Sponsor your Family to Immigrate to Canada
Canada receives over 100,000 immigrants annually through family sponsorship programs.
Approximately 80% of these individuals are admitted under the Spouses, Partners, and Children Program, while the remaining 20% come through the Parents and Grandparents Program.
This page offers a complete overview of the process for sponsoring family members to immigrate to Canada.
Table of Contents
Overview of Canadian Family Sponsorship
Family reunification has long been a key pillar of Canada’s immigration system. Since the end of the Second World War, Canada has consistently aimed to welcome newcomers to support economic growth, reunite families, and respond to humanitarian and compassionate needs. The family class is the second-largest category of immigrants admitted under Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan.
Canada’s immigration system is managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This department is responsible for overseeing the family sponsorship program, including setting eligibility rules, processing applications, and issuing permanent and temporary resident visas.
What is Family Sponsorship in Canada?
What is Family Sponsorship in Canada?
Family sponsorship has two main purposes:
- It allows eligible family members to immigrate to Canada and obtain permanent residence (PR).
- It requires the sponsor to provide financial support for the basic needs of the sponsored person.
Who Can Be a Sponsor?
To sponsor a family member, you must generally:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be able to financially support the sponsored individual for a required period
Who Can You Sponsor?
Eligible family members typically include:
- Spouses and common-law partners
- Dependent children
- Parents and grandparents
In limited situations, it may also be possible to sponsor other relatives, such as a sibling, aunt, uncle, or niece/nephew, if:
- You have no other immediate family members you could sponsor, or
- The relative has been legally adopted and qualifies as a dependent child
Income Requirements for Sponsorship
As a sponsor, you must sign a Sponsorship Agreement, which is a legal commitment to provide financial support for the basic needs of your sponsored family member, including food, housing, clothing, and healthcare not covered by public services.
In some cases, you must also meet or exceed the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) requirements. This generally applies if you are sponsoring:
- A spouse or partner who has dependent children, and those children have their own dependents
- A dependent child who also has dependent children
- A parent or grandparent
If you live in Quebec, you must meet Quebec’s specific sponsorship requirements, and your income will be assessed by the provincial immigration authorities.
What is a Sponsorship Undertaking?
A sponsorship undertaking is a legal commitment you sign to support the family member you are sponsoring. If the sponsored person receives social assistance from the government, you are required to repay those costs.
The undertaking remains in effect for a set period depending on the relationship to the sponsored person and cannot be cancelled, even if your circumstances change—for example, if the sponsored person becomes a Canadian citizen, or if your financial situation or relationship status changes.
The duration of the undertaking varies depending on the type of family member being sponsored and, in the case of children, their age.
Sponsored person | Length of undertaking (excluding Quebec) |
|---|---|
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner | 3 years |
Dependent child | 10 years, or until age 25, whichever comes first |
Dependent child 22 years of age or older | 3 years |
Parent or grandparent | 20 years |
Other relative | 10 years |
In Quebec, sponsorship obligations also include supporting the sponsored person’s integration into society. This includes assisting them in learning French and helping them access public services available in the province.
As of November 2023, sponsors must also complete and sign a welcome and integration plan in Section 9 of the undertaking form when the person being sponsored is between 18 and 55 years old.
For individuals residing in Quebec, the duration of the undertaking varies depending on the family member being sponsored and, in the case of dependent children, their age.
Sponsored person | Length of undertaking |
|---|---|
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner | 3 years |
Dependent child under 16 years of age | Minimum 10 years (or until age 18), whichever is longer |
Dependent child 16 years of age and older | Minimum 3 years (or until age 25), whichever is longer |
Other relatives | 10 years |
How to Apply for Family Sponsorship
Step 1: Confirm that you meet all eligibility requirements to act as a sponsor.
Step 2: Ensure that the relatives you intend to sponsor also meet the required eligibility criteria.
Step 3: Submit your application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If you live in Quebec, you must also apply to the provincial authority, the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI). Both the sponsorship application and the permanent residence applications for your family members must be submitted together. Once you are approved as a sponsor, the permanent residence application will be assessed.
Step 4: Pay the required family sponsorship application fees.
Step 5: Submit your application to the correct processing address, as specified in the official sponsorship guide available on the government website.
Sponsor your Wife, Husband, or Common-law Partner
Spouse or Common-Law Partner Sponsorship
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may be eligible to sponsor:
Your spouse (legally married partner)
Your common-law partner (not legally married but living together in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months)
Your conjugal partner (not legally married or in a common-law relationship, typically living outside Canada)
Sponsor Eligibility Requirements
To sponsor your spouse or partner, you must:
Be at least 18 years old
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada
Demonstrate that you can financially support yourself and your spouse or partner’s basic needs
Prove that your relationship is genuine with supporting documentation
Sponsored Person Requirements
The person being sponsored must:
Be at least 18 years of age
Not be closely related to you under Canadian immigration law
Types of Spousal Sponsorship Applications
Inland Sponsorship
An inland application is submitted when your spouse or partner is already in Canada. This allows them to remain in Canada while their permanent residence application is being processed.
In many cases, the sponsored person may also be eligible to apply for an open work permit, allowing them to work for almost any employer in Canada during processing.
It may also be possible for spouses or partners to enter Canada first using a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and then apply inland if eligible.
Outland Sponsorship
An outland application is processed through a Canadian visa office outside Canada. In this case, the sponsored person usually remains abroad while their application is being processed, although they may still be able to visit Canada during this time.
Sponsor your Dependent Children
permanent residents in Canada.
To qualify as a dependent child, the following conditions must be met:
- The child is under 22 years of age and is not married or in a common-law relationship
- A child over 22 years of age may still qualify if they have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from being financially independent
Eligibility Requirements
To sponsor a dependent child, you must ensure that:
- Both you and the child are approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence
- You can prove your relationship with the child through official documents, such as a birth certificate or adoption records
Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship
The Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) and the Super Visa Program allow Canadian citizens and permanent residents to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada.
Eligibility for the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP)
To sponsor under the PGP, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be the child or grandchild of the individuals you are sponsoring
- Meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirement based on your family size, supported by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) notices of assessment
- Sign a sponsorship undertaking agreeing to financially support your parents or grandparents for 20 years
- If you live in Quebec, sign an additional provincial undertaking agreement
Your spouse or common-law partner may co-sign the application to help meet the income requirement.
A co-signer must:
- Meet the same eligibility requirements as the sponsor
- Not be the person being sponsored
- Have lived with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year
Super Visa Program
The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to visit Canada on a long-term, multiple-entry visa that can be valid for up to 10 years.
Unlike the PGP, the Super Visa program is open year-round and can be applied for independently.
Super Visa Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for a Super Visa, applicants must:
- Be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Have a signed invitation letter from their child or grandchild in Canada
- Have valid Canadian medical insurance coverage
- Apply from outside Canada
In addition, the Canadian host must demonstrate that their household meets the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirement.
