Canada’s Immigration Level Plans 2023-2025 has a target of welcoming 465,000 permanent residents in the year 2023. Out of the 2023 immigration target, 106,500 permanent residents will be under the family sponsorship category. Family sponsorship includes:
- Spouses
- Common law partners
- Children
- Parents and grandparents under the PGP.
So far, Canada has already welcomed 13,000 newcomers under both spousal/children sponsorship and the PGP. In January 2023, Canada welcomed 50,885 new permanent residents, which is almost 44% more than the 35,450 newcomers to Canada in January of last year.
Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP)
Under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), Canada hopes to bring 28,500 permanent residents as compared to 27,255 permanent residents in the year 2022 which was 132% more than the 11,740 in 2021. In January of this year, the permanent residents that have arrived in Canada under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) has increased by almost 60% compared to January of 2022. In January 2023, a total of 2,065 new permanent residents under PGP were welcomed as compared to 1,300 in January of 2022.
What you need to know to be a sponsors of PGP
Canadian citizens and permanent residents are able to sponsor their parents and grandparents to immigrate to Canada. If approved under this program, a parent or grandparent will be granted Canadian permanent residence and may eventually be able to apply for Canadian citizenship.
In order to be eligible for the PGP in the past, sponsors must have met the following criteria:
- Have completed an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC’s website between October 13, 2020 (12:00 PM EDT) and November 3, 2020 (12:00 PM EST).
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be residing in Canada (potential applicants will need to provide a proof of status during the Interest to Sponsor phase).
- Exceed the minimum necessary income level for this program (if married or in a common-law relationship, the income of both the sponsor and spouse can be included) and provide proof of income to IRCC.
- Sign an undertaking to financially support the sponsored for 20 years (starting when they become permanent residents); and to repay any social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored family members (if applicable) for a period of 20 years.
- If the sponsor resides in Quebec, an additional “undertaking” must be signed with the province of Quebec.
