Family Sponsorship
Canada offers programs to help reunite Canadian citizens and permanent residents with close family members. If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, dependent children (including adopted children) or other eligible relatives to become a permanent resident.
Family members who may be sponsored:
| Spouse | A legal marriage partner. This term includes both opposite- and same-sex relationships but does not include common-law partnerships. |
| Common-Law Partner | A person who has been living with another person in a conjugal relationship for at least one year. The term refers to opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. |
| Conjugal Partner | A person outside Canada who has had a binding relationship with a sponsor for at least one year but could not live with their partner. The term refers to both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. |
| Dependent child | A child who is under the maximum age and is not married or in a common law relationship. Generally, to qualify as dependants, children must
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| Parent | The biological or non-biological parent listed on the original birth certificate or birth record of a child.
This does not include
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| Grandparent | Conditions apply - ask us for more details |
| Siblings, nephews and nieces | Conditions apply - ask us for more details |
Sponsorship applications involving spouses, common-law or conjugal partners and dependent children (including adopted children and children to be adopted and orphans) are given priority.
Sponsors have obligations to provide for the basic needs of their family members for a specified duration. Basic needs are:
- Food, clothing, shelter, fuel, utilities, household supplies, personal requirements, other goods and services needed for everyday living, including: dental care, eye care, other health needs not provided by public health care
Length of undertaking (obligations to provide basic needs to your family members)
| spouse common-law partner conjugal partner | 3 years |
| dependent child over 22 years of age | 3 years |
| dependent child under 22 years of age | 10 years or until the child becomes 22 years old |
| Parent, grand parent and their accompanying dependants | 20 years |
| As of January 21, 2021 |