Quebec Parent Sponsorship: MIFI Rules, Income Requirements, and the 2026 Moratorium

Sponsoring parents and grandparents while living in Quebec means navigating two separate systems simultaneously. The federal government (IRCC) runs the lottery, issues invitations, and handles admissibility. The Quebec government (MIFI, the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration) handles the financial undertaking and issues the Certificate of Selection (CSQ) that is required before a federal application can be finalized.

Both must approve before your parents can land as permanent residents. And as of 2025, both are running with significant restrictions.

The Quebec Paradox: Two Approvals, Two Moratoriums

Quebec's immigration authority is established under the Canada-Quebec Accord, which gives the province exclusive control over the selection and financial assessment of family class immigrants settling in Quebec. This creates a situation that frustrates many Quebec-based sponsors:

• You receive a federal ITA from the IRCC lottery
• You submit your federal application to keep your place in the inventory
• Your file sits waiting for a MIFI undertaking approval that cannot come until Quebec's moratorium lifts

Quebec's current moratorium: On July 9, 2025, MIFI announced it had reached its maximum number of undertaking applications for parent and grandparent sponsorship. It stopped accepting new undertaking applications immediately and will not resume until at least June 25, 2026.

The federal pause: IRCC separately announced no new PGP intake for 2026.

The combination means Quebec-based sponsors face the longest effective wait in Canada — 46 to 48 months for processing as of early 2026, compared to 34 to 40 months for the rest of Canada.

Income Requirements: Quebec's Formula Is Different

The federal PGP income calculation uses LICO+30% across three consecutive tax years. Quebec uses a completely different model.

Quebec requires income from a single 12-month period (the 12 months immediately preceding your application). The calculation adds two amounts:

Table A — Basic needs for the sponsor's family:

Table B — Additional amount for sponsored persons:

These amounts are additive. A Quebec sponsor living alone who wants to sponsor both parents (two adults) must meet: $29,642 (Table A for 1 person) + $31,796 (Table B for 2 adults) = $61,438.

The income must be from Canadian sources, must have been maintained for the 12 months before applying, and the sponsor must demonstrate it is likely to continue for the duration of the undertaking period.

The Undertaking: 10 Years, Not 20

The federal PGP undertaking commits a sponsor to supporting their parents for 20 years. Quebec's undertaking is 10 years.

This is a meaningful difference for sponsors who are concerned about the long-term obligation. However, the scope of the undertaking is similar in both systems — the sponsor is legally responsible for the basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, and uninsured health costs) of the sponsored persons for the undertaking period. If a sponsored parent requires social assistance during those 10 years, the Quebec government can seek repayment from the sponsor.

The Welcome and Integration Plan

Since November 2023, Quebec has required all sponsored persons aged 18 to 55 to participate in a "Welcome and Integration Plan." The sponsor must commit to specific actions to help the newcomer:

• Access information about Quebec's public services
• Take French language courses (if applicable)
• Connect with integration support services

This is a qualitative requirement that has no equivalent in the federal sponsorship process. MIFI assesses whether the sponsor's proposed integration plan is credible and substantive. A vague or perfunctory plan risks rejection of the undertaking application.

Parents over 55 are exempt from this requirement, which means most PGP applicants will not trigger it — but it's worth knowing if you're sponsoring younger parents or if your parent brings an accompanying adult dependent under 55.

What Happens to Your Federal Application During the Moratorium

If you received a federal ITA before the moratorium and submitted your federal application, your file is held in inventory. IRCC has confirmed that Quebec-based sponsors who have submitted complete federal applications can maintain their position in the queue. Your file will not be abandoned.

However, IRCC cannot finalize your parents' permanent residency without a CSQ from MIFI. Once the moratorium lifts and MIFI processes your undertaking, the federal process can resume. This adds months to an already long timeline.

If you received a federal ITA but have not yet submitted your federal application, submit it to preserve your position — even knowing that the Quebec process cannot proceed until the moratorium ends. Losing the ITA entirely by missing the 60-day window would restart the entire process from the lottery stage.

The Super Visa as a Bridge for Quebec Sponsors

Given processing times of 46 to 48 months for Quebec PGP files, the Super Visa becomes especially important for Quebec-based families.

The Super Visa is a federal program — it does not go through MIFI and is not affected by Quebec's moratorium. Quebec-based sponsors can apply for a Super Visa for their parents using the same process available to sponsors anywhere in Canada.

The Super Visa income requirement uses the federal LICO threshold (without the 30% buffer), which for most Quebec-based sponsors is lower than what MIFI requires for the undertaking. A sponsor who meets the federal LICO threshold can secure a Super Visa for their parents while waiting for MIFI to reopen.

The Super Visa allows stays of up to five years per entry, with extensions possible from inside Canada. For families facing a four-year PGP wait, this provides meaningful time together rather than continued separation.

Practical Steps for Quebec-Based Sponsors

If you're in Quebec and received a federal ITA:

1. Submit your federal application before the 60-day deadline
2. Include a Letter of Explanation noting that the Quebec moratorium prevents MIFI undertaking submission
3. Apply for a Super Visa for your parents concurrently to begin the period of living together
4. Monitor MIFI's announcements for when the moratorium lifts (expected June 25, 2026 at the earliest)

If you're in Quebec and not yet in the federal pool:

1. Apply for a Super Visa now
2. Monitor for when IRCC opens a new Interest to Sponsor window
3. Understand that even after receiving a federal ITA, the Quebec process adds additional time and requirements

For full guidance on navigating both federal and Quebec-specific requirements, including the MIFI undertaking process and income calculation worksheets, the Canada Parent/Grandparent Sponsorship Guide covers the Quebec stream in detail.

The Bottom Line

Quebec parent sponsorship operates on a longer timeline and under a different financial formula than federal-only applications. The 2025 moratorium and the ongoing federal pause compound the delay for Quebec-based families. The most practical immediate step is the Super Visa — a federal process that bypasses the MIFI backlog entirely and allows families to be together while the permanent residency process works through its queue.

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