IRCC has announced that it will commence sending out 35,700 invitations for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) reopening, starting May 21st, 2024. The aim is to approve 20,500 complete applications. Invitations will be extended to candidates from the 2020 intake, marking the fourth consecutive year that only 2020 applications are considered.
Under the PGP system, invitations will be issued randomly through a lottery mechanism and delivered via email to sponsors who have submitted an interest to sponsor form. Sponsors are advised to monitor their emails from May 21st, with all invitations expected to be dispatched within approximately two weeks.
Applicants seeking permanent residence (PR) through the PGP must ensure they meet all eligibility criteria, complete an interest to sponsor form, and not have received an invitation to apply (ITA) in 2021, 2022, or 2023. Once the PGP lottery reopens, they should watch for invitation emails and submit their applications through the designated portals within the specified deadline.
IRCC aims to process applications within 112 days. The PGP enables Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for PR, aligning with IRCC's family reunification initiatives. Sponsors must sign an undertaking to support their relatives in Canada for either 20 or 10 years, depending on the province.