Canada suspends parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that no new applications will be accepted under the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) Program for the entire year 2026. The pause is intended to allow the agency to clear a large backlog of pending cases – about 47,200 applications outside Quebec and 11,800 within the province, some dating back to 2020 – before opening a new intake window. Existing applications will continue to be processed, and the government expects to grant permanent residence to roughly 15,000 people through the program in 2026.

The PGP program is a primary route for Canadian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with elderly relatives. Its suspension will affect thousands of families, particularly those from Maghreb communities, and may increase pressure on municipal services and senior‑care resources in cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.