Family Sponsorship

Who Can Sponsor?

To sponsor a family member, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered under the Canadian Indian Act.
• Reside in Canada (with some exceptions for citizens sponsoring spouses or dependent children from abroad, provided they intend to return to Canada once the sponsorship is approved).
• Prove you can financially support the sponsored person(s) and their dependents, ensuring they don’t rely on social assistance (except in cases of disability).

• Not be in prison, under a removal order, or in default of previous sponsorship obligations or court-ordered payments.
  
  

Who Can Be Sponsored?

Eligible family members include:

• Spouse, Common-Law Partner, or Conjugal Partner: 
  • Spouse: Legally married to the sponsor, recognized under both Canadian law and the country of origin.
  • Common-law partner: Someone you’ve lived with in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 consecutive months.
  • Conjugal partner: A partner in a committed relationship for at least one year, where circumstances beyond your control (e.g., immigration barriers) prevent cohabitation or marriage.
• Dependent Children: 
  • Under 22 years old and unmarried/not in a common-law relationship.
  • Over 22 if financially dependent due to a physical or mental condition since before age 22.
• Parents and Grandparents: 
  • Through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), though new applications are paused for 2025 (see below).
• Other Relatives: 
  • Orphaned siblings, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren under 18 and unmarried.
  • In rare cases, other relatives (e.g., under the “last remaining relative” exception) if the sponsor has no closer family in Canada or eligible to sponsor abroad.