Last reviewed: April 14, 2026 — by Natalie Ningjing Zhang, Principal Lawyer, BridgePoint Law Professional Corporation. This article is general information about the Canadian Parents and Grandparents Program and the parent and grandparent Super Visa, not legal advice for any particular case.
Quick answer
Canada has two separate pathways for bringing parents and grandparents: the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), which leads to permanent residence but is capped and operates by lottery-style intake, and the Super Visa, a long-stay multiple-entry visitor visa that lets a parent or grandparent live in Canada with their family for extended periods without becoming a permanent resident. Both require the Canadian sponsor or host to meet an income test. For most families in 2026, Super Visa is the faster and more predictable route, while PGP remains the destination for those who qualify and are willing to wait for an invitation to apply.
How the PGP intake works
IRCC does not accept PGP applications on a rolling basis. Instead, potential sponsors submit an online interest to sponsor form during a limited window announced by IRCC, and IRCC then randomly selects sponsors from that pool to submit full applications. The number of invitations varies year to year based on the immigration levels plan. A name in the pool from a previous year does not automatically carry forward unless IRCC says so for a specific year. Because the invitation process is essentially lottery-style, families who need a fast or certain outcome usually plan around Super Visa and treat PGP as a secondary, longer-term plan.
The income test: MNI and LICO
The PGP sponsor must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) test, which is based on Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off plus 30%, for each of the three tax years preceding the application. Income is proven with Canada Revenue Agency Notices of Assessment. The sponsor signs a 20-year undertaking to financially support the sponsored parent or grandparent (10 years in Quebec), which is significantly longer than the spousal sponsorship undertaking. Co-signing by a spouse or common-law partner is permitted and often necessary to meet the income threshold. The Super Visa uses a separate but conceptually similar income test at the baseline LICO level, without the 30% uplift.
Super Visa in detail
The Super Visa is a multiple-entry visitor visa valid for up to 10 years, which can authorize each stay in Canada for up to five years at a time with the possibility of extension inside Canada. It requires: a Canadian citizen or permanent resident child or grandchild who meets LICO and signs an invitation letter; proof of private Canadian medical insurance (historically at least CAD $100,000 in coverage, valid for at least one year, from an approved insurer); a satisfactory medical exam for the parent or grandparent; and the usual admissibility assessment. In 2025-2026 IRCC opened the insurance requirement to allow certain non-Canadian insurers that meet equivalent standards, which has broadened affordability for many families.
Choosing between PGP and Super Visa
The decision usually comes down to three things: how urgent is the arrival, how important is PR status versus long-term visitor status, and whether the family meets the higher MNI threshold for PGP. For a family with an aging parent who needs to be in Canada soon, Super Visa almost always wins on speed and certainty. For a family whose parent wants to eventually work part-time, access certain provincial benefits after the residency waiting period, or sponsor other relatives down the line, PGP — once invited — remains the better long-term fit. Many families end up using Super Visa first, and then applying for PGP when IRCC opens a window they actually get selected in.
Combining the two strategically
A common and sensible strategy is to file an expression of interest for PGP whenever IRCC opens one, while simultaneously applying for a Super Visa so the parent or grandparent can actually arrive and start living with the family. If the PGP invitation eventually comes, the file converts to permanent residence processing while the parent is already in Canada. Dual intent is fine in this context — Super Visa explicitly permits long stays and is not refused on the basis that the family hopes to eventually secure PR.
What to bring to your first consultation
To assess a PGP or Super Visa plan we want: the sponsor’s three most recent CRA Notices of Assessment (or the sponsor’s and co-signer’s combined NoAs); the number and status of all persons the sponsor is financially responsible for (this changes the MNI threshold); proof of the sponsor’s Canadian status; the parent or grandparent’s identity and travel history; and a sense of the timeline — how soon the family needs an arrival, and whether a temporary stay is acceptable while waiting for a PR route. With those items we can map both options out in a single meeting.
Why BridgePoint Law
BridgePoint Law is a Kingston, Ontario-based firm working across Canada on spousal and parental sponsorships, Super Visa applications, and humanitarian and compassionate applications where a family unit needs a bespoke solution. Principal lawyer Natalie Ningjing Zhang is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Canadian Bar Association, the OBA Citizenship and Immigration Section (East), and the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association, and works in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. We help families think about the full five- or ten-year horizon, not just the next filing.
Next steps
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident hoping to bring a parent or grandparent to Canada, the most valuable first step is a consultation that maps Super Visa and PGP side by side against your income, your timeline, and your parent’s situation. We will tell you honestly which route is realistic, and usually we will recommend running both in parallel.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for PGP whenever I want?
No. IRCC only accepts PGP interest-to-sponsor submissions during specific intake windows, and then invites a limited number of sponsors from that pool to file a full application. Outside those windows, PGP applications are not accepted.
What is the income requirement for PGP?
PGP uses the Minimum Necessary Income test, which is Statistics Canada LICO plus 30%, calculated for the three tax years preceding the application and proven by CRA Notices of Assessment. A spouse or common-law partner can co-sign to meet the threshold. Family size — including the parents or grandparents being sponsored — affects the applicable number.
How long is a Super Visa valid?
A Super Visa can be issued for up to 10 years as a multiple-entry visa, and each stay in Canada can last up to five years, with the possibility of extending from inside Canada. It is a visitor visa, not permanent residence.
Does the parent or grandparent need Canadian medical insurance for a Super Visa?
Yes. Super Visa requires proof of Canadian or approved equivalent medical insurance valid for at least one year, typically with at least CAD $100,000 of coverage, health care, hospitalization, and repatriation. Since 2022 IRCC has allowed certain approved non-Canadian insurers to satisfy this requirement.
Can I run Super Visa and PGP at the same time?
Yes, and it is often the right strategy. A family can use Super Visa to bring the parent or grandparent to Canada now, and simultaneously submit an interest-to-sponsor for PGP when IRCC opens a window, converting to PR processing later if an invitation is received.
How long is the sponsorship undertaking for PGP?
Twenty years outside Quebec, ten years in Quebec. This is considerably longer than the three-year undertaking for spousal sponsorship, and it means the sponsor remains financially responsible for the sponsored parent or grandparent long after they have become a Canadian permanent resident.