You have until this Tuesday to submit your interest for the Parents and Grandparents Program 2020.
Since October 13, Canadian citizens and permanent residents have been able to submit interest to sponsor forms on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) website.
They have until November 3rd at 12 PM EST to complete this process.
By completing an interest to sponsor form, you provide IRCC with the ability to potentially draw your name when it holds the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) 2020 lottery after November 3rd.
IRCC has stated it will invite up to 10,000 applicants to submit sponsorship applications within 60 days of being drawn from the lottery.
Complete our FREE PGP 2020 Eligibility Tool
Income is the most important eligibility criteria
IRCC will not assess your income during the lottery phase however you need to ensure you meet IRCC's income criteria in case your name is drawn.
Generally speaking, you need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident residing in Canada that is at least 18 years old in order to be eligible.
In addition, you need to exceed the Minimum Necessary Income level for the PGP. Co-signers are allowed, and they can be either your spouse or common law partner.
During the sponsorship application phase, IRCC will assess your income over the past three tax years. IRCC has said it expects applications to be received in early 2021 which means it will assess applicants based on the 2020, 2019, and 2018 tax years. IRCC has noted you can submit your 2020 Notice of Assessment after you submit your sponsorship application since it is unlikely you will have received it from the Canada Revenue Agency by early 2021.
The income requirements are different for those inside and outside of Quebec.
When assessing whether you meet the income requirement, you need to add all the people you are financially responsible for. These 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 that 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
Here is the Minimum Necessary Income requirement 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 |
If you live in Quebec, you will be assessed based on your income over the past 12 months. Your gross Canadian income must be equal to the income in Table 1 and Table 2:
| 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. | ||