If your sponsored parent tragically passes away before their Canadian Permanent Residency is granted, you must immediately notify IRCC through the Webform and provide a certified death certificate. You are eligible for a refund of the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), and if there is a surviving parent on the application, they can still proceed as the principal applicant.
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is a highly coveted pathway for bringing families together in Canada, but it is notoriously plagued by long waiting times. 💔 Because the processing can take several years, families occasionally face the devastating reality of a sponsored parent passing away before they ever receive their Permanent Resident status. For sponsors living in cities like Brampton, Surrey, or Montreal, navigating the federal immigration system while grieving a monumental loss is incredibly difficult.
Generally, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has specific protocols for handling the death of an applicant. The death of a principal applicant does not necessarily mean the entire family’s Canadian dream is cancelled. If there are surviving dependents on the same application, the government provides mechanisms to allow them to continue. This guide outlines the exact legal and administrative steps you must take to update the file and protect the surviving family members.
Step-by-Step Process in Canada: Updating IRCC After a Tragic Loss
Failing to notify IRCC of a death can result in allegations of misrepresentation, which could permanently ban surviving family members from Canada. 📍 You must be proactive, despite the grief. Here is the step-by-step process to follow whether your parent was living in their home country or visiting you in Toronto or Vancouver.
Step 1: Obtain a Certified Death Certificate
The very first step is to secure an official, government-issued death certificate from the jurisdiction where your parent passed away. If the document is not in English or French, you must hire a certified Canadian translator to translate it. IRCC will not accept hospital notes or funeral home receipts; it must be a formal civil registry document.
Step 2: Notify IRCC via the Official Webform
You must notify IRCC immediately using the IRCC Webform (Case Specific Enquiry). 💻 Select the option to “Add a document to your application.” In your message, clearly state your sponsor application number, the Unique Client Identifier (UCI) of the deceased parent, and politely explain that they have passed away. Upload the certified death certificate and the translation in a single PDF file.
Step 3: Pivot the Principal Applicant (If Applicable)
If your mother and father were both on the application (e.g., father was the principal applicant, mother was the dependent spouse), the application is not lost. ⚖ In your Webform message, you must explicitly request that IRCC elevate the surviving spouse to become the new “Principal Applicant.” A Canadian immigration law firm can help draft this request to ensure the surviving parent and any dependent siblings remain in the queue without losing their place.
Step 4: Request a Refund for Unused Government Fees
When an applicant passes away before becoming a Permanent Resident, certain fees are fully refundable. Specifically, the $600 CAD Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) must be refunded because the right was never exercised. The standard processing fees, unfortunately, are generally not refundable once IRCC has started working on the file.
Step 5: Update the Financial Sponsorship Agreement
Because the number of people immigrating to Canada has changed, your Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirements as a sponsor will decrease. This can actually take financial pressure off the Canadian sponsor. IRCC may ask you to submit an updated IMM 1344 (Application to Sponsor) reflecting the new family size.
How Much Does it Cost in Canada?
Managing the administrative updates after a death involves minimal government fees, but securing the right documentation can incur costs. Here is a general breakdown of what to expect:
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee Refund | +$600 CAD (Returned to the sponsor) |
| Certified Document Translation | $50 to $150 CAD per page |
| Law Firm Consultation (To pivot the file) | $200 to $500 CAD |
| Updating Biometrics for Surviving Parent | $0 (If already submitted previously) |
How Long Does the Process Take?
IRCC processing times for webform updates are notoriously slow. 🕑 It can take IRCC between 30 and 60 days just to acknowledge the receipt of the death certificate and officially update the GCMS system. If you are requesting to swap the surviving spouse to the Principal Applicant role, this administrative restructuring usually adds an extra 2 to 4 months to your overall PGP processing timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What happens to my dependent sibling if both parents pass away?
If both parents die, a dependent sibling cannot simply take over a PGP application. You would need to submit a completely new application to sponsor an orphaned sibling under a specific family class program, provided they are under 18 and unmarried.
Can I get a refund for the biometrics fee?
No. If your parent already attended a Visa Application Centre (VAC) and completed their biometrics, the service was rendered, and the $85 CAD fee will not be refunded.
Does the surviving parent need to submit new medical exams?
Not immediately due to the death, but medical exams are only valid for 12 months. If the administrative delay causes the surviving parent’s medical to expire, IRCC will issue a request for a new Immigration Medical Exam (IME).
Will IRCC send the refund cheque to me or my parent’s estate?
IRCC will issue the RPRF refund to the person who originally paid the fee. If you, the Canadian sponsor, paid the fees online with your credit card, the refund will be credited back to your account.
Should I hire a lawyer to update IRCC?
If the principal applicant died and you need to pivot a surviving spouse or dependents to keep the file alive, consulting an immigration law firm is highly recommended to ensure the file is not mistakenly closed and cancelled by IRCC.
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