Family Sponsorship
Reviewed by the Commoner Law Editorial Team. Sourced from Canadian federal statutes and official sources. Provincial information reflects each province's own legislation and court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor close family members for permanent residence through the Family Class program. The most common sponsorships are for spouses, common-law partners, and conjugal partners, followed by dependent children and parents and grandparents. The sponsor must sign an undertaking to financially support the sponsored person for a specified period (3 years for spouses, 10 years for parents/grandparents, or until the child turns 25).
Spousal sponsorship is the fastest family category, typically processed in 12 months. Spouses who are already in Canada can apply under the inland class and receive an open work permit while waiting. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) has an annual cap and uses a lottery-based intake system, with approximately 15,000 to 24,000 applications accepted per year. The Super Visa is an alternative that allows parents and grandparents to visit for up to 5 years at a time without sponsorship.
When does it apply?
This applies when:
- You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and want to sponsor your spouse, partner, child, parent, or grandparent for permanent residence
- You are being sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member
- You are a parent or grandparent wanting to visit Canada for an extended period via Super Visa
Who can sponsor:
- You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, at least 18 years old
- You must not be in prison, bankrupt, under a removal order, or in default on a previous sponsorship undertaking or immigration loan
- For spousal sponsorship: you cannot have sponsored another spouse within the past 5 years if the previous sponsorship was approved, and you cannot sponsor someone you married while you were the subject of a sponsorship yourself within the past 5 years
Processing times and costs:
- Spouse/partner (inland): Processing time approximately 12 months. Sponsorship fee: $75 CAD. Principal applicant processing fee: $490 CAD. Right of permanent residence fee: $515 CAD. Biometrics: $85 CAD. Total: approximately $1,165 CAD.
- Spouse/partner (outland): Processing time approximately 12 months. Same fees as inland.
- Dependent child: Processing fee: $75 (sponsorship) + $75 (processing). No RPRF for children. Processing time approximately 12 months.
- Parents and grandparents: Processing time approximately 20 to 24 months after acceptance. Sponsorship fee: $75 CAD per person. Processing fee: $490 CAD per person. RPRF: $515 CAD per person. Biometrics: $85 CAD per person. Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) required for 3 consecutive tax years.
- Super Visa: Application fee: $100 CAD. Requires proof of private medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company covering at least $100,000. Valid for up to 10 years with stays of up to 5 years per entry.
What should you do?
Step 1: Determine the correct sponsorship category. For spouses already in Canada, the inland application allows the sponsored person to apply for an open work permit and remain in Canada during processing. For spouses outside Canada, the outland process may be faster depending on the visa office.
Step 2: Complete the sponsorship application package from the IRCC website. The sponsor fills out the sponsorship application and undertaking (IMM 1344). The sponsored person fills out the permanent residence application (IMM 0008) and background declaration (IMM 5669).
Step 3: Gather supporting documents proving the genuineness of the relationship. For spousal sponsorship, include: marriage certificate, photos together, communication records, joint financial documents (leases, bank accounts), statutory declarations from friends and family, and a relationship timeline.
Step 4: For parents and grandparents, submit an Expression of Interest during the annual PGP intake period (usually January). If selected in the lottery, you will receive an Invitation to Apply and have 60 days to submit the full application. You must meet the Minimum Necessary Income threshold for 3 consecutive tax years (based on Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment).
Step 5: Pay all fees and submit biometrics. Track your application through your IRCC online account.
Step 6: For inland spousal applications, apply for an open work permit (IMM 5710) at the same time. This allows the sponsored spouse to work while the PR application is processing.
What should you NOT do?
Don't enter a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes. IRCC aggressively investigates relationships for genuineness. If a relationship is found to be non-genuine or entered primarily for immigration purposes (IRPR section 4(1)), the sponsorship will be refused, and the applicant may be found inadmissible for misrepresentation under IRPA section 40, resulting in a 5-year bar from Canada.
Don't default on a previous sponsorship undertaking. If you previously sponsored someone and they received social assistance during the undertaking period, you are in default and cannot sponsor another person until the debt is repaid. The undertaking is a legally binding contract enforceable by provincial governments.
Don't miss the PGP intake window. The Parents and Grandparents Program opens for Expressions of Interest for a limited time each year, and spots fill quickly or are selected by lottery. Set reminders and submit during the window.
Don't withhold information from IRCC. Failing to disclose previous marriages, children (including non-accompanying family members), or criminal history constitutes misrepresentation under IRPA section 40 and can result in a 5-year ban and removal order.
Don't separate during the conditional period. For spouses who have been in a relationship for less than 2 years with no children at the time of PR approval, there was formerly a 2-year conditional residence requirement. This condition was removed in 2017, but IRCC may still investigate relationship genuineness at any time.
Common Questions
When does family sponsorship apply?
This applies when:You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and want to sponsor your spouse, partner, child, parent, or grandparent for permanent residenceYou are being sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident family memberYou are a parent or grandparent wanting to visit Canada for an extended period via Super VisaWho can sponsor:You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, at least 18 years oldYou must not be in prison, bankrupt, under a removal order, or in default on a previous sponsorship undertaking or immigration loanFor spousal sponsorship: you cannot have s...
What should I do about family sponsorship?
Step 1: Determine the correct sponsorship category. For spouses already in Canada, the inland application allows the sponsored person to apply for an open work permit and remain in Canada during processing. For spouses outside Canada, the outland process may be faster depending on the visa office.Step 2: Complete the sponsorship application package from the IRCC website. The sponsor fills out the sponsorship application and undertaking (IMM 1344). The sponsored person fills out the permanent residence application (IMM 0008) and background declaration (IMM 5669).Step 3: Gather supporting docume...
What mistakes should I avoid with family sponsorship?
Don't enter a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes. IRCC aggressively investigates relationships for genuineness. If a relationship is found to be non-genuine or entered primarily for immigration purposes (IRPR section 4(1)), the sponsorship will be refused, and the applicant may be found inadmissible for misrepresentation under IRPA section 40, resulting in a 5-year bar from Canada.Don't default on a previous sponsorship undertaking. If you previously sponsored someone and they received social assistance during the undertaking period, you are in default and cannot sponsor another...
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