Ottawa pauses Parents and Grandparents Program, closing intake to new sponsors

IRCC paused the Parents and Grandparents Program on July 15, 2026, halting new expressions of interest and invitations to apply until further notice. The move, under Ministerial Instructions 89, leaves no mechanism for new sponsors to enter the queue. Spokesperson Taous Ait called it part of efforts to "restore balance across immigration programs and maintain public confidence." About 54,000 expressions of interest from 2020 remain in the pool.