Family Sponsorship Update — October 8, 2026
Thursday, October 8, 2026
As of July 15, 2026, IRCC has paused intake of new Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) applications — no new 'interest to sponsor' forms will be accepted until further notice, though existing applications will continue to be processed with up to 15,000 approvals planned for 2026.
The Super Visa remains available as an alternative for parents and grandparents, recently made more accessible through updated income and health insurance requirements, allowing stays of up to 5 years per visit with 10-year multiple-entry.
Spousal sponsorship processing times show notable shifts: inland spousal sponsorship for those settling in Quebec saw significant changes as of October 2025, while PNP enhanced stream processing improved slightly from 8 to 7 months.
What You Should Do
- If you were planning to submit a Parents and Grandparents Program 'interest to sponsor' form, do not wait — intake is paused indefinitely as of July 15, 2026. Monitor the official IRCC PGP page at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/responsibly-manage-parent-grandparent-program.html for reopening announcements.
- If your parents or grandparents need to visit Canada while the PGP is paused, apply for a Super Visa at canada.ca. Review the updated income threshold and health insurance requirements before applying, as IRCC recently changed these.
- If you have a spousal or dependent child sponsorship application in progress, check current processing times at ircc.canada.ca/english/information/times and ensure your sponsored family member responds to any biometrics letter within 30 days of receipt, bringing the letter and their passport to a collection site.
- If your sponsored spouse or partner is waiting outside Canada, they may apply for a visitor visa now and then apply for an Open Work Permit (OWP) upon arrival. Start this process through the IRCC portal at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/spouse-partner-children/track-update-application.html.
Sources
Topics Covered
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: As of October 2025, spousal sponsorship processing times shifted notably for inland applicants settling in Quebec, while PNP enhanced stream times improved from 8 to 7 months.
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: The PGP pause is explicitly tied to the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, with IRCC limiting PGP approvals to 15,000 in 2026 to align with planned targets.
Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities: IRCC paused all new PGP intake as of July 15, 2026, with no new interest-to-sponsor forms accepted until further notice. Up to 15,000 existing applicants will still be approved in 2026 per the Immigration Levels Plan.
How these topics connect
- RelatedParents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities→Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements
Applicants sponsoring family members destined for Quebec face compounding disadvantages across both spousal and parent/grandparent categories, suggesting the Canada-Quebec Accord's dual-assessment structure is the common structural bottleneck — regardless of the family class category being sponsored.
More Family Sponsorship Updates
Family Sponsorship Update — October 12, 2026
Oct 12, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — October 5, 2026
Oct 5, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — September 17, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
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