1. Learn about sponsoring parents and grandparents
Question and answer
Which relatives can be sponsored to become permanent residents?Canada has a program that lets some Canadian citizens and permanent residents sponsor their parents or grandparents to become permanent residents. To do this:
- they must qualify to be a sponsor, and
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) must invite them to apply.
Being invited to apply
Each year, IRCC usually invites a certain number of people to apply. They randomly invite people who sent in an interest to sponsor form.
Starting July 28, 2025, IRCC will invite people who sent in the form in 2020. If that applies to you, check the email account you gave IRCC in 2020, including your junk and spam folders.
If IRCC invites you, you can then apply to sponsor your parent or grandparent online through the Permanent Residence Portal.