Parents and grandparents
Bringing parents to Markham in 2026
In the 2021 Census, 58.6% of residents in private households were immigrants (Statistics Canada). For many Markham families, a pressing question is how to have parents here for more than a short visit.
The sponsorship program is paused
Parents and grandparents can only be sponsored for permanent residence when IRCC invites the sponsor to apply. As of September 2026, IRCC says it has paused the Parents and Grandparents Program and is not accepting new interest to sponsor forms. If you submitted one in an earlier year, keep your contact details current with IRCC.
The super visa
For most families the practical route today is the super visa: a multiple-entry visa that can be valid for up to ten years and lets a parent or grandparent stay for up to five years at a time. The host, their child or grandchild in Canada, signs a letter of invitation promising financial support and shows that the household meets a minimum income for its size. The parent needs private medical insurance from an eligible insurer for at least a year, an immigration medical exam, and must apply from outside Canada. The officer still has to be satisfied the parent will leave at the end of the stay, so their ties to home matter.
Our family sponsorship page covers spouses, children and the undertaking in detail, and our guide to bringing your loved ones to Canada explains the options in plain language. The broader picture is on our immigration law page.
Living between two countries
Permanent residents who spend time abroad
Many Markham households have one foot overseas: a parent to care for, a business, property or a spouse working abroad. Permanent resident status comes with a residency obligation that has to be tracked, not guessed.
730 days in five years
Under section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, a permanent resident must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in every five-year period. The days don’t need to be continuous. Some time outside Canada also counts, for example accompanying a spouse who is a Canadian citizen, or working full-time abroad for a Canadian business. Keep a log of every trip from the day you land.
Renewing the PR card
A PR card is usually valid for five years. IRCC says to renew it when it will expire in less than nine months, and the officer reviewing the renewal can look at your days. An expired card doesn’t end your status, but you need a valid card or a permanent resident travel document to board a flight back. If you have been away for a long stretch, get advice before applying for either.
From PR to citizenship
Adults need 1,095 days of physical presence in the five years before they sign a citizenship application, along with tax filings and, between ages 18 and 54, language evidence and the test. Families often find that one parent qualifies well before the other because of time abroad. We count the days against your passport stamps and travel records before anyone signs. More detail is on our permanent residence page.
Why Wannes Law
A Toronto law firm that keeps you informed
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A licensed Ontario lawyer
Rosalie Wannes, licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, is responsible for your file from start to finish.
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Fees before you commit
Instant online quotes and published flat fees, so you know the cost before you retain us.
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Every step explained
Plain-language explanations of what happens, what you provide and what we handle, at every stage.
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Direct access
Reach your lawyer and law clerk directly by phone and email while your matter is underway.
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Sign in person or remotely
Meet at our Sheppard Ave E office in Toronto, or review documents by video and courier the originals.
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English, Armenian and Arabic
Talk through your matter in the language you are most comfortable with.
Step by step
Preparing a parent’s super visa from Markham
Most of the work sits on the Canadian side: the host’s income, the invitation and the insurance. We work through it with you by phone and email.
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Step 1: Check the host’s income first
The minimum income depends on household size, including the parents being invited, and IRCC updates the figure. We check your notices of assessment or other proof against the current table before anything else is done.
You provide
- Latest notice of assessment or other income proof
- The number of people in your household
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Step 2: The letter of invitation
Signed by the child or grandchild in Canada, promising financial support for the stay and listing the household. It should be consistent with the income evidence and with what the parent says in their own forms.
We handle
- Drafting the invitation letter
- Consistency check across both sides
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Step 3: Insurance, medical exam and ties to home
The parent arranges private medical insurance from an eligible insurer and completes an immigration medical exam with a panel physician. We gather evidence of their ties to their home country, such as property, pension and family there.
You provide
- Insurance policy details
- Evidence of the parent’s ties abroad
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Step 4: Application and biometrics
The parent applies from outside Canada and gives biometrics at a visa application centre where required. If a previous visitor visa was refused, we deal with the officer’s reasons directly in the new application.
In York Region
Free newcomer help in Markham, and what we add
York Region funds free settlement support that sits alongside legal advice. Settlement workers help with daily life; a lawyer handles your status and your applications.
York Region newcomer services
- York Region runs Welcome Centres, two of them in Markham (Markham North and Markham South), with settlement, employment and interpretation support under one roof
- The Region’s Newcomer Guide covers housing, health care, child care, jobs and local government, in several languages
- IRCC’s online finder lists other free services by postal code
What we handle
- Super visa and visitor visa applications for parents, including after a refusal
- Spousal and child sponsorship, and work permits
- PR card renewals when residency days are close, and citizenship applications
- Commissioning a common-law declaration or affidavit at our Toronto office
Related for Markham families
- A will naming a guardian for your children, and powers of attorney: see our Markham wills page
- Buying a first home in Markham: our Markham real estate page
- Everything else we do locally: Markham
Questions
Markham immigration questions
Can I sponsor my parents to live in Markham permanently?
Not at the moment through the Parents and Grandparents Program: as of September 2026 IRCC has paused it and isn’t accepting new interest to sponsor forms. The super visa lets parents stay for up to five years at a time in the meantime.
Can my parents apply for a super visa while they are visiting us?
No. A super visa is applied for from outside Canada. If your parents are here on a visitor record and want to stay longer, that is a separate extension application, made before their status ends.
I spent two years abroad caring for my mother. Have I lost my PR status?
Not automatically. Status is only lost through an official determination or a few other specific events. What matters is whether you have 730 days in Canada in the relevant five-year period. Get advice before renewing your PR card or applying for a travel document.
Do I need to be a Canadian citizen to invite my parents on a super visa?
No. The host can be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a person registered under the Indian Act, and must meet the minimum income for the household’s size, counting the visiting parents.
Do you have an office in Markham?
No. Our office is at 3319 Sheppard Ave E in Toronto, which borders Markham. Consultations are by phone, so you don’t need to travel.
Can you help in Armenian or Arabic?
Yes. We serve clients in English, Armenian and Arabic.
Where do Markham residents go for an IRCC interview?
To whichever office IRCC names in the invitation letter. IRCC’s Toronto-area offices open by appointment only; there is no walk-in service.
Areas We Serve
Immigration advice in other GTA cities
Each page covers what is local to that city; the phone consultation is the same everywhere.
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Scarborough
Immigration lawyer for Scarborough clients. Our office is on Sheppard Ave E.
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North York
Immigration lawyer for North York clients.
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Markham
Immigration lawyer for Markham clients.
Here to help
Plan your parents’ stay properly.
Book a free 15-minute call, or tell us about your application in the quote form.
Prefer to talk now? Call (647) 707-7718 · Service in English, Armenian and Arabic