Super Visa vs. Parents and Grandparents Program in 2027: What Canada’s New Plan Means for Families

If you want a parent or grandparent to spend an extended visit in Canada in 2027, the Super Visa is available to eligible families now. If your goal is permanent residence, Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan sets a target of 15,000 parent and grandparent admissions in 2027. As of November 10, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced no new Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) intake or invitation date. IRCC’s 2027–2029 admissions table · Current sponsorship intake status

Key facts for 2027

• Parent and grandparent admissions target for 2027: 15,000, within a planning range of 12,000 to 18,000.
• The same 15,000 target is listed for 2028 and 2029, subject to future updates.
• PGP intake has been paused since January 1, 2026. No new interest to sponsor form or invitation date has been announced.
• Super Visa stay: up to five years per entry, on a visa that can be valid for up to ten years.
• Super Visa insurance: at least CAD 100,000 in emergency medical coverage per applicant, valid for at least one year from entry.
• Sponsorship undertaking: 20 years outside Quebec, 10 years in Quebec, starting when the parent becomes a permanent resident.

What changed for parents in Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan?

The previous plan’s provisional target for 2027 was already 15,000, with a planning range of 13,000–19,000. The new plan keeps the target at 15,000 and shifts the range to 12,000–18,000. It also lists 15,000 as the target for each of 2028 and 2029, subject to future updates. Our full breakdown of the 2027 Immigration Levels Plan covers every category, and PR admissions by country shows where recent spaces have gone. Previous levels plan · IRCC’s 2027–2029 admissions table

An admission counts a person who becomes a permanent resident. One sponsorship application can cover two parents, and a family admitted in 2027 may have applied in an earlier year. The admissions table therefore cannot tell you how many invitations IRCC will send, whether a new sponsor pool will open, or when an individual application will finish.

Super Visa vs. Parents and Grandparents Program: side by side for 2027

The short version: the Super Visa is available to eligible families now and buys time together, while the Parents and Grandparents Program leads to permanent residence but has no open door as of today.

Family decision	Super Visa	Parents and Grandparents Program
What status does my parent receive?	Visitor status for up to five years per entry. A multiple-entry visa can be valid for up to ten years.	Permanent residence once approved and admitted.
Can we start now?	Eligible parents can apply from outside Canada. Their host supplies a personal invitation letter.	A new sponsor needs an invitation from IRCC. Intake remains paused as of November 10, 2026.
Whose income counts?	Host and eligible co-signer. Under one option, the visiting parent can contribute qualifying income.	Outside Quebec, the sponsor and an eligible co-signer must meet the required income for each of three tax years. Quebec assesses financial capacity under provincial rules.
What must we budget for?	Application fees, a medical exam and qualifying private medical insurance for each visitor.	Sponsorship and permanent residence fees, medical exams and a long-term financial undertaking.
What time period matters?	The border officer determines the authorized stay at each entry. Visa expiry and authorized stay are separate dates.	The undertaking starts when the parent becomes a permanent resident and lasts 20 years outside Quebec or 10 years in Quebec.

The difference that decides most families is timing. One route you can start this month if your parent is eligible. The other you cannot start at all until IRCC opens intake again, no matter how strong your income is.

IRCC Super Visa eligibility · IRCC sponsorship undertaking.

Can I sponsor my parents in 2027 if I missed the last intake?

There is no announced filing window for a new sponsor. The pause took effect on January 1, 2026. IRCC’s July 15 notice confirmed the continuing pause. The last invitation round drew from people who submitted an interest-to-sponsor form in 2020. An old pool confirmation or a past invitation alone does not mean a permanent residence application is in processing.

Our Parents and Grandparents Program page sets out eligibility and the steps that apply once intake reopens, and we have covered both the intake pause itself and the alternatives available while the program is suspended. Ministerial Instructions 89 · IRCC’s July intake notice · 2025 invitation round

If you submitted a complete application after an invitation, follow the instructions on that file and respond to document requests. If you never filed, check IRCC’s intake page for a new interest-to-sponsor form or invitation announcement. For a family visit in the meantime, assess Super Visa eligibility separately.

How much income does a Super Visa host need?

Start with the family size in IRCC’s table. Count the host, invited parents and other people IRCC requires you to include, such as the host’s spouse and dependent children, plus anyone covered by a relevant existing commitment. A single host inviting one parent might count two people. A host with a spouse and two dependent children inviting both parents would count six, assuming no other commitments. Use the threshold in force when you apply, or let our Super Visa income calculator work out the family size and figure for you. IRCC family-size and income table

There are two ways to qualify.

First, the host and eligible co-signer can show the full required income in either of the two tax years before applying.

Alternatively, they can show at least 75% of the threshold in the year before applying and use the visiting parent’s continuing income to cover the shortfall. For example, if the host reaches 80%, the parent must document the remaining 20% and show that the income will continue during the visit. If your income comes from a business rather than a T4, see how self-employed hosts document Super Visa income, and check what moved in the March 2026 income update. IRCC family-size and income table

For PGP sponsorship outside Quebec, the federal test generally uses the applicable minimum income plus 30% for each of the three relevant tax years. A strong year cannot offset a shortfall in another. Keep the sponsor’s CRA notices of assessment, and check the years and amounts specified for any future intake before relying on them. Federal parent sponsorship requirements

What should my parent prepare for a Super Visa?

The host must be an eligible child or grandchild aged 18 or older who lives in Canada and is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered under the Indian Act. Prepare evidence of the relationship, the host’s status, a signed invitation promising support, income documents and an immigration medical exam. Each parent should be prepared to show they will leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay. Thin evidence on this point is a common refusal ground, and what to do after a Super Visa refusal sets out the options. IRCC Super Visa eligibility

Arrange private health insurance with at least CAD 100,000 in emergency coverage per applicant. That figure is the coverage limit. The premium is the price your family pays. The policy must cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation, be valid for at least one year from entry and come from an eligible insurer. IRCC accepts payment in full or instalments with a deposit. A quote alone is insufficient. Check coverage again before each entry. Our guide to Super Visa medical insurance requirements covers eligible insurers and what the policy itself must say. IRCC insurance and document checklist

Which route fits your family?

For a visit of several years, start with the Super Visa eligibility and application guide. For a shorter stay, compare the Super Visa and ordinary visitor options before buying insurance. If permanent settlement is the goal, keep track of the PGP intake as a separate decision. A Super Visa can allow time together while a sponsorship file is pending, provided the parent qualifies as a temporary visitor. We cover that combination in applying for a Super Visa while a PGP application is pending. If a parent is already in Canada, see extending a Super Visa stay from inside Canada.

Frequently asked questions

For a review of your family’s options, bring your household count, recent income documents and any PGP correspondence. Book a strategy consultation.