Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially conducted the long-awaited 2020 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lottery, marking the next phase in family reunification efforts for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Initially scheduled for late 2020, the lottery experienced delays due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. IRCC reopened the interest to sponsor window from October 13 to November 3, 2020. During that time, eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents were invited to express their interest in sponsoring their parents and grandparents for permanent residency.
Individuals selected through the lottery have 60 days from the date of their invitation to submit a complete sponsorship application, including all necessary documentation. Recognizing that pandemic-related service delays may interfere with timely submissions, IRCC is offering flexible deadline extensions. Sponsors who cannot meet the 60-day requirement due to COVID-19-related disruptions may be granted an additional 90 days to provide supporting documents, provided they include a written explanation with their application.
Eligible sponsors must be at least 18 years old, reside in Canada as a citizen or permanent resident, meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) threshold, and commit to a sponsorship undertaking. This legally binding agreement requires sponsors to financially support their sponsored family members and repay any social assistance they may access. The commitment lasts for 20 years across Canada and 10 years in Quebec.
While the 2020 PGP intake was limited, the IRCC plans to significantly broaden the scope of the program in the coming year. According to Maple News, details for the 2021 edition of the Parents and Grandparents Program will be announced in the first half of the year. The IRCC will maintain the lottery-based selection process and accept up to 30,000 new applications—three times the volume accepted for 2020.
This expansion of the PGP is seen as part of Canada’s broader immigration strategy to strengthen family reunification and support demographic and economic growth by welcoming and retaining more immigrants. Maple News will continue to provide timely updates as new details about the 2021 PGP become available.