Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially begun issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the 2024 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). The invitation round started on May 21 and will span two weeks. During this period, 35,700 ITAs will be sent to randomly selected potential sponsors who submitted their “Interest to Sponsor” forms back in 2020.
IRCC aims to approve up to 20,500 completed applications for permanent residence through this initiative. Invitations are being sent to the email address originally provided in the 2020 interest form. Eligible sponsors who receive an ITA will be required to submit a complete application package within the deadline indicated in the invitation. The base fee for submission starts at CAD $1,205, and failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in rejection.
To be eligible, sponsors must have submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020 and meet several requirements: they must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act; be at least 18 years old; reside in Canada; and meet the minimum income threshold for the PGP. In addition, sponsors must sign an undertaking agreeing to financially support the sponsored family members for 20 years—or 10 years for residents of Quebec—and to reimburse any social assistance paid to them during that time.
Incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline—or by individuals who did not receive an invitation—will be returned without consideration. All submissions must be made through the Permanent Residence Portal or, if represented, through the Representative PR Portal.
For those not receiving an invitation this year, IRCC continues to accept applications year-round through the Super Visa program. Unlike the PGP, which is capped and invitation-based, the Super Visa provides a more accessible pathway to reunite families. As of 2022, Super Visa holders can stay in Canada for up to five years per visit, with the option to extend for an additional two years, offering up to seven years of temporary residence.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that IRCC has drawn exclusively from the 2020 pool of interest forms, underscoring the ongoing backlog and high demand for family reunification opportunities. While limited, the launch of the 2024 PGP invitations is a critical step in helping Canadians bring their parents and grandparents to live with them permanently in Canada.