If you want to reunite with your parents or grandparents in Canada, you can either sponsor them for permanent residence or submit a super visa application.
Sponsoring your parents or grandparents for permanent residence allows them to live in Canada permanently, but the program is limited, based on invitations, and currently paused (as we’ll explain below).
A super visa, on the other hand, is usually faster and allows parents or grandparents to stay in Canada for extended visits, but it doesn’t lead to permanent residence.
Choosing the right option depends on your goals, timing, and financial situation.
Sponsoring your parents or grandparents for permanent residence
To sponsor your parents or grandparents for permanent residence, you need an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
When the program is open, to get an ITA you need to enter a pool with other candidates and submit an Interest to Sponsor form. If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects your application, which is done on a random basis, then you’ll be issued an ITA. However, IRCC paused the program on July 15, 2026. Until further notice, it isn’t accepting new Interest to Sponsor forms or inviting sponsors to apply. Applications already submitted are still being processed, and the eligibility rules below still apply to them and will matter again if intake reopens.
How do I know if I’m eligible to sponsor my parents or grandparents?
To be eligible to sponsor your parents or grandparents, you need to,
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Meet the minimum necessary income requirement;
- Live in Canada; and
- Sign an undertaking to financially support your parents or grandparents for 20 years.
Can I sponsor my parents or grandparents if I’m in prison?
No, you can’t.
You’re also ineligible to sponsor your parents or grandparents if you,
- Declared bankruptcy and aren’t discharged;
- Didn’t pay back an immigration loan;
- Received social assistance – other than for disability;
- Didn’t pay back an immigration loan; and
- Didn’t provide financial assistance to someone you sponsored in the past.
Super visa for parents and grandparents
While the Parents and Grandparents Program is paused, the super visa is the available option. You can sponsor your parents and grandparents for a super visa, and they can stay in Canada for up to 5 years per entry.
Eligibility for a super visa
Parents and grandparents need to submit necessary documents and, additionally, the child or grandchild (who is the sponsor) must,
- Show that they meet the necessary income requirements;
- Show that they bought health insurance for their parents or grandparents; and
- Provide written commitment that they’ll financially support their parents and grandparents.
How can Kabir & Alam help me with my application?
Whether you’re sponsoring your parents or grandparents for permanent residence or a super visa, the application process is complex, context and country-specific, and requires a lot of documents.
A simple mistake in your application can prevent you from being with your loved ones in Canada, so book a consultation with us today, so that we can help you submit your application and reunite with your family.