The Family Sponsorship Program lets you sponsor your eligible relatives so they can apply for Canadian permanent residency. To be able to sponsor them, you must first become a sponsor. Once IRCC accepts your sponsorship application, the sponsee can apply for PR.
Eligibility Requirements for Sponsor
The basic eligibility you must meet to sponsor relatives are:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a Canadian citizen/PR holder
The sponsor must live in Canada when they are sponsoring their relatives unless they’re a Canadian citizen who lives abroad but they plan to return when the sponsored relatives immigrate.
Moreover, they must be sponsoring their: spouse/ common-law/ conjugal partner or dependent children who do not have dependent children.
If the sponsor is already living in or they are going to live in Quebec, the sponsor must meet Quebec’s eligibility criteria as well once IRCC approves them as a sponsor.
Meeting Quebec’s criteria means they must sign an “undertaking” which is a sponsorship contract.
Responsibilities of a Sponsor
If you are sponsoring a relative, it is natural that you must take on some responsibilities:
- The sponsor needs to meet the income requirements
- They must also agree to financially support the relative (and other relatives if they are also coming to Canada)
– the undertaking begins on the date when they become a PR
– the undertaking usually lasts for up to 20 years (however, it depends on how old the sponsee is and how they are related to the sponsor)
Whomever you are sponsoring, they must sign an agreement that says they will try to support themselves as much as possible. Dependent children who are under the age of 19 years don’t have to sign an agreement.
Download Free Immigration and PR Guide PDF
Who Can You Sponsor?
You can only sponsor certain relatives, such as your sister, brother, uncle, or aunt. There are 2 options for who you can sponsor and it depends on your situation whichever one applies to you.
You can sponsor:
- Orphaned sister, brother, nephew, niece, or grandchild
- Other relatives
You can only sponsor your orphaned sister/ brother/ nephew/ niece/ grandchild if they meet these requirements:
- They must be related to the sponsor by blood or adoption
- They’re not 18 years old yet
- Both their father and mother passed away
- Must be single, meaning they are not married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship
You can sponsor any one relative who is related to you by blood or adoption. The relative can be of any age and must meet the following requirements:
- The person who is yet to become a sponsor does not have a living relative so they can sponsor:
- – son/daughter
- – parent
- – grandparent
- – spouse/ common-law/ conjugal partner
- – orphaned brother/ sister/ niece/ nephew/ grandchild
- The person who is a potential sponsor does not have any relatives (uncle/ aunt or the ones listed above) but they must be a Canadian PR/ citizen
If you are sponsoring your relative and they have a spouse/ partner/ dependent child who wishes to come with them to Canada, as the sponsor, you must include them in the sponsorship application. You do not need to submit another sponsorship application, just add them all in the same one.
Document Checklist
| For the Sponsor | For the Sponsee |
|---|---|
| Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking | Generic Application Form for Canada |
| Financial Evaluation | Schedule A – Background/Declaration |
| Medical Condition Statement | Additional Family Information |
| Police Certificate Clearance | |
| Medical Exam |
How to Apply
There are two different stages for the relative to become a PR via sponsorship.
a. You must apply to become a sponsor
b. The sponsee applies for residency
Step 1
To apply to become a sponsor, you must fill out some digital forms. You and the person you are sponsoring will sign these forms.
The sponsee will upload these forms to their PR application, and they are also responsible for signing the whole application.
Step 2
The sponsee will create an online account on the PR portal and will fill out the necessary digital forms. They will also upload the forms signed by the sponsor. The PR application needs one photo for each person.
Step 3
The sponsor will pay the right of permanent residence fee, application processing fee, and the biometric fee for the sponsee.
If the sponsee is between the ages of 14 and 79, they must give their biometric information. The biometric information includes their photographs and fingerprints.
Step 4
The sponsee will submit the PR application once they are sure that the application is complete and no document is missing.
Step 5
If IRCC approves your application, it will send a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) using which the sponsee can enter Canada.
After You Arrive in Canada
When you arrive in Canada, an IRCC officer will ask for your COPR and your PR visa. The officer asks for documents to verify your identity and check:
- that the PR visa is still valid
- your passport is from your home country
- They will also ask you questions related to the information you provided on your application.
- If the sponsee is bringing any funds with them to Canada, they must inform the officer about it.
IRCC will let you arrive in Canada as a PR if there are no issues.
Fee
| You are sponsoring | Type of Fee | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Relative (22 years or older) | Sponsorship | CAN$85 |
| Principal applicant processing | CAN$545 | |
| Right of permanent residence | CAN$575 | |
| Relative (under 22 years & not your dependent child) | Sponsorship | CAN$85 |
| Principal applicant processing | CAN$85 | |
| Right of permanent residence | CAN$575 | |
| Including the Spouse of a relative | Principal applicant processing | CAN$635 |
| Right of permanent residence | CAN$575 | |
| Orphaned relative (dependent child) | Principal applicant processing | CAN$85 |
| Right of permanent residence | CAN$85 | |
| Orphaned relative on an application with your relative (dependent child) | – | CAN$175 |
How TCWW Can Assist
Talent Connected Worldwide is one of the leading and award-winning companies in the field of immigration. We have been in this industry for the last 15 years and have gained immense experience.
If you are looking to sponsor your relative for Canadian permanent residence, why not trust us? Being CICC certified proves we are eligible to handle your legal matters. So, don’t wait, contact us today!
