Why the Super Visa is booming in 2026: the PGP is paused, and the Super Visa is open all year
IRCC is not inviting new sponsors to the Parents and Grandparents Program until further notice. The Super Visa is still open, with no lottery and no cap.
For years, families hoping to bring parents to Canada permanently waited for a PGP lottery draw. In 2026 there is no draw at all. That leaves one practical way for most families to have parents and grandparents here for long periods: the Super Visa.
In short
No new Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) applications have been taken in 2026: only applications submitted before January 1, 2026 are being processed, and on July 15, 2026 IRCC announced it is pausing intake and won't invite sponsors until further notice. IRCC still plans to admit up to 15,000 parents and grandparents as permanent residents in 2026, from the existing queue. The Super Visa remains open year-round: stays of up to 5 years at a time, no lottery, but private medical insurance of at least $100,000 and a minimum income test.
What happened to the Parents and Grandparents Program
The PGP is the permanent residence route for parents and grandparents. Here is how it reached a pause, from IRCC notices and published reports.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Last time new sponsors could submit an interest-to-sponsor form. Later draws invited only people from this 2020 pool. |
| 2024 and 2025 | IRCC ran draws from the 2020 pool only. |
| July 2025 | IRCC sent 17,860 invitations, aiming for 10,000 complete applications by October 9, 2025. |
| January 1, 2026 | Applications submitted after an invitation before this date are still in processing. No new applications have been taken since. |
| July 15, 2026 | IRCC announced it is pausing the intake of new PGP applications. It will not invite sponsors or accept new interest-to-sponsor forms until further notice. |
| 2026 target | Up to 15,000 parents and grandparents admitted as permanent residents, under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, drawn from applications already in the queue. |
Why demand for the Super Visa is growing
It is the only long-stay option open to new families. With no PGP invitations, a family that wants a parent here for more than six months at a time has one route: the Super Visa.
No lottery. You apply when the host meets the income test and the parents have their medical exam and insurance. Nobody waits for a draw that may not come.
Longer stays than before. Since July 2022, a Super Visa holder can stay up to 5 years at a time, on a visa valid for up to 10 years.
Easier to qualify in 2026. Since March 31, 2026, a host can use either of the last two tax years, or meet 75% of the minimum and count the parents' own foreign income for the rest. Details are on the income requirements page.
Insurance can be paid monthly. IRCC accepts a policy paid in instalments with a deposit, which spreads a large premium for an older parent over the year. See monthly payment plans.
2026 at a glance
- PGP new applications
- Paused until further notice
- PGP 2026 target
- Up to 15,000 admissions
- PGP queue
- About 40,400 applications (July 2026 report)
- Super Visa
- Open all year
- Super Visa stay
- Up to 5 years per entry
Super Visa vs PGP: side by side in 2026
They solve different problems. The PGP gives permanent status; the Super Visa gives long, repeatable visits you can plan now.
| Super Visa | PGP sponsorship | |
|---|---|---|
| Open in 2026? | Yes, all year | Paused for new applicants until further notice |
| How you get in | Meet the requirements and apply | Random invitation from a pool, when draws run |
| Status | Temporary visitor | Permanent resident |
| Length of stay | Up to 5 years per entry; multiple entries over up to 10 years; extensions possible | Permanent |
| Processing | Varies by country; check IRCC's processing times | About 30 months reported for the queue in July 2026 |
| Health care | Private insurance required: $100,000+, 1 year from each entry | Provincial health care once eligible |
| Work in Canada | No | Yes |
What the Super Visa does not give you
No permanent status. Parents remain visitors. They must show they will leave at the end of their stay, and each entry is decided by a border officer.
No provincial health care. This is the biggest cost difference. A permanent resident parent eventually joins OHIP or the provincial plan; a Super Visa parent needs private emergency insurance every year, and it doesn't cover routine care or ongoing treatment. Premiums rise with age: see Super Visa insurance cost by age.
No work. A Super Visa does not allow employment in Canada.
A yearly renewal to manage. The policy must be valid one year from each entry, and parents staying several years need a new policy every year at their new age.
If your PGP application is already in the queue, ask a licensed immigration professional how a Super Visa application fits with it. Pankaj handles the insurance side, not the immigration file.
Getting the insurance right for a long stay
The insurance is the part of a Super Visa application families can sort out in a day. The policy must come from a Canadian insurer or an OSFI-authorized foreign insurer, give at least $100,000 of emergency cover for health care, hospitalization and repatriation, run at least one year from the date of entry, and be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. A quote is not accepted. The full list, with a checker, is on the Super Visa insurance requirements page.
Because parents on a Super Visa often stay for years, choose a plan that covers their stable pre-existing conditions if they take regular medicine, and check the insurer's refund rules in case the visa is refused or they go home early.
Super Visa and PGP questions
Is the Parents and Grandparents Program open in 2026?
No. IRCC is not accepting new PGP applications or interest-to-sponsor forms, and announced on July 15, 2026 that the pause lasts until further notice.
Applications submitted before January 1, 2026 are still being processed.
How many parents and grandparents will Canada admit through PGP in 2026?
IRCC plans to admit up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the PGP in 2026, under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
Those admissions come from applications already in the queue.
When will the PGP reopen?
IRCC has not given a date. Its July 2026 notice says it won't invite sponsors "until further notice".
Watch IRCC's news page for any announcement.
How long can parents stay in Canada on a Super Visa?
Up to 5 years each time they enter, on a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years.
They can apply from inside Canada to extend; IRCC describes extensions of up to 2 years.
What insurance does a Super Visa need?
At least $100,000 of emergency medical coverage from a Canadian insurer or an approved foreign insurer, valid at least one year from each entry, paid in full or monthly with a deposit.
See the 2026 requirements.
How much income does the host need?
The child or grandchild must meet the minimum necessary income for their family size, for example $46,720 for 3 people or $56,724 for 4 in 2026.
See the 2026 income table.
Can a Super Visa lead to permanent residence?
Not by itself. It is a visitor visa; permanent residence needs a separate application through another program.
Ask a licensed immigration professional about your family's options.
Written by Pankaj Bhatia, CHS, PFA
Insure In Canada Inc. · 11 years in financial services · Licensed in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Pankaj arranges Super Visa insurance for families across seven provinces. Since the PGP pause, more of them are planning multi-year stays, so he looks at renewals and pre-existing cover from the first policy.
Call 647-640-2222 · WhatsApp · info@pankajbhatia.ca · About Pankaj
Sources and related pages
General information, not legal or immigration advice. IRCC programs change; check IRCC's website or a licensed immigration professional before applying.