Family Sponsorship Update — August 3, 2026
Monday, August 3, 2026
Canada paused the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) on July 15, 2026 — no new interest-to-sponsor forms are being accepted and no new invitations to apply will be issued until further notice; existing applications continue to be processed.
Applicants not invited to apply under PGP can consider the Super Visa, which allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time with 2-year in-Canada extensions available.
As of February 2026, family sponsorship processing times — including PGP — had been declining, though Super Visa applications from the US saw a 112-day jump in processing time.
What You Should Do
- If you submitted an interest-to-sponsor form for the PGP before July 15, 2026, monitor your IRCC account for status updates at ircc.canada.ca — your existing application will continue to be processed.
- If you were not invited to apply under PGP, explore the Super Visa option at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-parents-grandparents.html — it allows stays of up to 5 years per entry.
- If sponsoring a spouse or child, check current processing times at ircc.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html — spousal sponsorship times have been dropping as of early 2026.
- If your sponsored family member receives a biometrics request letter, ensure they visit a biometric collection site within 30 days of the letter date, bringing both the letter and their passport.
Sources
Topics Covered
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: As of February 2026, family sponsorship processing times — including spousal and PGP streams — were declining compared to January 2026 levels, indicating improved throughput at IRCC.
Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities: Canada paused the PGP entirely on July 15, 2026, stopping intake of new interest-to-sponsor forms and invitations to apply until further notice. Only existing applications will continue to be processed.
How these topics connect
- RelatedParents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities→Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements
Applicants sponsoring family members destined for Quebec face compounding disadvantages across both spousal and parent/grandparent categories, suggesting the Canada-Quebec Accord's dual-assessment structure is the common structural bottleneck — regardless of the family class category being sponsored.
More Family Sponsorship Updates
Family Sponsorship Update — August 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — August 10, 2026
Aug 10, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — July 30, 2026
Jul 30, 2026
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