Canada tightens immigration policy, halts parent-grandparent’s PR facility

For decades, permanent residents in Canada have been able to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residency (PR) under the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship (PGP) programme.  Not anymore!

The immigration, refugees and citizenship canada (IRCC) has announced that it will no longer accept new applications under this scheme from 2025 onwards. 

The IRCC clarified that while it will continue processing applications submitted in 2024, no new applications will be entertained under the PGP programme in the upcoming year. Previously, the initiative allowed Canadian permanent residents to bring their parents and grandparents to live with them permanently.

Instead, families can consider the Super Visa programme, which enables relatives to stay in Canada for up to five consecutive years.

The IRCC's decision stems from a broader effort to curb immigration numbers, which will see a 20 per cent reduction in PR allocations in 2025.

For 2025, the IRCC plans to settle 24,500 individuals under the PGP programme, but this number will sharply decrease in subsequent years.

Historically, Canada has been known for its immigrant-friendly policies. But prime minister Justin Trudeau’s administration has shifted its stance, aiming to address the strain on housing and healthcare systems caused by rapid population growth.

Reports from Toronto-based media suggest that over 1.2 million temporary residents might be compelled to leave Canada by 2025 as a result of stricter immigration rules.

Besides, annual PR quotas, which previously allowed 500,000 new immigrants, will reduce to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027.

Of the reduced quota, only 94,500 visas will be allocated for family sponsorships in 2025, with 70,000 reserved for spouses and children of PR holders.

The suspension of the PGP programme has left many Bangladeshi families in a precarious position.

Prosenjit Das Joy, a 35-year-old from Keraniganj in Dhaka, has been working at a Canadian restaurant for five years. He shared, “Getting PR is now exceedingly difficult due to stricter point requirements. Many Bangladeshis without PR status are facing an uncertain future.”