Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities

Jul 23, 2026

Quebec is reopening its family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026, with a two-year cap of 2,400 undertakings for parents and grandparents, and is exempting adult dependent children from the cap for the first time.

Quebec's cap structure creates a regional disparity — sponsors in Quebec face strict intake limits and cutoff dates not applicable in other provinces, making timing of application submission critical.

Jul 20, 2026

IRCC issued a notice on July 15, 2026 to 'responsibly manage' the Parents and Grandparents Program, and separately changed how super visa income requirements are calculated as of March 20, 2026.

Ongoing adjustments to both the PGP and super visa income rules suggest continued tightening of family sponsorship pathways — sponsors should confirm they meet the latest income thresholds before applying.

Jul 20, 2026

Quebec is reopening its separate provincial family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026 with a two-year cap of 15,700 applications, and is changing its policy to exempt adult dependent children (ages 18–21) from the cap — a distinction from the federal PGP process.

Quebec's cap filling quickly (the 2024 intake hit its cap by July 2025) suggests the July 2, 2026 intake may fill rapidly; applicants should be ready to submit on opening day.

Jul 16, 2026

Quebec is reopening its family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026 with a two-year cap of 2,400 undertakings for parents and grandparents, and has exempted adult dependent children from the cap — a significant policy change from the 2024 intake rules.

Quebec's cap is likely to fill rapidly given previous intake periods closed at the cap almost immediately; applicants should be ready to submit on the opening date.

Jul 13, 2026

Quebec is reopening its family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026 with a two-year cap of 15,700 applications, and has exempted adult dependent children (18+) from the cap — a policy change from its June 2024 cap rules. Federally, the 2025 PGP intake is closed with no confirmed next intake date.

Quebec's decision to exempt adult dependent children from its cap may signal a broader softening of restrictive family sponsorship caps; sponsors should watch for a similar federal PGP intake announcement, potentially tied to the new Ministerial Instructions taking effect January 1, 2026.

Jul 9, 2026

Quebec is reopening its family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026 with a two-year cap of 15,700 applications, and has changed its policy to exempt adult dependent children (18+) from the cap — a reversal from its June 2024 rules.

Quebec's cap structure means applicants outside Quebec can sponsor family members without a provincial intake cap, creating a significant regional disparity in access to family sponsorship for parents, grandparents, and adult children.

Jul 6, 2026

PGP processing times remain extremely long at 34–46 months as of March 2026, driven by annual intake caps and high demand, though a slight improvement has been observed compared to prior months.

With intake caps and backlogs continuing to constrain the PGP, applicants should plan for multi-year waits and ensure their Minimum Necessary Income documentation is in order well before any new intake opens.

Jul 2, 2026

No new PGP intake has been announced for 2026; the 2025 round sent 17,860 invitations from the 2020 interest-form pool against a target of 10,000 sponsorships, with processing times at approximately 24 months. The Super Visa is the currently available alternative.

With PGP frozen for 2026 and a large backlog from the 2020 pool, applicants who did not receive a 2025 invitation may face a multi-year wait before the next opportunity, making Super Visa planning increasingly important.

Jul 2, 2026

Quebec is reopening family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026 with a two-year cap of 15,700 applications, and has exempted adult dependent children (18+) from the cap — a change from the 2024 intake rules.

The Quebec cap will fill quickly given historical demand; applicants should be ready to submit on July 2, 2026 to avoid being turned away.

Jun 29, 2026

PGP applications saw the most notable processing time decreases in February 2026, though the program continues to face longer waits than spousal sponsorship due to annual intake caps and high demand.

Intake caps remain the primary bottleneck for PGP; improvements in processing speed may not meaningfully reduce overall wait times unless caps are raised in the 2026–2028 levels plan.

Jun 25, 2026

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) saw a notable drop in processing times as of the February 17, 2026 IRCC update compared to January 2026 data.

While PGP wait times are improving, processing times still vary by visa office and application location, meaning individual experiences may differ from the overall trend.

Jun 25, 2026

A March 20, 2026 IRCC notice announced changes to how the income requirement for the parents and grandparents super visa is calculated, potentially affecting sponsor eligibility across different regions.

Sponsors should re-check their eligibility under the new income calculation method before applying, as the change may raise or lower the threshold depending on household composition.

Jun 25, 2026

Parents and grandparents sponsorship processing times rose by one month in the latest update, adding to the existing backlog pressure for this stream.

With processing times rising while other economic streams improve, PGP applicants may face continued delays through 2026.

Jun 22, 2026

PGP processing times dropped noticeably between January 15 and February 17, 2026, though annual intake caps continue to create longer queues for parent and grandparent applicants compared to spousal cases.

Intake caps on PGP mean improved processing speed benefits existing applicants more than new ones — demand for Super Visa as an alternative remains relevant.

Jun 18, 2026

The 2025 PGP intake closed October 9, 2025 after sending 17,860 invitations to 2020 interest-to-sponsor applicants. New Ministerial Instructions took effect January 1, 2026 to continue processing existing applications, but no new intake date has been announced.

The gap between 17,860 invitations and a target of only 10,000 accepted applications suggests many invited applicants may not complete the process, potentially freeing capacity for a future intake — but no timeline has been signaled.

Jun 11, 2026

PGP wait times were reported to be declining as of February 2026, bucking the trend seen in other application types where processing times increased.

If PGP processing improvements continue, applicants who submitted in recent intake periods may see faster decisions than expected; monitoring the official IRCC processing times page monthly is advisable.

Jun 8, 2026

PGP processing times declined as of February 2026 at the federal level, but Quebec's spousal sponsorship cap and 37-month processing times underscore continued regional disparities in family class processing.

Federal PGP improvements may not benefit Quebec residents equally, given the province's separate processing framework and its history of capping family sponsorship intake.

Jun 4, 2026

The 2025 PGP intake drew only from the 2020 interest-to-sponsor pool (17,860 invitations for 10,000 spots) and is now closed with no next intake date announced, leaving many sponsors in limbo.

With no announced 2026 PGP intake date, sponsors who registered after 2020 face an indefinite wait; the Super Visa remains the primary alternative for keeping parents in Canada in the near term.

Jun 1, 2026

PGP processing times dropped as of February 2026 IRCC data. Quebec's pause on spousal and adult child sponsorship highlights ongoing regional disparities in family sponsorship access and processing speed.

Declining PGP wait times nationally are a positive sign, but Quebec's separate processing system continues to create unequal outcomes for sponsors residing in that province.

May 30, 2026

PGP processing times improved notably between January and February 2026. Super Visa processing also improved for applicants from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines as of May 2026, with Indian applicants seeing sharp drops since January 2026.

Faster Super Visa processing for high-volume source countries may make the Super Visa a more practical near-term option for families while PGP sponsorship queues remain long.

May 29, 2026

PGP processing times dropped between January and February 2026, but Quebec-based family sponsorship applications still face wait times of up to 48 months versus shorter timelines in other provinces.

Persistent Quebec processing disparities may prompt calls for federal-provincial coordination improvements; applicants in Quebec should factor in longer timelines when planning family reunification.

May 28, 2026

PGP sponsorship processing times decreased between January 15 and February 17, 2026, while super visa processing from the US spiked by 112 days — highlighting continued inconsistencies across application types and origins.

The divergence between improving PGP sponsorship times and worsening super visa times from the US suggests IRCC may be prioritizing in-Canada reunification pathways over visitor-based ones.

May 14, 2026

The 2025 PGP intake is now closed. New Ministerial Instructions effective January 1, 2026 allow continued processing of existing applications, but no new intake date has been announced. Processing times for PGP applications were declining as of February 2026.

With no confirmed next intake date and only 2020 registrants invited in 2025, candidates who registered after 2020 may face a long wait. The Super Visa remains the most viable near-term option for bringing parents and grandparents to Canada.

May 11, 2026

The 2025 PGP intake closed October 9, 2025, drawing only from the 2020 interest-to-sponsor pool with 17,860 invitations and a 10,000-application target. No next intake date has been announced as of May 2026.

With no announced 2026 intake and a pool drawn from 2020 applicants, those who submitted interest-to-sponsor forms more recently face an extended wait. The Super Visa remains the most accessible near-term alternative.

May 7, 2026

The 2025 PGP intake is closed with 17,860 invitations issued from a 2020 registrant pool; new Ministerial Instructions effective January 1, 2026 allow existing applications to continue processing while no new intake date has been announced.

The gap between intake announcements and the size of the waiting pool suggests significant delays for sponsors who registered after 2020; the next intake timeline remains uncertain.

May 4, 2026

Quebec PGP sponsorship processing times surged by 21 months in the April 2026 update, creating a dramatic gap between Quebec-based and non-Quebec PGP applicants.

This spike suggests either a backlog buildup specific to Quebec or a data revision; Quebec PGP applicants should contact IRCC directly if they have not received updates in over a year.

Apr 30, 2026

PGP processing times improved in early 2026 while super visa applications from the US saw a 112-day spike. The 2025 intake closed October 9, 2025, with no announced date for the next intake.

With no 2026 PGP intake date announced and only 10,000 spots targeted annually, applicants who missed 2025 may face a multi-year wait — the super visa with its new flexible income rules is increasingly the practical near-term alternative.

Apr 27, 2026

Quebec-destined PGP sponsorship processing times jumped by 21 months in a single April 2026 IRCC update, creating a severe gap between Quebec and the rest of Canada for parents and grandparents sponsorship timelines.

The Quebec PGP spike may worsen as IRCC continues to manage intake volumes; sponsors of Quebec-destined parents should prepare for multi-year waits and consider whether a Super Visa is a viable interim option.

Apr 23, 2026

PGP sponsorship processing times declined between January 15 and February 17, 2026, according to IRCC's monthly data. However, Quebec-destined applications continue to face longer timelines under the Canada–Quebec Accord.

The PGP wait time reduction is a positive signal, but sponsors with Quebec-destined applications should continue to account for provincial processing delays on top of federal timelines.

Apr 16, 2026

PGP processing times dropped between January and February 2026, and new flexible income requirements for Super Visa sponsors came into effect on April 1, 2026.

The combination of falling PGP wait times and more flexible Super Visa income thresholds may make the Super Visa a more practical near-term option for families waiting on PGP lottery results.

Apr 15, 2026

PGP applications are hovering at approximately 34+ months processing time as of March 2026, with Quebec-destined spousal sponsorships taking up to 35-36 months — both among the slowest categories IRCC tracks.

No significant improvement in PGP or Quebec family-class timelines is evident from the data; applicants in these categories should plan multi-year timelines and consider Super Visa as an interim measure.

Apr 14, 2026

While most provinces see improved PGP processing, Quebec applications experienced a dramatic 21-month increase in processing time.

Quebec's separate immigration agreement may be causing processing bottlenecks that could persist through 2026.