Bring Your Family to Canada
Family sponsorship allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor certain family members to come to Canada as permanent residents. This program recognizes the importance of family reunification and helps families stay together in Canada.
Sponsor spouse, children, parents, and grandparents
Sponsored persons become permanent residents
No language or education requirements for sponsored persons
Path to Canadian citizenship available
80,000+
Families Reunited Annually
2024 Update: Canada continues to prioritize family reunification with increased processing capacity and improved service standards. The Parents and Grandparents Program reopened with 28,500 spots available.
Who Can You Sponsor?
Different categories of family members eligible for sponsorship
Most Common
Spouse, Partner & Children
Sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent children
Processing: 12 months
Sponsor Requirements:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Sign undertaking to provide basic needs
- Meet income requirements (if applicable)
Eligible Persons:
- Legally married spouse
- Common-law partner (1+ years)
- Conjugal partner
- Dependent children under 22
- Children 22+ with disability
Parents & Grandparents
Sponsor your parents and grandparents through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
Processing: 20-24 months
Sponsor Requirements:
- Meet minimum income for 3 consecutive years
- Income must be 30% above LICO
- Sign 20-year undertaking
- Submit interest to sponsor form
Eligible Persons:
- Mother or father
- Grandmother or grandfather
- Spouse/partner of parent/grandparent
- Dependent children of sponsored person
Other Eligible Relatives
Sponsor other eligible relatives in specific circumstances
Processing: 12-18 months
Sponsor Requirements:
- No other family members to sponsor
- Relative is orphaned and under 18
- Related by blood or adoption
- Meet income requirements
Eligible Persons:
- Orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandchild
- Any relative if you have no other family
- Relative who is Canadian citizen/PR
Sponsor Requirements
What you need to qualify as a sponsor in Canada
Eligibility Requirements
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian
- Live in Canada (or return when sponsored person becomes PR)
- Prove you can provide basic needs for sponsored person
- Sign an undertaking promising financial support
Financial Requirements
- Meet minimum necessary income (varies by family size)
- Provide 3 years of tax documents
- Show proof of income and employment
- Demonstrate ability to support sponsored person
- May need co-signer in some cases
Ineligibility Factors
- Failed to pay court-ordered support payments
- Received social assistance (except disability)
- Declared bankruptcy and not discharged
- Sponsored someone before and didn't meet obligations
- Convicted of violent crime or sexual offense
Minimum Income Requirements (2024)
For Parents and Grandparents Program - Income must be 30% above Low Income Cut-Off (LICO)
| Family Size | Minimum Required Income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $27,514 |
| 2 persons | $34,254 |
| 3 persons | $42,110 |
| 4 persons | $51,128 |
| 5 persons | $58,004 |
| 6 persons | $65,450 |
| 7 persons | $72,896 |
Note: Income requirements apply to sponsors of parents and grandparents. Spouse and dependent children sponsorship has no minimum income requirement (unless sponsor is on social assistance).
Proving Your Relationship
Essential documentation to demonstrate genuine relationships
Married Couples
- Marriage certificate or registration
- Wedding photos and invitations
- Joint bank accounts and credit cards
- Joint lease or mortgage documents
- Correspondence addressed to both
- Evidence of joint travel
Common-Law Partners
- Statutory declaration of common-law union
- Joint lease or mortgage for 1+ years
- Joint utility bills and accounts
- Joint insurance policies
- Evidence of joint purchases
- Correspondence from family/friends
Parent-Child Relationship
- Birth certificate showing parent's name
- Adoption documents (if applicable)
- DNA test results (if required)
- School records and medical records
- Photos showing relationship over time
- Correspondence between parent and child
Important: Providing false information or fraudulent documents is a serious offense that can result in a ban from Canada for 5 years. Always provide genuine, accurate documentation.
Family Sponsorship Process
Step-by-step journey from application to family reunification
Eligibility Assessment
1-2 weeks
Determine sponsor and sponsored person eligibility, relationship proof requirements
Sponsor eligibility check
Relationship assessment
Document requirements
Financial evaluation
1
Document Collection
4-8 weeks
Gather all required documents including relationship proof, financial documents, and identity papers
Identity documents
Relationship evidence
Financial documents
Medical exams
Police certificates
2
Application Preparation
2-4 weeks
Complete all forms, organize documents, and prepare comprehensive application package
Forms completion
Document organization
Photo requirements
Application review
Package assembly
3
Application Submission
1 week
Submit complete application to IRCC with all supporting documents and fees
Final review
Fee payment
Application submission
Receipt confirmation
4
Processing & Decision
12-24 months
IRCC processes application, may request additional documents or interview
Application review
Background checks
Interview (if required)
Final decision
5
Our Family Sponsorship Services
Comprehensive support for your family reunification journey
Spouse/Child Sponsorship
$1,200
- Comprehensive eligibility assessment
- Relationship evidence strategy
- Complete application preparation
- Document review and organization
- Forms completion assistance
- Submission and tracking support
Most Popular
Parents/Grandparents PGP
$2,200
- Income requirement assessment
- Interest to Sponsor form assistance
- Financial document preparation
- Complete PGP application package
- Undertaking agreement guidance
- Ongoing support until decision
Premium Family Package
$3,500
- Multiple family member applications
- Complex case management
- Interview preparation coaching
- Appeal and review assistance
- Settlement planning guidance
- Priority consultation access
Family Reunification Success Stories
Real families who successfully reunited in Canada
Ahmed & Fatima Hassan
Husband & Wife
From Egypt
"Successfully sponsored my wife after 8 months. The comprehensive relationship evidence package made all the difference."
Li Wei Family
Parents Sponsorship
From China
"After 3 years of waiting, finally got selected for PGP and successfully brought my parents to Canada."
Maria Santos
Children Sponsorship
From Philippines
"Sponsored my two children as a single mother. The support throughout the process was incredible."