Parents and Grandparents of Indians in Canada Face Another Year of Program Freeze: Only One Alternative Left

Ottawa: Canadians of Indian origin hoping to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada for permanent residency have received disappointing news. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), which allows permanent residents to sponsor their family members, will remain closed throughout 2026, continuing a freeze first imposed in 2025. The Canadian immigration authorities will only process applications received before 2025, with a maximum of 10,000 approvals, leaving new applicants without options for permanent residency for now.

Super Visa: The Only Viable Option

Immigration experts are advising families to consider the Super Visa as an alternative. This visa allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time, with the possibility of renewal. However, unlike the PGP, the Super Visa does not confer permanent residency. The backlog of PGP applications has been significant: as of 2023, over 40,000 applications were pending, contributing to the ongoing freeze.

Why the PGP Applications Are on Hold

The Canadian government imposed the freeze to clear a large backlog of pending applications. On January 1, 2025, new submissions were suspended, and the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) department invited potential sponsors who had expressed interest in 2025 to submit applications. By October 9, 2025, IRCC had issued 17,860 invitations, but only 10,000 applications will be processed, leaving thousands of families waiting.

About the PGP Program

The PGP program is specifically designed to reunite permanent residents with their parents and grandparents. Under this scheme, sponsored family members can work in Canada and gain access to provincial healthcare—benefits not available under the Super Visa. Only permanent residents can act as sponsors, and the program remains a vital pathway for long-term family reunification.

With the PGP freeze continuing into 2026, thousands of Indian families in Canada now have no option but to rely on the Super Visa if they wish to host their parents or grandparents in the country.