Canada places a strong emphasis on family reunification and plans to welcome more than 80,000 new permanent residents each year through family sponsorship programs.
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to sponsor eligible family members to become permanent residents of Canada and join you in Canada.
Whether you want to sponsor your spouse, children, parents, or another eligible relative, Canadim can help you understand your options and navigate the sponsorship process with confidence.
Discover your sponsorship optionsFamily Class Sponsorship allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor certain relatives for Canadian permanent residence.
Through these programs, Canada aims to keep families together while helping newcomers establish themselves successfully in Canada.
Sponsored family members who become permanent residents can:
To sponsor a family member for Canadian permanent residence, you must:
Sponsors must also sign an undertaking to support the sponsored family member financially for a specified period.
For most sponsorships, you must live in Canada. For spousal sponsorship, you may live abroad if you clearly show you plan to return to Canada once the application is approved.
For example, a Canadian citizen living abroad can sponsor their American spouse for permanent residence while continuing to live and work outside Canada during the processing period, as long as they can demonstrate their intention to return to Canada.
You may be ineligible to sponsor a family member if you:
IRCC reviews sponsorship eligibility carefully, particularly in cases involving previous sponsorships or criminal convictions.
Relationship Eligible? Income Requirement? Typical Processing Time
Spouse/Common-law Partner Yes No 15–21 months
Dependent Child Yes Usually No Varies
Parent/Grandparent Limited Yes Longer
Sibling or other relative Rare cases only Yes Case dependent
You may sponsor your: Your partner may live either inside or outside Canada during processing. If your spouse or partner is already in Canada, they may also qualify for an open work permit while waiting for permanent residence approval. For example, many American citizens enter Canada as visitors and later apply for inland spousal sponsorship after marrying their Canadian partner. Learn more about Canadian spousal sponsorship.Â
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor biological or adopted children for permanent residence if they are: Children over 22 may still qualify if they depend on their parents financially due to a physical or mental condition.
Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP) remains highly competitive and currently continues to process applicants from the 2020 intake pool. Since new intake rounds remain uncertain, many families use the Super Visa program instead. A Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time, with possible extensions. For many families, the Super Visa serves as an excellent temporary solution while waiting for future sponsorship opportunities.
In limited situations, you may sponsor an orphaned: The sponsored relative must:
Some Canadians may qualify to sponsor one extended family member under Canada’s “Lonely Canadian” provision. This option only applies if the sponsor: Because eligibility is very strict, applicants should seek legal guidance before proceeding.
Government processing fees for family sponsorship generally include:
Estimated total: $1,345 CAD
Additional fees may apply for:
For a complete list of IRCC fees, click here. Â
Minimum income requirements apply when sponsoring:
Sponsors must usually provide:
However, most spousal and dependent child sponsorships do not require a minimum income threshold.
When sponsoring a family member, you must sign a sponsorship undertaking agreeing to support them financially for a set period.
This obligation remains legally binding even if:
For example, if a sponsored spouse later receives social assistance, the government may require the sponsor to repay those amounts, even in the event you are separated or divorced.Â
The duration of the undertaking depends on the sponsorship category and the age of the dependent child.Â
Sponsored Person Length of Undertaking
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
| Sponsored Person | Length of Undertaking |
|---|---|
| Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner | 3 years |
| Dependent child under 16 years old | 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 relative | 10 years |
Choosing the right sponsorship stream is important.
Inland sponsorship applies when the sponsored spouse or partner lives in Canada on a valid immigration status at the time of submission.
Benefits include:
However, travel outside Canada can carry risks if re-entry is refused.
Outland sponsorship applies when the sponsored person lives outside Canada, or when couples prefer overseas processing.
Outland applications often provide:
If you are eligible for Inland sponsorship, you are also eligible to apply for Outland sponsorship. In many cases, Outland is strategically preferable as it offers all the same benefits and shorter processing times.
Processing times depend on the stream and province of intended residence:
Quebec applicants must also obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), which adds a layer of review.
Processing delays can result from:
Accurate, up-to-date processing times are available directly on the IRCC website.
The best way to ensure your sponsorship application is processed as quickly as possible is to get it right the first time. The lawyers and legal professionals at Canadim have helped thousands of spousal sponsorship candidates.Â
Complete a free sponsorship assessment or contact us.Â
Quebec operates its own sponsorship approval process through the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI).
Sponsors intending to live in Quebec must:
This additional step can increase overall processing times.
The documents you will need to provide vary depending on the person(s) being sponsored, but generally speaking, the following will be required:
These forms will vary depending on the sponsorship category. Click here for the correct application forms.Â
Examples for common-law sponsorship: Joint leases, joint bank accounts, insurance documents, photos, travel history, communication records, and affidavits from family and friends. For more info, read our blog on How to Prove a Genuine Relationship. Examples for other relatives: Birth certificates confirming family relationship. If sponsoring other relatives, relevant death certificates confirming your eligibility to sponsor a family member are valid.
Police clearance certificates: Applicants over 18 must provide police clearances from countries where they lived for six months or longer since turning 18. Biometrics: Canada requires most immigration applicants to provide biometrics. Use Canada’s online tool to find out if you need to give your biometrics. Medical exam: Individuals applying for Canadian permanent residence must undergo a medical exam to ensure they are not medically inadmissible.
Step 1: Confirm the sponsor meets eligibility requirements.
Step 2: Confirm the sponsored relative qualifies under the appropriate sponsorship category.
Step 3: Submit:
Quebec residents must also apply through MIFI.
Step 4: Pay all required government fees.
Step 5: Respond quickly to any additional IRCC requests.
If sponsorship is not available, your relative may qualify through:
Many families strategically combine temporary and permanent immigration pathways.
For example, a spouse may first enter Canada on a work permit before transitioning to permanent residence through sponsorship.
Take our free online assessment today to find out what immigration options are available to you or your family members.
In most cases, Canadian citizens and permanent residents cannot directly sponsor a sibling for Canadian permanent residence. However, there are limited exceptions. You may be eligible to sponsor your brother or sister if: Because these cases are uncommon and highly specific, it is important to review your eligibility carefully before applying.
Canada does not offer a direct sponsorship program for fiancés. To sponsor your partner for permanent residence, you must generally: In some exceptional circumstances, couples who cannot marry or live together may qualify under the conjugal partner category.
Canada does not currently allow citizens or permanent residents to sponsor a boyfriend or girlfriend directly. To qualify for family sponsorship, you must: For example, couples who have lived together continuously for at least one year may qualify as common-law partners under Canadian immigration law.
There is no fixed limit on the number of eligible family members you may sponsor over your lifetime. However, you must:
Not necessarily. For spousal and dependent child sponsorships, there is generally no minimum income requirement. However, you must demonstrate that you can financially support the sponsored person and ensure they will not require social assistance. For sponsorship categories involving: You must meet Canada’s Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirements and provide proof of income for the previous three taxation years.
No. Canada does not offer a sponsorship pathway for friends. If your friend wants to immigrate to Canada, they may qualify through another immigration pathway, such as:
To sponsor a family member, you must be at least 18 years old. Canada does not impose a maximum age limit for sponsors.
If your spouse or common-law partner is already living in Canada, they may qualify for an open work permit while their inland sponsorship application is being processed. For example: This allows many couples to live and work together in Canada while their applications are being processed.
No. In many cases, you may begin the sponsorship process while the adoption is in its final stages. However, adoption sponsorship cases can involve additional provincial, federal, and international requirements, depending on the country in which the adoption takes place.
If you want to sponsor your spouse or children, or be sponsored, we can help! Simply complete our free sponsorship assessment, and a member of the Canadim Team will contact you to discuss your options!
Discover your sponsorship options