Canada pauses applications for parent, grandparent immigration sponsorship program

A Canadian flag flies over the Prime Minister’s Office near Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

By The Canadian Press

Jul 15, 2026 | 12:04 PM

OTTAWA — The federal government will not accept any new applications this year from people who want to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada as permanent residents under a program meant to promote family reunification.

The Immigration Department said the change is part of an effort to responsibly manage the system and reduce wait times.

In a statement posted online, the department said interest in the program continues to exceed the number of available spaces.

There are 60,500 applications in progress already and wait times for processing are around 33 months, or up to 66 months in Quebec.