Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their parents and grandparents to immigrate to Canada. Sponsored parents and grandparents will obtain permanent resident status, allowing them to live in Canada indefinitely, to work or study if they want to, and to access social services such as medical care.

A parental sponsorship application is a two-step process whereby the Canadian applies to be approved as a sponsor, then once this application is accepted, the foreign parents or grandparents apply for permanent residence on this basis. The basic requirements of the program are as follows:

• ➢ Income Requirement – the Canadian sponsor has to show income at least 30 percent above the LICO (low income cut-off level) in order to meet the minimum necessary income requirement.
  The amount of income required is based on total family size, including the sponsor, his or her immediate dependents, and the family members being sponsored, including any dependents that they may have.
• ➢ Income Requirement is for Three Years – the sponsor has to show that they have met the minimum necessary income requirement for the past three years.
• ➢ Notice of Assessment(s) is the Only Evidence of Income – 1. to prove their income sponsors may only use their income tax returns as documentary evidence, as the immigration authorities will not consider other evidence of income.
• ➢ 20 Year Sponsorship – 1. the sponsor has to agree to be financially responsible for the parent or grandparent for a period of 20 years.
• ➢ 10,000 Applications Limit – Only 10,000 applications will be accepted per year. This cap renews in January of each year and after it is filled the category will be closed until the next year.

If the Canadian sponsor is approved, the parental sponsorship application willbe processed at a Canadian immigration office or visa office. The typicalprocessing time is approximately one year. Once approved the foreign parentswill be issued permanent resident visas that they can use to travel to Canada, and they will become permanent residents upon entry into the country.