Family Sponsorships

Family reunification is a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration system, allowing citizens and permanent residents to sponsor family members for immigration and permanent residence. This program enables sponsored individuals to live, study, and work in Canada. As a sponsor, you must commit to providing basic necessities and financial support for your family member. The Family Sponsorship program includes a range of eligible family members such as spouses, conjugal partners, and common-law partners (including both opposite-sex and same-sex couples), dependent children (including adopted children), parents and grandparents (subject to a ‘Low-Income Cut-Off’ requirement), and other relatives like orphaned siblings, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, or grandchildren.

To sponsor a family member, you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act, and be at least 18 years old. Sponsors must also meet financial requirements specific to the sponsorship category to ensure they can support the sponsored individuals financially. If you live in Quebec, additional sponsorship requirements may apply. Sponsors must sign an undertaking to provide financial support for a specified period, ensuring the sponsored family member does not need social assistance. This commitment remains binding even if circumstances change, such as divorce, separation, financial difficulties, or if the sponsored person becomes a Canadian citizen. The duration of the undertaking period varies depending on the family member being sponsored.