Family reunification with parents, grandparents in Canada
If you've immigrated to Canada, you can help your parents and grandparents move there too.
Family reunification programs (family sponsorship) allow permanent residents and citizens of Canada to invite their family members and relatives for permanent residence in the country. One of these programs is the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program. Under this program, a Canadian resident must support their relatives for 20 years, and in turn, the relatives cannot receive social assistance from the government.
Who you can sponsor
You can sponsor the immigration of your parents, grandparents related to you by blood or adoption. If the relatives are divorced, separate applications must be submitted for each. New spouses or partners of relatives can immigrate with them. You can also include your brothers and sisters in the application if they meet the dependent status criteria.
Who can sponsor
To become a sponsor, a Canadian resident must meet several requirements:
- be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada;
- be at least 18 years old;
- live in Canada;
- have sufficient income to support relatives.
An important point is meeting the income requirements. The minimum necessary income is calculated based on the Low Income Cut-off (LICO) plus 30%. Income information is provided for the last 3 years.
You must have enough money to support both your family and all the relatives you plan to bring over. If you live in Canada with a spouse, they can be your co-signer to combine incomes.
The minimum required income depends on the number of family members. To apply in 2025, you need to show income for 2022, 2023, and 2024:
When calculating family size, include: the sponsor, their spouse (if applicable), all dependent children, previously sponsored relatives (if obligations are still in effect), and the parents/grandparents you plan to sponsor. For example, if you have a family of 3 and want to sponsor your mom, look at the requirements for 4 people.
Below are the minimum income amounts required to participate in the program in 2025:
| Family size | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 people | $43,082 | $44,530 | $47,549 |
| 3 people | $52,965 | $54,743 | $58,456 |
| 4 people | $64,306 | $66,466 | $70,972 |
| 5 people | $72,935 | $75,384 | $80,496 |
| 6 people | $82,259 | $85,020 | $90,784 |
| 7 people | $91,582 | $94,658 | $101,075 |
| Each additional person | $9,324 | $9,636 | $10,291 |
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All amounts are in Canadian dollars.
To verify income, you must provide a Notice of Assessment from the CRA for each of the three tax years. IRCC checks line 15000 "Total income" on your Notice of Assessment.
Alternatively, you can authorize IRCC to directly obtain tax information from the CRA by signing the appropriate consent form.
How to apply
In 2025, IRCC will accept up to 10,000 applications for sponsorship of parents and grandparents. From July 28, 2025, invitations are sent only to those who submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020 and are still in the waiting pool. About 17,860 invitations will be sent out over approximately 2 weeks.
It's important to note that new Interest to Sponsor forms will not be accepted in 2025. IRCC continues to work with applicants from the 2020 pool. If you're selected, you'll be notified by email. Only then can you submit a sponsorship application through the Permanent Residence Portal or Representative PR Portal, and your relative can apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Processing time for applications is about 24 months for applicants going to provinces outside Quebec, and 48 months for those planning to settle in Quebec.
If you're not selected, you can apply for a Super Visa for your parents — a multiple-entry visa that allows stays in Canada for up to 5 years at a time, with the visa valid for up to 10 years. This visa can be an excellent alternative for long-term family visits.
Quebec has its own sponsorship conditions with a support period of 10 years instead of 20. As of July 18, 2025, the maximum number of applications for sponsorship of parents and grandparents in Quebec has been reached for the period from June 26, 2024, to June 25, 2026. For more details, visit the official Quebec website.
