OTTAWA — The federal government will not accept any new applications this year from people who want to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada as permanent residents under a program meant to promote family reunification.

The Immigration Department said the change is part of an effort to responsibly manage the system and reduce wait times.

In a statement posted online, the department said interest in the program continues to exceed the number of available spaces.

There are 60,500 applications in progress already and wait times for processing are around 33 months, or up to 66 months in Quebec.

The program was launched in 2020, when more than 200,000 permanent residents and citizens expressed interest in sponsoring a parent or grandparent to come to Canada.

Each year, thousands of people who expressed interest are selected to formally apply.

An official with the Immigration Department said the pause will not change the plan to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence in 2026 and 2027 as part of the government’s immigration levels strategy.

The pause on accepting new applications is in effect “until further notice,” the government said.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can still apply for a “super visa” to allow their parents and grandparents to visit for five years at a time, and for up to 10 years total, on a temporary basis.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2026.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press