This program offers Canadian citizens or permanent residents the opportunity to sponsor certain close family members to Canada if they meet the following requirements:

• You are over the age of 18

• You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act

  • If you are a Canadian citizen living abroad, you need to show that you intend to live in Canada when the person you are sponsoring becomes permanent resident

  • You are not eligible to sponsor someone if you are a permanent resident living abroad

• You are able to demonstrate that you are not receiving social assistance unless it’s for a disability

• You are able to provide the basic needs of any persons you are sponsoring

There are no income requirements if you are sponsoring your spouse or partner or dependent child; however, you will need to demonstrate that you meet the minimum level of income for certain other types of sponsored family members.

1) Spouse

• Your spouse must be legally married to you and at least 18 years old.

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2) Common-Law Partner

• Someone who isn’t legally married to you, but has been living with you for at least 12 consecutive months.

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3) Conjugal Partner 

• Someone that isn’t legally married to you or in a common-law relationship with you

• Has been in a relationship with you for at least one year

• Lives abroad and can’t live with you or marry you because of significant legal and immigration reasons such as:

  • Marital status 

  • Sexual orientation 

  • Persecution 

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4) Children

• Your children will qualify as dependents if they are under 22 years old and they don’t have a spouse or common-law partner

• Children over the age of 22 may qualify as dependents if they are unable to financially support themselves due to a mental or physical condition, and they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22

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5) Parents & Grandparents

• Your own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption​

• if your parents or grandparents are divorced, their current spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner

  • You’ll need to submit separate applications for your divorced parents.

  • If your parents or grandparents are separated and not divorced, you’ll need to submit one application for them because they’re still married.