Every year, Canada processes thousands of applications to allow applicants’ family members to receive permanent residency through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). The idea behind the program, which first started in 2002, is to allow Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents to serve as the direct sponsor for their parents or grandparents to make it easier for these family members to come to Canada and be reunited with their loved ones.

The application deadline for this year is Dec. 22 at 11:59 EST. But who is eligible?

This year’s pool of applicants has actually been pulled from those who first stated their interest in the program back in 2020.

In order to apply to sponsor your parents or grandparents, you have to first check that you’re eligible and then submit an “Interest to Sponsor” form.

Those who are eligible include Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are 18 years or older, live in Canada and can provide proof of income to show they can support the people they want to sponsor, who also must be eligible under the standard immigration rules.

Once you’ve submitted a form showing you are interested in sponsoring someone, you have to wait for an invitation to apply.

But there were no new forms sent out this year — the government is still sorting through forms submitted three years ago.

“For the 2023 intake, we invited potential sponsors from the remaining pool of interest to sponsor forms submitted in 2020,” the government stated on its website.

This means that anyone who submitted a form in 2020 should check the email they used at that time to see if they have received an invitation to apply for the 2023 intake.

The government added that people should check their junk folders. You can also check your invitation status on the government’s website(opens in a new tab) by inputting the confirmation number you received when you first submitted the form in 2020.

Between Oct. 10 and 23, the government sent 24,200 invitations out to the pool of people who indicated their interest in 2020. These invitations don’t mean you’re accepted — they just mean you can send in an application to sponsor your parent or grandparent.

Up to 15,000 complete applications will be accepted this year, but they have to be submitted before the deadline expires at the end of Friday.

It’s important to note that if you’re invited to apply to sponsor your parent or grandparent for permanent residency, your application is only half of the puzzle — at the same time, the parent or grandparent in question needs to also apply and submit their application for permanent residence.

Applications for permanent residency can be filled out using the government’s online portal.

During the processing of your application, you’ll need to stay on top of additional information needed, such as medical exams, police certificates or the collection of biometrics. Additional information on the process can be found at the government’s website.(opens in a new tab)

If you apply to sponsor your parent or grandparent and you weren’t among the group invited to apply this year, your application will not be processed and you will not receive a refund on the sponsorship application processing fee, which is around $75.