Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that it will not open a new intake for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2026, extending a freeze that began in 2025. Under the revised ministerial instructions, officers will limit processing to a maximum of 10,000 sponsorship files already submitted before December 31 2024 and will not issue any new invitations to apply this year. The department says the pause is needed to control application backlogs and align with lower permanent-resident targets set in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
The move leaves many Canadian citizens and permanent residents with no pathway to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada for permanent residence in the near term. Immigration practitioners report a surge in inquiries about the super visa—Canada’s long-stay, multiple-entry visitor visa that now allows eligible parents and grandparents to remain in Canada for up to five years per entry and renew their status from within Canada. While the super visa offers extended stays, it does not confer the right to work or access provincial health coverage in most provinces, and holders must maintain private medical insurance.
At this juncture, families may wish to lean on private visa-processing specialists for guidance. For example, VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers up-to-date information on super-visa requirements, optional document-preparation services and real-time application tracking, giving sponsors an alternative to navigating IRCC’s rules on their own.
![Canada Freezes New Parent & Grandparent Sponsorships for 2026, Pushes Families Toward Super Visa]()
For employers, the freeze may indirectly affect talent attraction: would-be immigrants often factor family-reunification options into relocation decisions. Firms that rely on the Global Talent Stream or intra-company transfers should be prepared for questions from candidates with dependants abroad. Human-resources teams may need to adjust mobility policies—for example, expanding private-health-insurance coverage to super-visa relatives or offering paid travel home—so that employees can balance work responsibilities with family care.
Analysts note that Canada’s demographic profile and tight labour market still argue for robust immigration levels, but the government is re-calibrating programs to ease pressure on housing and services. IRCC has signalled that it will review PGP processing later this year once it assesses backlog-clearing progress; however, officials offered no timeline for reopening. Stakeholders, including settlement agencies and the Canadian Bar Association’s Immigration Section, are urging the government to develop a predictable selection system—such as a points-based draw—to replace the current lottery and periodic pauses.
In the meantime, families considering a super visa should budget for annual medical-insurance premiums that can exceed CAD 1,500 per person and confirm that parents meet the strict income threshold. Prospective sponsors should also watch for any future pilot programs that may test alternative family-reunification streams as Ottawa balances fiscal constraints with demographic needs.
The move leaves many Canadian citizens and permanent residents with no pathway to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada for permanent residence in the near term. Immigration practitioners report a surge in inquiries about the super visa—Canada’s long-stay, multiple-entry visitor visa that now allows eligible parents and grandparents to remain in Canada for up to five years per entry and renew their status from within Canada. While the super visa offers extended stays, it does not confer the right to work or access provincial health coverage in most provinces, and holders must maintain private medical insurance.
At this juncture, families may wish to lean on private visa-processing specialists for guidance. For example, VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers up-to-date information on super-visa requirements, optional document-preparation services and real-time application tracking, giving sponsors an alternative to navigating IRCC’s rules on their own.
For employers, the freeze may indirectly affect talent attraction: would-be immigrants often factor family-reunification options into relocation decisions. Firms that rely on the Global Talent Stream or intra-company transfers should be prepared for questions from candidates with dependants abroad. Human-resources teams may need to adjust mobility policies—for example, expanding private-health-insurance coverage to super-visa relatives or offering paid travel home—so that employees can balance work responsibilities with family care.
Analysts note that Canada’s demographic profile and tight labour market still argue for robust immigration levels, but the government is re-calibrating programs to ease pressure on housing and services. IRCC has signalled that it will review PGP processing later this year once it assesses backlog-clearing progress; however, officials offered no timeline for reopening. Stakeholders, including settlement agencies and the Canadian Bar Association’s Immigration Section, are urging the government to develop a predictable selection system—such as a points-based draw—to replace the current lottery and periodic pauses.
In the meantime, families considering a super visa should budget for annual medical-insurance premiums that can exceed CAD 1,500 per person and confirm that parents meet the strict income threshold. Prospective sponsors should also watch for any future pilot programs that may test alternative family-reunification streams as Ottawa balances fiscal constraints with demographic needs.
