Family Sponsorship Update — July 16, 2026
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Quebec will reopen family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026, accepting up to 15,700 applications over two years (13,300 for spouses, 2,400 for parents/grandparents); adult dependent children aged 18+ are now exempt from the cap.
IRCC's February 2026 processing times update showed family sponsorship wait times dropping, with Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) applications among the most improved, while temporary resident applications (study permits, work permits from Pakistan, super visas from the US) saw significant increases.
Applications received in excess of Quebec's cap will be returned unprocessed with fees refunded; MIFI will prioritize older applications once intake opens.
What You Should Do
- If you plan to sponsor a spouse or parents/grandparents in Quebec, prepare your undertaking application now and submit it on or after July 2, 2026 at the MIFI website (immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca) — the cap of 15,700 applications filled quickly in the previous intake period.
- If you are sponsoring an adult dependent child (age 18–21, unmarried) in Quebec, confirm they now qualify as cap-exempt before submitting — review the updated eligibility rules on the MIFI press release or immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca.
- Check current IRCC spousal and PGP processing times at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html to confirm whether your application falls within the improved wait time windows before making travel or settlement plans.
- If your sponsorship application involves a principal applicant whose last country of residence is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan, note that IRCC is not finalizing those applications currently — check canada.ca for updates on these special measures before expecting a decision.
Sources
Topics Covered
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: IRCC's February 2026 processing times update showed family sponsorship wait times declining overall, with spousal sponsorship among the application types seeing improved turnaround.
Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities: Quebec is reopening its family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026 with a two-year cap of 2,400 undertakings for parents and grandparents, and has exempted adult dependent children from the cap — a significant policy change from the 2024 intake rules.
More Family Sponsorship Updates
Family Sponsorship Update — July 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — July 9, 2026
Jul 9, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — July 6, 2026
Jul 6, 2026
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