to sponsors who submitted an interest form back in 2020. Here’s a clear look at the timeline, income requirements, documents needed, and what you should do next.

2025 PGP intake start date: July 28, 2025 ·
Invitations sent: 17,860 ·
Sponsor pool source: 2020 interest to sponsor form ·
Income assessment years: 2022, 2023, 2024 ·
Application window: Two weeks starting July 28, 2025

The income thresholds follow the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus 30% rule. For a two-person family (sponsor + one parent), the required minimum income for tax year 2024 is $47,549; for 2023 it’s $44,530; and for 2022 it’s $43,082 (IRCC Canada official eligibility income page).

Is Parent Sponsorship Open in 2025?

What is the 2025 PGP intake timeline?

• IRCC began sending invitations on July 28, 2025 (IRCC Canada selected page)
• Applicants have a two-week window starting that date to submit a complete application (IRCC Canada minimum income page)

How many invitations were sent?

IRCC issued 17,860 invitations, all drawn from the pool of sponsors who submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020 (IRCC Canada selected page).

The implication: only sponsors who registered interest five years ago are eligible. For those who did, the clock is ticking — missing the two‑week window means waiting for an unconfirmed future round.

How Much Income Do I Need to Sponsor My Parents and Grandparents?

What is the minimum necessary income (MNI) for 2025?

Sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI), calculated as LICO + 30%, for each of the three tax years: 2022, 2023, and 2024. The required amount depends on family size (including the sponsor, co‑sponsor if applicable, dependents, and each parent or grandparent being sponsored). For a family of 2 (sponsor + one parent), the 2024 threshold is $47,549; for a family of 4 it’s $70,972 (IRCC Canada official income page).

What are the new eased income requirements?

Canada temporarily eased the income requirement for hosting parents and grandparents: instead of requiring 130% of LICO for all family sizes including the sponsored person, sponsors now only need to meet 130% of LICO for their family size excluding the sponsored person if their own spouse/partner is the co‑sponsor? The exact rule remains that the sponsor must meet LICO+30% for the total family size including the person being sponsored, but Quebec has its own lower thresholds. There is no generalized “eased” rule for 2025 beyond what already existed (IRCC Canada minimum income page).

What Documents Do I Need to Sponsor My Parents?

Required tax assessments

• Notices of Assessment (NOA) from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for 2022, 2023, and 2024 (CRA (Canada tax authority) tax return page)

Proof of relationship documents

• Birth certificates showing the sponsor’s parent relationship (IRCC Canada official PGP page)
• If the relationship is through adoption or legal guardianship, provide adoption papers or court orders

Government-issued identification

• Valid Canadian passport or permanent resident card for the sponsor (IRCC Canada eligibility page)
• Valid passport for each parent/grandparent being sponsored

A complete document package is essential to avoid delays.

How Long Does a Parent Sponsorship Take?

Current IRCC processing times for PGP

IRCC publishes processing times on its website, but they vary widely. As of recent updates in December 2024, positive trends were noted, with some applications processed in 12–24 months (IRCC Canada processing times page).

Factors that affect processing times

• Completeness of application (missing documents cause delays)
• Volume of applications in the queue
• Complexity of family relationships
• Provincial requirements (e.g., Quebec undertaking approval)

The pattern: faster processing correlates with complete applications and straightforward family histories.

Who Is Not Eligible to Sponsor?

Eligibility requirements for sponsors

• Must be 18 years old or older (IRCC Canada eligibility income page)
• Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (IRCC Canada eligibility page)
• Must meet the minimum income requirement for all three tax years

Reasons for ineligibility

• If the sponsor is in default of an immigration loan or performance bond (IRCC Canada eligibility income page)
• If the sponsor is under a removal order (e.g., deportation)
• If the sponsor has been convicted of certain serious offenses (e.g., sexual assault, murder)
• If the sponsor is bankrupt (not yet discharged)

These conditions ensure that sponsors are financially and legally capable of supporting their family members.

How to Apply for the 2025 PGP

1. Check your invitation — IRCC sent invitations by email to those who submitted the 2020 interest form. The invitation includes a link to the online application portal (IRCC Canada selected page).
2. Gather documents — Collect Notices of Assessment for 2022, 2023, 2024, birth certificates, passports, and any provincial undertaking forms (Quebec residents) (IRCC Canada official income page).
3. Submit the complete application within the two‑week window starting July 28, 2025. Use the electronic portal provided in your invitation (IRCC Canada minimum income page).
4. Pay the fees — sponsorship fee ($75), principal applicant processing fee ($520), right of permanent residence fee ($575) for each parent/grandparent, plus biometrics ($85). Use the IRCC online fee calculator (IRCC Canada selected page).
5. Track your application via your online IRCC account after submission.

Following these steps carefully will help ensure a successful application.

Timeline of the 2025 Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship

Keeping track of these dates is critical for eligible sponsors.

Confirmed Facts and What Remains Unclear

Will PGP open in 2026?

IRCC has not confirmed a 2026 intake. The current 2025 round draws only from the 2020 interest pool, leaving future openings uncertain (CBC News (Canadian public broadcaster)).

“Our goal is to reunite families as quickly as possible while maintaining the integrity of the program. The 2025 intake targets those who have been waiting the longest.”

— IRCC Canada, CBC News coverage

“If you receive an invitation, don’t wait. The two‑week window is strict and missing it could mean losing your chance for years.”

— Immigration consultant quoted by CTV News

For sponsors who receive an invitation, the decision is clear: act quickly and submit a complete, error‑free application. For those who didn’t submit an interest form in 2020, the only path is the Super Visa or hoping for a 2026 intake that IRCC has not yet confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

These answers address common concerns for sponsors.