Updated on April 16, 2026 by canadian immigration experts
I receive this question very frequently from Canadians whose parents live abroad and who are desperate to bring them home. Unfortunately, the only answer I can give is a painful one: for now, the answer is no.
The Short Answer: Permanent Sponsorship Is Closed in 2026
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), which covers sponsorship and permanent residence applications, has been paused by IRCC and remains so until the government issues further instructions.
Why Did IRCC Pause the Program?
The pause was initially introduced to address a backlog that had topped 40,000 cases by late 2023. IRCC maintains that keeping the PGP on hold is necessary both to work through that backlog and to preserve capacity for higher-priority economic streams. In plain terms, the government has decided that economic immigration, including engineers, tech workers, and tradespeople, takes precedence over family reunification for parents and grandparents.
That said, while permanent sponsorship is off the table for the time being, the opportunity to bring family to Canada is not entirely closed.
What Are Your Options in 2026?
If your goal is to bring your parents here by signing a formal declaration of financial responsibility on their behalf, that path remains unavailable. But the closure of the PGP does not leave you without recourse; it simply means your options are temporary rather than permanent, for now.
Option 1: The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa
The most significant alternative available to Canadian families in 2026 is the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. This is a multiple-entry document that allows parents or grandparents to remain in Canada for up to five years per entry, with the option to renew from within Canada for an additional year.
What the Super Visa provides:
- The right to remain in Canada for up to five years per entry, extendable from within Canada
- Multiple re-entry privileges
- Renewal from within Canada
What the Super Visa does not provide:
- Permanent resident status
- Access to provincial health care (such as OHIP)
- The right to work
- A pathway to citizenship
Updated Super Visa Income Requirements From March 2026
IRCC introduced two meaningful changes to the financial requirements that Canadian children must meet when sponsoring a Super Visa application.
First, an extended assessment window now allows hosts to use income from either of the two taxation years preceding the application, rather than being limited to the most recent year alone. Second, and for the first time, a visiting parent or grandparent’s own income may be combined with their Canadian child or grandchild’s income to meet the financial threshold, provided the host meets a minimum base percentage.
These new rules apply retroactively to all Super Visa applications currently being processed as of March 31, 2026, and to all new submissions. Together, they make the Super Visa accessible to a considerably broader group of Canadian families, particularly seasonal workers, recent graduates, and those whose income has fluctuated over the past two years.
What To Do At This Point?
While family sponsorship has become virtually impossible to organize, the Super Visa provides an alternative method of bringing your loved ones to Canada. The case managers I work with at Jane Katkova & Associates are very familiar and informed with processing Super Visa applications. With our detail oriented approach, and deep knowledge of the program, we can connect you and your loved again in Canada.
Don’t wait to bring your family to Canada, especially during unprecedented times, it is important to act now and begin the process!
