The Canadian government announced On January 5, 2021, that it has held its Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) immigration lottery.
Up to 10,000 people will be invited to sponsor their parents and grandparents to obtain permanent resident status.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) opened the 2020 PGP intake window between October 13 and November 3, 2020.
During this period, eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents were able to express their interest on IRCC’s website to sponsor their parents and grandparents.
IRCC said at the time it would then hold a lottery and issue up to 10,000 sponsorship invitations.
Those drawn from the lottery will have up to 60 days to submit a completed sponsorship application to IRCC.
The eligibility criteria for the PGP entails:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Be at least 18 years old
- Meet the Minimum Necessary Income
- Sign a sponsorship undertaking agreement where you commit to repaying any social assistance your parents or grandparents may obtain. The length of the agreement is 20 years outside of Quebec and 10 years if you live in Quebec.
Receiving an invitation to apply is a rare opportunity to obtain permanent residence for your parents and grandparents. The demand to sponsor parents and grandparents far exceeds the number of spots offered by IRCC.
IRCC has announced it will open another PGP intake window sometime this year, in 2021. After that, it will hold another lottery to invite up to 30,000 people to sponsor their parents and grandparents.