The Parents and Grandparents Program 2020 is now open.
Between October 13 and November 3, 2020, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can submit interest to sponsor forms on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The purpose of the interest to sponsor forms is to indicate to IRCC the desire to sponsor your parents or grandparents to obtain Canadian permanent resident status.
After November 3rd, IRCC will conduct a randomized lottery. It will invite up to 10,000 applicants to submit completed permanent residence applications within 60 days of being selected from the lottery.
How can I be eligible for the Parents and Grandparents Program?
The eligibility criteria for the Parents and Grandparents Program 2020 is as follows:
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Reside in Canada
- Exceed the minimum necessary income level for the Parents and Grandparents Program (your spouse or common law partner can be a co-signer to help you meet the income requirement)
- Sign an undertaking with the Canadian government that you will financially support the sponsored individual(s) for at least 20 years from when they obtain permanent residence. This requirement is 10 years in Quebec.
Complete our FREE PGP 2020 Eligibility Tool
How much money do I need to sponsor my parents or grandparents?
You must exceed the Minimum Necessary Income requirement set by IRCC over the past three tax years.
Because IRCC expects applications to be submitted in January and February 2021, it will assess applicants based on the 2020, 2019, and 2018 tax years. You need to provide IRCC with your Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment if you are among the 10,000 people selected from the lottery. IRCC has said you can submit your 2020 Notice of Assessment after you have submitted your sponsorship application.
To calculate your family size, you need to include:
- yourself
- your spouse or common law partner
- your dependent children
- your spouse or partner's dependent children
- others you may have sponsored in the past for whom you are still financially responsible
- the parents, grandparents, and dependents you want to sponsor
- dependent children that will not come to Canada with their parents or grandparents
- your parent or grandparent's spouse or partner even if they are not coming to Canada
- your parent or grandparent's separated spouse
The following table shows Minimum Necessary Income requirements if you live outside of Quebec.
| Size of Family Unit | MNI 2020 | MNI 2019 | MNI 2018 | MNI 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 persons | $32,899 | $41,007 | $40,379 | $39,813 |
| 3 persons | $40,445 | $50,414 | $49,641 | $48,945 |
| 4 persons | $49,106 | $61,209 | $60,271 | $59,426 |
| 5 persons | $55,695 | $69,423 | $68,358 | $67,400 |
| 6 persons | $62,814 | $78,296 | $77,095 | $76,015 |
| 7 persons | $69,935 | $87,172 | $85,835 | $84,631 |
| Each additional person | $7,121 | $8,876 | $8,740 | $8,616 |
Sponsors living in the province of Quebec have different income requirements. They are assessed based on their income over the past 12 months. Their gross Canadian income must be equal to the income in Table 1 and Table 2, below:
| Size of Family Unit | Basic annual income required |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $24,296 |
| 2 persons | $32,796 |
| 3 persons | $40,491 |
| 4 persons | $46,569 |
| 5 persons | $51,829 |
| More than 5 persons, for each additional person add | $5,260 |
Additional income required of the sponsor to satisfy the basic needs of the sponsored person and his or her family members | ||
Number of persons 18 years of age or over | Number of persons under 18 years | Gross annual income required of the sponsor |
| 1 | $8,409 | |
| 2 | $13,328 | |
| The gross annual income required increases by $4,444 for each additional person under 18 years of age. | ||
| Number of persons 18 years of age or over | Number of persons under 18 years | Gross annual income required of the sponsor |
| 1 | $17,770 | |
| 1 | 1 | $23,876 |
| 1 | 2 | $26,960 |
| The gross annual income required increases by $3,082 for each additional person under 18 years of age. | ||
| Number of persons 18 years of age or over | Number of persons under 18 years | Gross annual income required of the sponsor |
| 2 | $26,060 | |
| 2 | 1 | $29,192 |
| 2 | 2 | $31,515 |
| The gross annual income required increases by $2,313 for each additional person under 18 years of age and by $8,285 for each additional person 18 years of age or over. | ||