Canada suspends new Parent and Grandparent sponsorship applications to clear backlog

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has hit the pause button on one of its most popular family-class streams—the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). In a notice published late on July 15, 2026, the department said it will not issue any new invitations to apply “until further notice.” Officials will instead focus on processing the more than 100,000 files already in inventory and on meeting the 2026 immigration-levels target of up to 15,000 admissions under the PGP. The move is intended to shorten wait times that routinely stretch beyond 40 months and to add predictability for Canadian sponsors, many of whom make long-term care and financial plans around the arrival of elderly family members. IRCC stressed that family reunification remains a pillar of the immigration system and pointed to the expanded “super visa,” which now grants multiple entries of up to five years at a time, as an alternative for parents and grandparents who wish to spend extended periods in Canada without becoming permanent residents. For employers and mobility managers, the temporary pause removes one source of processing pressure inside IRCC—potentially freeing up officer time to tackle work-permit and visitor-visa inventories that affect business travellers. Companies that assist staff with family sponsorship will need to adjust expectations and consider the super-visa option or private medical insurance for parents who will reside in Canada for prolonged stays. The department has not given a timeline for reopening the PGP intake. Given the large inventory and a reduced 2026–2028 target compared with prior years, stakeholders should plan for the suspension to last well into 2027. When the program does re-open, IRCC is expected to retain its controversial lottery system rather than return to a first-come, first-served approach, meaning demand will again far outstrip supply. In the interim, multinational employers should brief assignees about the change, review internal mobility policies that reference the PGP, and ensure that family-reunification support now includes guidance on super-visa eligibility, income thresholds and private health-insurance sourcing.