The Canadian government has announced that in 2025, it will continue using the existing pool of applications for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) and will not accept new submissions. This means that thousands of families who were not financially prepared in 2020 are still losing their chance to apply.
What does this mean for families?
- No new opportunities – If you did not submit an application in 2020, you are not eligible to participate.
- Some applicants may have passed away – Those who expressed interest five years ago may no longer be alive, leaving their families without the possibility of submitting a new application.
- Long processing times – For those applying outside Quebec, processing will take two years, while in Quebec, it may take up to four years.
What are the alternatives?
The government suggests the Super Visa as a solution for temporary parental visits to Canada, but this is not full family reunification.
Advice for those who have lost a parent
If your parent, who was invited through PGP, has passed away, but their spouse (your other parent) is still alive, you may try to apply on humanitarian grounds.
This news is a major setback for thousands of families who were hoping to finally reunite. For now, the only option is to wait and see if Canada’s immigration policies will change in the future.
Oleksandra Melnykova, Immigration and Refugee Consultant in Canada.
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