Last Updated: 26 July 2021

Canada is expected to welcome more than 100,000 immigrants through family sponsorship from 2021 every year until the year 2023.

Family members of Canadian permanent residents and citizens may be sponsored to come to Canada as permanent residents. Sponsors accept financial responsibility for the individual for a defined period of time. In 2019, 91,311 individuals were admitted under this category, representing a 7.2% increase from 2018 and a record high.

How does Family Sponsorship work for Canadian Permanent Residents and Canadian Citizens?

1. An individual (PR or Canadian Citizen) can sponsor a family member, it requires a commitment from the sponsor to provide the basic needs and to financially support the persons (spouse, children, parent and or grandparents) being sponsored.
2. It allows a family member to immigrate to Canada on Permanent Residence

Who can you sponsor as a family member?

1. Spouses and common-law partners
2. Dependent children
3. Parents and grandparents
4. Non-immediate family member (sister, brother, nephew) if you do not have any other immediate family members you could sponsor or you have legally adopted them and they meet the definition of a dependent child

Eligibility requirements to sponsor a family member?

As a sponsor for a family member, you are required to sign a Sponsorship Agreement with your sponsored family member. The Sponsorship Agreement is an undertaking making you legally responsible, for the sponsored family member. If the sponsored family member asks for or avails of government social assistance, you as the sponsor will have to pay back the money to the government. This is a commitment by you to provide financial support for the basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, and health needs not covered by public health services) of the person you are sponsoring. The undertaking can range from 3 years for dependent children to as high as 20 years for parents or grandparents

If you are sponsoring family members other than your:

• your spouse or common-law partner
• dependent children

You will need to meet or exceed the Low Income Cut-off (LICO) requirement.

The Super Visa Program allows parents and grandparents of Canadian Permanent Residents and Canadian Citizens to come to Canada and stay for extended periods of time. One can stay for a maximum period of 2 years in one single visit. The normal period allowed for a normal Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Visit Visa is a maximum of 6 months in one single visit.

Eligibility Requirements:

• need to have a signed a letter of invitation from your child or grandchild,
• your Canadian child or grandchild will have to prove that their household meets the minimum necessary income.
• be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada,
• have medical insurance of at least 100,000 CDN$ coverage for a period of at least 1 year through a Canadian insurance company at the time of entry