{"id":1995,"date":"2026-11-10T03:59:41","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T03:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/?p=1995"},"modified":"2026-11-10T21:56:01","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T21:56:01","slug":"sponsor-parents-canada-pgp-paused","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/sponsor-parents-canada-pgp-paused\/","title":{"rendered":"Sponsoring your parents to Canada in 2026: the program is paused, and what families can do now"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 9, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Sundeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2018, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 9, 2026: the program pause, the super visa income and insurance rules, the sponsor income rule and the appeal deadline checked on canada.ca and Justice Laws that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The rule:<\/strong> since July 15, 2026 IRCC accepts no new interest-to-sponsor forms and sends no invitations for parents and grandparents “until further notice.” Files already in processing continue.<\/p>\n

Who it affects:<\/strong> every family that had not been invited and applied by then. If your file was refused, you still have the 30-day appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division.<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/strong> find your stage in the table below. For most families the realistic route now is a super visa, which has easier income rules since March 31, 2026.<\/p>\n

Jump to the table<\/a> \u00b7 Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The lawyers who handle these files<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
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Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

If you were hoping to sponsor your parents or grandparents for permanent residence, you cannot start a new sponsorship right now: IRCC paused new intake on July 15, 2026 and has not said when it will reopen. What you can still do depends on where you were when the pause came. Families already in processing keep going, and IRCC plans up to 15,000 approvals in 2026. Refused sponsors have 30 days to appeal. Everyone else can bring a parent on a super visa for stays of up to 5 years at a time, with income rules that became more flexible on March 31, 2026.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, appeals refused parent and grandparent sponsorships to the Immigration Appeal Division and helps families with super visa and visitor visa applications and refusals.<\/p>\n

Can I sponsor my parents to Canada in 2026?<\/h2>\n

Not with a new application. On July 15, 2026 IRCC announced it will not receive new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite sponsors to apply “until further notice.” Applications already filed are still being processed, and IRCC plans to approve up to 15,000 people under the program in 2026 (IRCC notice, July 15, 2026<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The same notice points families to the super visa: parents and grandparents can still visit, for up to 5 years per entry, on a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years. It is a visitor visa, not permanent residence; it does not give the parent health coverage, a work permit or a path to PR on its own.<\/p>\n

Where are you in the process?<\/h2>\n

Your options depend on one question: had IRCC already invited you and received your application before July 15, 2026? If yes, your file continues. If no, you cannot apply until IRCC reopens intake. If your file was refused, the pause does not take away your appeal.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Your stage<\/th>\nWhat the pause means for you<\/th>\nWhat you can do now<\/th>\nDeadline<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Never submitted an interest-to-sponsor form, or submitted one and were never invited<\/strong><\/td>\nNo new forms are received and no invitations are sent “until further notice” (IRCC notice, July 15, 2026). There is no queue to join.<\/td>\nSuper visa or visitor visa for your parent. Keep your notices of assessment: if intake reopens under the current rule, you will need minimum necessary income plus 30% for each of the three tax years before filing (IRPR s. 133(1)(j)(i)(B)<\/a>).<\/td>\nNone now<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Invited, applied, and waiting for a decision<\/strong><\/td>\nIRCC keeps processing existing applications (IRCC notice, July 15, 2026).<\/td>\nAnswer every IRCC request on time; keep your address and contact details current; keep proof of income for each required year. Your parent can visit on a super visa or visitor visa while the file is open. If the file has stalled well past normal times, see writ of mandamus for IRCC delays<\/a>.<\/td>\nWhatever IRCC sets in each request<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refused<\/strong> (income, relationship, medical or other reason)<\/td>\nThe pause does not affect your right to appeal. A sponsor can appeal a refused family-class visa to the Immigration Appeal Division (IRPA s. 63(1)<\/a>).<\/td>\nAppeal to the IAD. It can allow the appeal if the decision was wrong, if fairness was breached, or on humanitarian and compassionate grounds (IRPA s. 67(1)<\/a>). See parent sponsorship refused for income<\/a>.<\/td>\n30 days<\/strong> after you receive the decision (IAD Rules r. 16(a)<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Withdrew, or did not apply after being invited<\/strong><\/td>\nA withdrawn or unsubmitted invitation is not held for you. IRCC has said nothing about invitations that were not used.<\/td>\nSame as “never invited”: super visa or visitor visa.<\/td>\nNone now<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Parent is already in Canada as a visitor<\/strong><\/td>\nThe pause does not change the parent’s visitor status.<\/td>\nApply to extend before the stay ends (a visitor’s default stay is six months unless an officer sets another period: IRPR s. 183(2)<\/a>). A humanitarian and compassionate application is the only route that exists right now for a parent already in Canada (see below).<\/td>\nBefore the authorized stay ends<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Your options now<\/h2>\n

There are five routes, and which one fits depends on your stage. For most families who were never invited, the super visa is the main option. For refused families, the IAD appeal comes first because it has the shortest clock.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Option<\/th>\nWhat it gives<\/th>\nKey requirement<\/th>\nWho it fits<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1. IAD appeal<\/strong> (refused files)<\/td>\nA hearing; the IAD can overturn the refusal on the law, the facts, fairness or humanitarian grounds<\/td>\nFile within 30 days of receiving the refusal<\/td>\nSponsors refused before or after the pause<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2. Super visa<\/strong><\/td>\nMultiple-entry visa valid up to 10 years; up to 5 years per entry<\/td>\nHost meets LICO in either of the last two tax years, or 75% of LICO plus the parent’s income; $100,000 insurance for 1 year; medical exam<\/td>\nMost families never invited<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3. Visitor visa<\/strong><\/td>\nShorter visits (default stay six months)<\/td>\nOfficer must accept the parent is a genuine visitor who will leave<\/td>\nParents who will not meet super visa income or insurance rules, or who want shorter visits<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4. Keep a file in process moving<\/strong><\/td>\nPermanent residence if approved<\/td>\nMeet every IRCC request and the income rule for the required years<\/td>\nFamilies invited and applied before July 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5. Humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) application<\/strong><\/td>\nPermanent residence on exceptional grounds<\/td>\nThe Minister must be persuaded H&C considerations justify an exemption (IRPA s. 25(1)<\/a>)<\/td>\nThe only route open at this time for a parent who is already in Canada<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Super visa: the income and insurance rules since March 31, 2026<\/h2>\n

From March 31, 2026, the child or grandchild inviting the parent can meet the income requirement in either of the two tax years before applying. Or the host can show at least 75% of the low income cut-off (LICO) and let the visiting parent’s own income cover the rest, up to 25%. Both options apply to applications already in processing on that date.<\/p>\n

The details, from IRCC’s notice (modified Mar 20, 2026<\/a>) and its officer instructions (modified Aug 25, 2026<\/a>):<\/p>\n