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Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant · RCIC

Permanent residence

Family Sponsorship

Relationship evidence organized so the officer can follow your story, with inland or outland filing planned around your life.

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The short answer

Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 or older can sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, and dependent children for permanent residence. Parents and grandparents can be sponsored only when IRCC opens limited intake by invitation; otherwise the Super Visa is the usual long-stay option.

Reviewed by Gurvinder Singh, RCIC ·

Spousal and common-law sponsorship

For married spouses, common-law partners (12+ months together) and conjugal partners.

  • Spouse, common-law or conjugal
  • Inland or outland
  • Open work permit inland

About

The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or PR, at least 18, and not barred, for example by a removal order, sponsorship default or most social assistance. The sponsorship and PR application are submitted together, and outside Quebec the sponsor signs a 3-year financial undertaking.

How I help

  • Sponsor and applicant eligibility check
  • Relationship evidence strategy and organization
  • Inland or outland filing, plus an open work permit inland
  • Citizens and PRs sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner
  • Couples applying from inside Canada (inland) or outside (outland)
  • Couples with a past refusal who need to re-apply

Dependent child sponsorship

For children under 22 who aren’t a spouse or partner, and older dependants who rely on you.

  • Under 22
  • Not a spouse or partner
  • Older dependants who rely on you

About

A dependent child is generally under 22 and not a spouse or common-law partner, or 22 or older and unable to support themselves because of a physical or mental condition since before 22.

How I help

  • Eligibility for parent and child
  • Custody and consent documents
  • Full application, with medicals and police certificates
  • Citizens and PRs reuniting with children abroad
  • Parents adding a child to another family-class application
  • Families sponsoring an adult child who depends on them

Parent and grandparent sponsorship (PGP)

Permanent residence for parents and grandparents, when IRCC opens intake.

  • By invitation only
  • Income for 3 tax years
  • 20-year undertaking

About

The PGP is intake-limited: IRCC invites a limited number of potential sponsors in some years. Sponsors must meet the minimum necessary income (plus 30%) for the three tax years before applying and sign a 20-year undertaking (10 years in Quebec). If you aren’t invited, the Super Visa lets parents and grandparents stay for up to 5 years per entry.

How I help

  • Sponsor income review, including a co-signer
  • Application preparation and submission
  • Super Visa planning if you aren’t invited
  • Citizens and PRs who receive a PGP invitation
  • Sponsors who meet the income requirement for three tax years

What decides these files

Where applications go wrong, and how I prevent it

  • Evidence that tells one consistent story

    Dates, addresses and events must match everywhere. Inconsistencies cause most spousal refusals.

  • Inland or outland

    Inland can allow an open work permit; outland can suit applicants who need to travel.

  • Sponsor eligibility

    Past sponsorships, social assistance, or being sponsored yourself within five years can affect eligibility.

Fees and timelines change: check IRCC’s current processing times (opens in a new tab).

Questions

Family Sponsorship: common questions

Who can I sponsor to Canada?

Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 or older can sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, and dependent children. Parents and grandparents can be sponsored when IRCC invites sponsors under the Parents and Grandparents Program.

Is there an income requirement for spousal sponsorship?

Generally no. Spousal and dependent child sponsorships don’t require a minimum income, except where the sponsored spouse has a dependent child who has dependent children of their own. Parent and grandparent sponsorship does have an income requirement.

What counts as proof of a genuine relationship?

Evidence that the relationship is real and ongoing: wedding or engagement records, photos over time, communication history, joint finances or leases, travel together, and letters from family and friends. Quality and consistency matter more than volume.

Can my spouse work in Canada while the sponsorship is processed?

Spouses and partners applying from inside Canada with valid status may qualify for an open work permit while the sponsorship is processed.

Can I sponsor my parents if I wasn’t invited to the PGP?

Not for permanent residence. But your parents or grandparents can apply for a Super Visa, which allows stays of up to 5 years per entry if you meet the income requirement and they have Canadian medical insurance.

Related services

Often part of the same plan

All services
Official sources (1)

General information only, not legal advice.

Talk to an RCIC about family sponsorship.

Book a consultation with Gurvinder Singh, RCIC, by video, phone or in person in Surrey.

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