Parents and Grandparents Program 2027: No New Applications

Every fall, the government sets out how many new permanent residents Canada will accept over the next three years. This is called the Immigration Levels Plan. On November 5, 2026, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) released the details for 2027 to 2029. For parents and grandparents, the target is 15,000 a year. Here is what that number means for your family, and what it does not mean.

PGP 2027 target: what the levels plan says

The plan aims to admit 15,000 parents and grandparents as permanent residents in each year. That is out of about 380,000 new permanent residents a year in total. Each target comes with a range: the lowest and highest number IRCC could end up admitting. Here is how it compares with last year's plan:

The target has not changed. Only the range moved, down from 13,000-19,000 to 12,000-18,000. In each plan, only the first year is firm. The later years are "notional", which means they are early estimates that IRCC confirms or changes each year.

The 15,000 places are for people who already applied

The target counts people approved for permanent residence. It is not the number of new applications IRCC will accept. On July 15, 2026, IRCC paused the program. It said it "will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice." (The interest to sponsor form is the first step: you fill it in to be considered for an invitation to apply.) IRCC is still processing applications it already has, and those families will fill the 2027 places.

Will the PGP open in 2027?

IRCC's own reason for the pause is that interest in the program "continues to exceed the spaces available under the levels plan." With the target staying at 15,000, that is unlikely to change soon.

If your parent already has a PGP application

Keep it going. Applications in processing are what the 2027 target is for. In the meantime, your parent can still visit on a super visa while they wait. See super visa while a PR application is pending.

If your parent has not applied: use the super visa

IRCC points families to the super visa in the same notice that paused the PGP. It lets a parent or grandparent stay up to 5 years at a time. The visa can be valid for up to 10 years, and they can leave and come back as often as they like during that time. You can apply at any time of year. See how long parents can stay.

The main requirements:

• Income: the child or grandchild in Canada must earn at least a minimum amount, based on Canada's low income cut-off (LICO). Since March 31, 2026, you can use either of your last two tax years. Your parent's own income can also count, but only after you meet at least 75% of the amount yourself. See what changed in March 2026 or check with the income calculator.
• Medical insurance: at least $100,000 of emergency coverage from a Canadian insurer or an eligible foreign insurer, valid for at least one year from the day your parent arrives. See the insurance guide and what it costs.
• Immigration medical exam and a letter of invitation.

Not sure your family qualifies? Start with the eligibility check, then compare the two routes in super visa vs sponsorship.

What to watch next

• Any IRCC notice reopening interest to sponsor forms. We will update this page if one appears.
• Next year's levels plan, normally released around November 1. It will confirm or change the 2028 number.
• Super visa income and insurance rules, which change more often than the PGP does.

Sources (IRCC): Supplementary Information for the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan (Nov 5, 2026); Canada takes steps to responsibly manage the Parents and Grandparents Program (July 15, 2026); Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan (Nov 4, 2025); Parent and grandparent super visa.