Update — July 29, 2026: On July 15, 2026, Ottawa confirmed in an official notice, “Canada takes steps to responsibly manage the Parents and Grandparents Program,” that no new Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) applications or invitations will be accepted for the rest of 2026. IRCC says it will instead focus on processing the existing inventory of roughly 50,900 PGP applications (40,400 outside Quebec, 10,500 in Quebec), aiming to finalize 15,000 permanent residence approvals in 2026, a target it plans to repeat in 2027 and 2028. Sponsors who applied in July 2025 should expect processing times of about 18 months outside Quebec and 54 months in Quebec. Families still shut out of the program can apply for a super visa, which allows parents and grandparents to visit for up to five years at a time, for a total validity of up to 10 years.

CANADA VIBES NEWSROOM · MORNING EDITION
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 · 7:00 AM ET

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced last week an immediate pause of the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), news that affects thousands of families waiting to reunite.

According to reporting compiled by CIC News and several immigration-focused outlets, IRCC announced on July 17 the suspension, effective immediately, of new applications under the PGP, which normally allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence.

The pause comes as Ottawa maintains its target of welcoming 380,000 new permanent residents annually for 2026, 2027 and 2028, within a range of 350,000 to 420,000. On processing times, however, the department had better news to report: work permit processing times for in-Canada applicants fell by another 15 days, reaching their lowest level this year.

Separately, IRCC held a new Express Entry draw Tuesday, issuing 2,000 invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class. A day earlier, a Provincial Nominee Program draw generated 511 additional invitations.

What to watch

• How long the PGP pause lasts and what criteria will govern any resumption.
• Upcoming Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program draws.
• Whether shorter processing times hold for future work permit applicants.

Sources: CIC News, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.