Canada Immigration - Family Class
Citizens of Canada and permanent residents in Canada may sponsor close relatives or family members who want to become permanent residents of Canada. Sponsors of the new permanent residents must promise to support the relative or family member for their first three to 10 years in Canada.
Family Class Sponsorship Requirements
You might be able to sponsor relatives or family members if they are:
- spouses, common-law or conjugal partners 16 years of age or older;
- grandparents or parents;
- dependent children and dependent adopted children;
- children under 18 years of age whom you intend to adopt;
- children under your guardianship;
- brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are orphans; under the age of 18 and not married or in a common-law relationship;
- or, you may also sponsor one relative of any age if you do not have an aunt, uncle or family member from the list above who you could sponsor or who is already a Canadian citizen, Indian or permanent resident.
A daughter or son is dependent when the child:
- is under the age of 22 and does not have a spouse or common-law partner;
- is a full time student and is substantially dependent on a parent for financial support since before the age of 22, or since becoming a spouse or common-law partner (if this happened before age 22);
- or is financially dependent on a parent since before the age of 22 because of a disability.
Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class
You may also sponsor a spouse or common-law partner from within Canada if they have been living with you in Canada and have maintained their legal temporary status. Sponsorship of a spouse or common-law partner includes their dependent children whether inside or outside of Canada.
Adopting a Child From Another Country
To adopt a child from another country you must go through both the adoption process and the sponsorship and immigration process. Learn more about international adoptions.
Sponsoring a Relative or Family Member
Sponsorship is a considerable commitment so you should take this obligation seriously. To sponsor any of the above listed relatives or family members, you may have to meet certain income requirements. If you have previously sponsored relatives or family members who have received social assistance, you may not be allowed to sponsor another person.
To sponsor a relative or family member you must sign an Undertaking with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. As well, you must sign a Sponsorship Agreement with your relative or family member that outlines your mutual commitments to each other.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
For comprehensive information about Canadian visas, visit the
Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site.
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© 2012 Vancouver English Centre
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Last updated on Aug 20/09
at 13:15 PDT
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