Family Sponsorship

An opportunity for families to reunite and build a future in Canada

The Family Sponsorship Program aims to bring families together and help them create a new life in Canada. Through this program, you can sponsor various family members, including your spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, adopted children, parents, grandparents, and other relatives.

What are the types of family class sponsorship?

  • Sponsoring a Spouse or Common-Law Partner and Dependent Children (if any)
  • Sponsoring Adopted Children
  • Sponsoring Parents & Grandparents

I. Sponsoring a Spouse or Common-Law Partner and Dependent Children

If you’re a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian/First Nation person, you can sponsor your legally married spouse or common-law partner to come to Canada.

Here are the key requirements:

For Sponsors:

  • Eligibility: Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian/First Nation person.
  • Residency: Permanent residents must be residing in Canada to sponsor. Canadian citizens living abroad must intend to return to Canada when the sponsored spouse/common-law partner becomes a permanent resident.
  • Age: Must be at least 18 years old.
  • Genuineness: Must prove the authenticity of the relationship, not for immigration purposes.
  • Supportability: Must commit to financially supporting the spouse/common-law partner and their dependent children, if any, for a specified period.

Income proof might be required if:

  • You’re sponsoring a dependent child with their own dependents.
  • You’re sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner who has a dependent child with their own dependents.

For Spouse/Common-Law Partner:

  • Spouse: Must be legally married to the sponsor and at least 18 years old.
  • Common-Law Partner: Must be at least 18 years old and not legally married to the sponsor. Cohabitation with the sponsor for 12 continuous months is required.
  • Common-Law Partner living outside Canada: Must have been in a relationship with the sponsor for at least 1 year, unable to live together due to legal or immigration reasons such as marital status, gender orientation, or persecution.

For Dependent Children (if any):

  • Age: Under 22 years old.
  • Eligibility: Not legally married or in a common-law partnership.

Dependents aged 22 or older can be included if:

  • They are financially dependent due to physical or mental conditions.
  • They were financially dependent on their parents before turning 22 years old.

II. Sponsoring Adopted Children

If you’ve legally adopted a child, you can bring them to Canada through the sponsorship program, even if they currently reside in another country.

Types of Adoption:

  • Adoption can either be completed outside Canada or within Canada, depending on the child’s home country laws.

Requirements for Adoption:

  • Adoption must be legally recognized in both the child’s home country and the Canadian province or territory where the sponsor lives.
  • The legal ties between the child and their biological parents must be terminated.
  • Sponsor must fulfill the requirements of their province or territory, including homeschooling if applicable.
  • A genuine parent-child relationship between the sponsor(s) and the child must be established.
  • Adoption must be in the child’s best interest and not solely for obtaining permanent resident status in Canada.

Adoption Outside Canada:

  • The child can be sponsored if the biological parents understand and agree to the adoption (if they are alive).
  • The child has been legally adopted outside Canada.
  • The requirements of the Hague International Convention have been met, if applicable.

Requirements for Sponsor:

  • Age: At least 18 years old.
  • Eligibility: Must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a registered Indian/First Nation person.
  • Residency: Sponsor must be residing in Canada. If living abroad, intent to return to Canada when the adopted child becomes a permanent resident must be demonstrated.

Through these requirements, Canada facilitates the reunion of adopted children with their new families, ensuring the process is legal, genuine, and in the child’s best interests.

III. Sponsoring Parents & Grandparents

In Canada, you can sponsor your parents and grandparents, whether or not they are biologically related to you. Here’s what you need to know:

Requirements for Sponsor:

  • Age: At least 18 years old.
  • Eligibility: You must receive an invitation to apply for sponsorship from the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada).
  • Residency: Currently residing in Canada as a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian/First Nation person.
  • Financial Support: Must demonstrate the ability to financially support parents, grandparents, and any dependents based on the last 3 years of tax filings.

Requirements for Parents, Grandparents, & Dependents (if any):

  • Must comply with all immigration and asylum laws of the Canadian government.
  • Meet health and background conditions.

For Dependents (if any):

  • Siblings can also be sponsored within the same application, regardless of blood relation, if they are under 22 years old and not legally married or in a common-law partnership.
  • Dependents aged 22 or older can be included if they are financially dependent due to physical or mental conditions and were financially dependent on their parents before turning 22 years old.

This sponsorship program allows families to reunite and build a life together in Canada, extending support not just to parents and grandparents but also to dependent siblings, fostering strong family connections in the country.

IV. Sponsoring Other Relatives

Apart from the immediate family members, there are provisions to sponsor other relatives and extended family members under two specific categories:

1. Orphaned Brother, Sister, Nephew/Niece, Grandchild:

  • Eligibility: Must have a biological relationship or be legally adopted, both parents must have passed away, be under 18 years old, and single (not married or in a common-law partnership).
  • Ineligibility: Cannot be sponsored if one or both parents are alive, their whereabouts are unknown, they were abandoned, someone else is taking care of them when parents are alive, or if parents are in prison or detained.

2. Other Relatives and Extended Family Members:

  • Eligibility: Can be sponsored if you have no other living relatives (such as spouse, common-law partner, son/daughter, parent, grandparent, orphaned brother/sister, orphaned nephew/niece, or orphaned grandchild) that could be sponsored. Also, you cannot have any relatives (aunt/uncle or any of the listed relatives above) who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indian/First Nation persons.

Requirements for Sponsor:

  • Age: At least 18 years old.
  • Eligibility: Currently residing in Canada as a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian/First Nation person, meeting income requirements, and committing to providing financial support for 20 years from the relative’s permanent residency.

If you’re living outside Canada, you are eligible to sponsor under these categories only if you are a Canadian citizen, demonstrate intent to return to Canada when the relative becomes a permanent resident, and are currently sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children (without children of their own).

This provision allows Canadians to bring certain other relatives and extended family members to Canada, ensuring they have a supportive family network in the country.

Requirements

be a Canadian citizen or PR

be at least 18 years old

willing to provide basic financial needs

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