Sponsoring Family Members

Newcomers may be able to sponsor their spouse, partner, dependent children and other family members from outside the country into Canada. You must be a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident to be a sponsor and financially capable of supporting the relative for up to 10 years.

If a sponsored relative receives government benefits after arriving in Canada, it is up to the sponsor to repay the money in full.

A newcomer can apply to sponsor:

• Spouses
• Partners in a marriage-like relationship (same sex or opposite sex)
• Unmarried, dependent children under 22 years of age
• Parents
• Grandparents

To sponsor family members, a newcomer must first apply for Family Class sponsorship. There are two types of sponsorship applications: One is for immediate family members, such as spouses, partners and dependent children, and the other is for parents and grandparents.

The application kit for Family Class sponsorship can be downloaded from the Internet or mailed to you from a Citizenship and Immigration call centre.

The persons being sponsored must also apply to be permanent residents of Canada. A separate application is used for that process and can be downloaded online or obtained from a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate outside Canada.

Fees are charged to process both the sponsorship and permanent resident applications. The fees can be paid online or at most banks.

Applicants for permanent residency in Canada may be required to undergo medical, criminal and background screening.