Eligibility: Must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a registered Indian/ First Nation person 

• For permanent residents: Can only sponsor if currently residing in Canada
• For Canadian citizens: If residing outside Canada, must demonstrate intent to return to Canada when the sponsored spouse/ common-law partner becomes a permanent resident

 

Age: At least 18 years old

Genuineness: Must prove the genuine nature of the relationship & not for immigration purposes

Supportability: Commit to providing financial support for the specified period for the spouse/common-law partner and their dependent children, if any

You may be required to demonstrate income if:

• You are sponsoring a dependent child who has 1 or more dependents of their own, or
• You are sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner who has a dependent child and the child has their own dependents

For spouse:

• Eligibility: Must be legally married to Sponsor
• Age: At least 18 years old, regardless of gender
•  

For common-law:

• Age: At least 18 years old, regardless of gender
• Eligibility: Not legally married to Sponsor.
• Must demonstrate cohabitation as a couple with Sponsor for at least 12 continuous months without prolonged separation
•  

For common-law:

• Age: At least 18 years old, regardless of gender
• Eligibility: Currently living outside Canada

- Not legally married or in a common-law partnership with Sponsor

- Have had a relationship with Sponsor for at least 1 year

- Must prove inability to live together with Sponsor or legally marry Sponsor due to legal and immigration reasons such as:

• Marital status (e.g., they are still married to someone else in a country where divorce is not possible)
• Gender orientation (e.g., same-sex relationships or marriages not accepted or are illegal where they live)
• Persecution (e.g., relationships between different religious groups not accepted and could lead to legal or social penalties)
•  

For dependent children (if any)

• Age: Under 22 years old and
• Eligibility: Not legally married or in a common-law partnership

Dependants 22 years old or older may be included in the sponsorship application if they meet both the following conditions:

• Unable to support themselves financially due to physical or mental conditions and
• Have been financially dependent on their parents before turning 22 years old.

• Adoption is legally recognized in the child's home country and in the Canadian province or territory where the Sponsor lives.
• The legal relationship between the child and their biological parents has been terminated.
• The requirements of the Sponsor’s province or territory, including homeschooling, are satisfied.
• A genuine parent-child relationship between the Sponsor(s) and the child is established.
• Adoption is in the best interest of the child.
• Adoption is not for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident status for the child in Canada.

• The biological parents of the child understand and agree to the adoption (if they are still alive).
• The child has been legally adopted outside Canada.
• The requirements of the Hague International Convention have been met, if applicable.

• Age: At least 18 years old
• Eligibility: 
• Must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a registered Indian/ First Nation person
• Must be residing in Canada.

If Sponsor is living outside Canada, intent to return to Canada when the adopted child becomes a permanent resident must be demonstrated. 

• Age: At least 18 years old
• Eligibility: 
• You receive an invitation to apply for sponsorship from the IRCC
• Currently residing in Canada as a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian/ First Nation person.
• Must demonstrate the ability to financially support parents, grandparents, and any dependents for the last 3 years of tax filings.

• Satisfy all immigration and asylum laws of the Canadian government.
• Meet all health and background conditions.

For dependents (if any)

You can also sponsor your siblings in the same sponsoring application for your parents & grandparents, regardless of your blood relation, if they meet both the following conditions:

• Under 22 years old and
• Not legally married or in a common-law partnership.
•  

Dependants 22 years old or older may be included in the sponsorship application if they meet both the following conditions

• Unable to support themselves financially due to physical or mental conditions and
• Have been financially dependent on their parents before turning 22 years old.

Age: At least 18 years old

Eligibility: 

• Currently residing in Canada as a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian/ First Nation person
• Meet income requirements
• Commit to providing financial support for 20 years from the time the relative becomes a permanent resident.

If you are living outside Canada, you are eligible to sponsor only if you meet all of the following conditions:

• Being a Canadian citizen.
• Demonstrate intent to return to Canada when the relative becomes a permanent resident, and
• Currently sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children (without children of their own).

 1. You can sponsor brother, sister, nephew/niece, grandchild who meet all of the following conditions:

• They have a biological relationship or have been legally adopted.
• Both their parents have passed away.
• Under 18 years old and
• Single (not married or in a common-law partnership).

You will not be able to sponsor brother, sister, nephew/niece, grandchild if:

• One or both parents are still alive.
• The whereabouts of their parents are unknown.
• They were abandoned by their parents.
• Someone else is taking care of them when one or both parents are alive.
• The parents are in prison or detained.

2. You can sponsor other relatives and extended family members if they meet all of the following conditions:

• You do not have any other living relatives that you could sponsor, such as a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son/daughter, parent, grandparent, orphaned brother/sister, orphaned nephew/niece, or orphaned grandchild
• You do not have any relatives (aunt/ uncle or any of the relatives listed above) who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indian/ First Nation persons.