Maya lives in Mississauga with her husband and two children. Her parents live overseas, and the family hopes they can spend several months together in 2027, long enough for birthdays, school concerts and ordinary Sunday dinners.
When Maya searches for parent sponsorship to Canada, she finds two seemingly conflicting headlines: sponsorship is paused, but Canada has announced thousands of parent and grandparent admissions for 2027. She also starts reading about Super Visa insurance costs in Canada, wondering whether a longer visit is still possible.
The numbers are not contradictory. They describe different parts of Canada’s immigration system, and understanding that distinction can save Maya’s family months of uncertainty.
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Will Parent Sponsorship Reopen in Canada in 2027?
As of November 11, 2026, IRCC has not announced a 2027 reopening. Canada is not accepting new interest-to-sponsor forms or issuing new Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) invitations until further notice. Existing applications continue to be processed, while eligible parents and grandparents can still apply for a Super Visa for extended temporary visits.
Is Parent Sponsorship Open for 2027?
When Maya checks the official PGP status, she finds a clear answer: the program is paused for new applications. In its July 15, 2026 notice, IRCC said it would continue processing existing cases but stop accepting new interest forms and invitations until further notice.
There is another detail that matters. Recent invitation rounds selected potential sponsors from people who submitted an interest-to-sponsor form in 2020, rather than opening a fresh form for everyone each year.
What this means for Maya: If she never joined the 2020 pool and has not received an invitation, she cannot simply submit a new sponsorship application for 2027. She needs to watch for an official intake announcement instead of paying someone who claims to have access to an unannounced opening.
IRCC confirms the invitation process in its PGP application instructions. A pause is not a permanent closure, but it is also not a promise that invitations will restart on a particular date.
What Changed in Canada’s 2027 Immigration Plan?
On November 5, 2026, Canada released its 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan. It sets a target of 15,000 permanent resident admissions under the Parents and Grandparents category for 2027, within a planning range of 12,000 to 18,000.
Maya initially reads “15,000” as “15,000 new sponsorship places.” Admissions count people expected to become permanent residents, including those whose applications are already in the system. The figure does not announce a fresh intake.
Previous 2026-2028 plan
2027 admission target
Planning range: 13,000-19,000
New 2027-2029 plan
2027 admission target
Planning range: 12,000-18,000
The target stayed the same while the range shifted. For context, the latest plan also targets 380,000 total permanent resident admissions in 2027, but that larger figure covers multiple immigration categories, not just parents and grandparents.
Those comparisons come from the previous immigration plan and the new one. The 2027 number is the current planning figure. IRCC updates later years in each new levels plan, so the 2028 and 2029 targets are not a new application window.
Are families still using Super Visas?
Yes. IRCC’s 2026 Annual Report to Parliament records 53,695 Super Visa approvals in 2024 and 52,850 in 2025, a decline of about 1.6%.
Can Your Parents Visit Without Sponsorship?
Back at the dinner table, Maya and her husband talk about what they actually want. Her parents are not ready to move permanently. They want enough time to be part of family life without rushing home after a short holiday.
That makes the purpose of the trip more important than the label on the application. Here is how the options differ.
Visitor Visa
For a visit of six months or less, a regular visitor visa may be suitable if one is required. The permitted stay is decided under visitor rules and at entry.
Super Visa
For eligible parents and grandparents who want a longer temporary visit, a Super Visa can allow up to five years per entry and multiple entries over up to ten years.
Parent Sponsorship
For permanent residence, the PGP is the relevant pathway, but families without an eligible existing application must wait for an intake announcement.
A Super Visa is not permanent residence and does not guarantee admission at the border. It lets an eligible family look at a longer visit without treating the paused sponsorship process as open.
Who Can Sponsor Parents in Canada?
Maya also wants to understand the future PGP route, even if it is not open to her today. Generally, a sponsor must be at least 18, meet the eligible Canadian status and residence rules, satisfy the applicable income and undertaking requirements, and receive an invitation to apply.
The financial commitment extends beyond the initial application. Provincial rules matter too: Quebec has its own undertaking process, so families there should check the province-specific requirements rather than rely on an Ontario example.
Keep the income tests separate: Parent sponsorship and the Super Visa use different financial rules. The newer Super Visa income options described below do not change the PGP sponsorship test.
Could a Super Visa Work for Maya’s Family?
Maya now checks the IRCC Super Visa eligibility rules. She can host her parents if she meets the applicable status, residence, age and income conditions. Her parents must apply from outside Canada, complete an immigration medical examination and meet visitor admissibility requirements.
IRCC also considers whether her parents are genuine temporary visitors, including their finances, reasons for visiting and ties to their home country. A stay of up to five years does not skip those checks.
First, count everyone in the household
Maya, her husband, their two dependent children and her two visiting parents make a family size of six, if no other people must be counted under IRCC rules. In the IRCC income table updated July 29, 2025, six people require a minimum of $72,560.
| Maya’s family example | Count |
|---|---|
| Maya and her husband | 2 |
| Two dependent children | 2 |
| Both visiting parents | 2 |
| Total family size | 6 |
| Published minimum income for six | $72,560 |
This is an example, not a personalized eligibility decision. A previous sponsorship undertaking, or another Super Visa the host is already supporting, can change the count. Maya should recheck the income table before her parents apply.
What if last year’s income was lower?
Since March 31, 2026, a host can meet the Super Visa threshold with income from either of the two tax years before the application. If Maya earned enough in one of those years but not the other, she may still qualify under that option.
There is a second route. If the host and an eligible co-signer reached at least 75% of the required amount in the tax year before the application, the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s income can cover the rest. IRCC also asks for proof that this income will continue during the stay in Canada, including the currency paid. Neither option replaces the other Super Visa requirements.
Super Visa Insurance for Parents in 2027
After checking income, Maya moves to the insurance question. Her father takes medication for high blood pressure, so she wants to know whether a policy that meets IRCC’s minimum would also be useful if he needed emergency care.
IRCC’s insurance documentation rules set the application baseline:
| Requirement | What to check |
|---|---|
| Emergency medical limit | At least $100,000 |
| Policy duration | At least one year from the date of entry |
| Benefits | Health care, hospitalization and repatriation |
| Payment | Paid in full, or by instalments with a deposit. A quote alone is not enough. |
| Issuing insurer | Eligible Canadian insurer, or a qualifying foreign insurer under IRCC conditions |
| At the border | Proof of coverage available for review at every entry |
Two policies can both advertise $100,000 of coverage. One may have a higher deductible. Another may use a different stability period, or an exclusion, for treatment connected to her father’s existing condition.
The headline limit can look the same while the protection differs. Maya should read the wording, give the insurer accurate medical information, and ask how a claim connected to his condition would be handled.
Foreign insurer check: A company based overseas is not automatically eligible. IRCC requires specific OSFI authorization and policy-issuance conditions. Check the insurance company that issues the policy, not only the broker name or an ad.
Compare Coverage Before Choosing a Policy
Maya does not want to repeat the same insurance details in every conversation. She starts with a short comparison sheet: each parent’s age, expected travel dates, coverage limit, deductible, pre-existing condition terms and cancellation policy.
Medical exclusions
Ask whether a known condition is covered and how the insurer defines a stable condition.
Deductible
Confirm what the parent pays before eligible benefits can apply.
Start date and refunds
Ask what happens if the visa is refused, delayed or the travel dates change.
Claims support
Check emergency contact options, the documents required, and which insurer handles a claim.
A buyer can keep those details in one reusable profile on Beat My Insurance, choose Public or Private visibility, and share a Listing ID with brokers only when they decide to.
Beat My Insurance is an information-sharing marketplace. We are not an insurer, broker, or immigration adviser. Confirm that a broker can help with this type of Super Visa coverage before sharing sensitive details, and confirm the policy wording with a licensed insurance professional.
What Should Families Do Before 2027?
Maya still cannot predict whether the PGP will reopen. She can still prepare around the visit her parents actually want, and the requirements she can check today.
Check the official sponsorship status
Use IRCC’s PGP page for any new intake, invitation or application announcement.
Choose the right visit pathway
Decide whether the goal is a short visit, a longer temporary stay, or permanent residence.
Count the family and review income
Check household size, eligible co-signer income and the latest published financial threshold.
Prepare the application documents
Review host status, relationship evidence, the medical examination and visitor requirements.
Review insurance before paying
Compare the insurer, medical terms, deductible, policy dates and cancellation conditions.
Maya began by asking whether sponsorship would open in 2027. A more useful question is what she can check now, so a longer visit is realistic if her parents qualify.
FAQs
When will parent sponsorship open for 2027 in Canada?
IRCC has not announced a 2027 reopening date as of November 11, 2026. New interest-to-sponsor forms and invitations remain paused until further notice. Existing applications continue through processing.
Is the Parents and Grandparents Program permanently closed?
No. IRCC describes the current status as a pause, not a permanent cancellation. Families should follow the official sponsorship page for any future change.
Does the 15,000 target mean 15,000 people can apply in 2027?
No. The number is a planned permanent resident admissions target for the Parents and Grandparents category. It is not a new application intake and it is not a Super Visa quota.
Can my parents apply for a Super Visa while sponsorship is paused?
Yes, if they meet the Super Visa requirements. The application is for a temporary visit. IRCC assesses eligibility and admissibility on their own, separate from any parent sponsorship plans.
How long can parents stay on a Super Visa?
Eligible Super Visa holders can generally visit for up to five years per entry. The visa can allow multiple entries for up to ten years. They may also apply to extend a stay by up to two years while in Canada. Approval is not guaranteed.
Do parents need Super Visa medical insurance before approval?
Applicants need proof of a qualifying policy with the application. An insurance quote alone is not enough. Ask the insurer what happens to the start date and any refund if visa timing or travel plans change.
Can I use my parents’ income to meet the Super Visa requirement?
Sometimes. The host and an eligible co-signer first need at least 75% of the threshold from the previous tax year. Qualifying income from the visiting parent or grandparent may cover the rest, with proof that the income continues during the stay in Canada.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. Beat My Insurance is a Canadian insurance marketplace and not an insurer, broker, or legal advisor. We do not recommend specific insurance products or provide immigration advice. Buyers should review policy wording carefully and confirm insurance details with a licensed insurance professional. Confirm sponsorship and Super Visa rules with IRCC or a qualified immigration professional before applying.
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