On This Page, You Will Find:
- Who can sponsor a family member
- Family members you can sponsor
- Income requirements: when they apply and when they don’t
- The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2026
- Family class admissions under the 2026–2028 Levels Plan
- Sponsorship fees in 2026
- Spousal sponsorship processing times
- The sponsorship undertaking
- Open work permits for sponsored spouses and partners
- How to apply
- Frequently asked questions
Family reunification remains one of the largest components of Canada’s immigration system, second only to economic immigration. Under the family class, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor a spouse, partner, dependent child, parent, grandparent or, in limited cases, another relative to become a permanent resident.
The rules, fees and processing times differ significantly depending on who you are sponsoring. This overview explains the current requirements, the 2026 status of the Parents and Grandparents Program, and the family class targets in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
Who Can Sponsor a Family Member
To sponsor a family member for Canadian permanent residence, you generally must:
- be at least 18 years old;
- be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada under the Indian Act;
- live in Canada – a Canadian citizen living abroad may sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child if they show they will live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident, but a permanent resident living abroad cannot sponsor; and
- sign an undertaking (and, where required, a sponsorship agreement) committing to support the person(s) you sponsor so they do not need social assistance.
You may be barred from sponsoring if, for example, you are in default of a previous sponsorship undertaking, an immigration loan, a performance bond or court-ordered support payments; are an undischarged bankrupt; are receiving social assistance other than for a disability; were convicted of certain violent or sexual offences or an offence against a relative; or are subject to a removal order. A person who was sponsored as a spouse or partner cannot sponsor a new spouse or partner until five years after becoming a permanent resident. Residents of Quebec must also meet the province’s own sponsorship requirements and sign an undertaking with the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI).
Family Members You Can Sponsor
The family class covers several categories of relatives, each with its own eligibility rules:
- your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner;
- your dependent children – generally children under 22 who do not have a spouse or partner, or older children who have depended on their parents since before age 22 because of a physical or mental condition;
- your parents and grandparents, and their accompanying dependants (intake currently paused – see below);
- children adopted abroad or to be adopted in Canada; and
- in limited circumstances, an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild under 18, or one other relative of any age if you have no other family member you could sponsor or who is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Each category is processed under its own guide and, in some cases, its own intake process. The Parents and Grandparents Program, for example, uses an invitation process rather than year-round applications.
Income Requirements: When They Apply and When They Don’t
A common misconception is that every sponsor must meet a minimum income test. That is not the case – but the exemption for spouses and children is not absolute.
Spouses, partners and dependent children. In most cases there is no income requirement to sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child. IRCC requires you to meet an income test in only two situations:
- you are sponsoring a dependent child who has one or more dependent children of their own; or
- you are sponsoring a spouse or partner who has a dependent child, and that dependent child has one or more dependent children of their own.
In those cases, the Financial Evaluation form (IMM 1283) sets out how much income you need for your family size. Even where no income test applies, you must still be able to meet your undertaking and must not be receiving social assistance for a reason other than a disability. Quebec applies its own financial-capacity rules.
Parents and grandparents. Sponsoring a parent or grandparent always requires you (and a co-signer, if any) to meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI), based on Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off plus 30%, for each of the three consecutive tax years before the application. The tables are updated annually, so check the current figures in the program’s application guide.
The separate Parent and Grandparent Super Visa uses its own, lower income test based on the Low Income Cut-Off. IRCC has recently made the super visa more accessible by changing how that income requirement is calculated and by updating its health-insurance requirement. Those super visa changes do not alter the MNI test for permanent PGP sponsorship.
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2026
The Parents and Grandparents Program is closed to new applicants:
- The last intake ran in 2025. IRCC invited potential sponsors from the pool of interest-to-sponsor forms submitted in 2020, and the deadline for invited sponsors to apply was October 9, 2025.
- Ministerial Instructions (MI89) provide that, from January 1, 2026, no new parent or grandparent permanent residence applications – or related sponsorship applications – will be received for processing until further instructions are issued.
- On July 15, 2026, IRCC announced it is pausing intake of new PGP applications and will not receive new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, because interest continues to exceed the spaces available under the Levels Plan.
Applications already submitted continue to be processed, and IRCC plans to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the PGP in 2026, consistent with the 2026–2028 Levels Plan. There is currently no way to submit a new interest-to-sponsor form or enter a new intake round, and IRCC has not announced when, or how, intake will resume. People who were not invited and want to bring a parent or grandparent to Canada in the meantime should consider the super visa, which allows stays of up to five years at a time and multiple entries for up to 10 years.
Family Class Admissions Under the 2026–2028 Levels Plan
Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 permanent resident admissions in each of 2026, 2027 and 2028, with economic immigration making up the largest share. The family class targets are:
| Category | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouses, partners and children | 69,000 (63,000–75,000) | 66,000 | 66,000 |
| Parents and grandparents | 15,000 (13,000–19,000) | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Total family class | 84,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 |
Family class admissions are planned to remain at roughly 21% to 22% of total permanent resident admissions. The 2027 and 2028 figures are notional and are confirmed or adjusted in each year’s Levels Plan announcement.
Sponsorship Fees in 2026
IRCC increased permanent residence fees, including the sponsorship fee and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), on April 30, 2026. Under the current fee list:
- Sponsor a spouse or partner (inside or outside Canada): $1,260 including the sponsorship fee, processing fee and $600 RPRF, or $660 if the RPRF is paid later
- Include a dependent child, or independently sponsor a dependent child: $180 per child
- Sponsor a parent or grandparent: $1,260 including the RPRF, or $660 without it (for applications already in process)
- Include the spouse or partner of a sponsored parent or grandparent: $1,260 including the RPRF, or $660 without it
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee: $600, refundable if the application is withdrawn or refused
- Biometrics: $85 per person, or $170 maximum per family
Fees are adjusted periodically, so confirm current amounts on IRCC’s fee list before paying. See also our Government of Canada immigration fee schedule.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Times
Processing times for spouse and partner sponsorships change from month to month and depend on whether the application is filed from inside or outside Canada and whether it is a Quebec case, which adds a provincial undertaking step. Because these figures are updated regularly, use IRCC’s official processing-times tool to confirm the current estimate before you apply or follow up, and see our page on Canada immigration processing times.
The Sponsorship Undertaking
Every sponsor signs an undertaking – a legal commitment to support the person(s) they sponsor for a set period. Outside Quebec the length depends on who is sponsored:
- Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner: 3 years from the date they become a permanent resident
- Dependent child under 22: 10 years, or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first
- Dependent child 22 or older: 3 years
- Parents and grandparents (and their accompanying spouse or partner): 20 years
Quebec sets its own undertaking periods (for example, 10 years for parents and grandparents). The undertaking cannot be cancelled once the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident, even if the relationship ends or circumstances change. If a sponsored person receives social assistance during the undertaking period, the sponsor may have to repay it and cannot sponsor anyone else until the debt is repaid.
Open Work Permits for Sponsored Spouses and Partners
A sponsored spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner who is living in Canada with their sponsor can apply for an open work permit under an IRCC public policy once they have the acknowledgement of receipt for their permanent residence application. This applies to applications under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class and to family class (outland) applicants who live with their sponsor in Canada. Partners without valid temporary status must wait for approval in principle, and the permit cannot be requested at a port of entry.
This family class measure is separate from the more restrictive open work permit rules introduced in 2025 for the spouses of foreign workers and international students. Because public policies can be amended, check IRCC’s current guidance before applying.
How to Apply
The process varies by relationship category, but generally involves:
- confirming you meet the sponsor requirements for the category;
- gathering proof of the relationship (marriage or birth certificates, relationship evidence, adoption records and so on);
- completing the correct application package and paying the fees online;
- submitting through IRCC’s Permanent Residence (PR) Portal – online submission is mandatory for spouse, partner and child sponsorship, with paper or other formats available only as an accommodation for people who cannot apply online; and
- responding promptly to requests for documents, medical exams or biometrics.
For a walk-through of the wider system, see our Canada immigration overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to meet an income requirement to sponsor my spouse or child?
In most cases, no. The exception is if the dependent child you are sponsoring has dependent children of their own, or if your spouse or partner has a dependent child who has dependent children of their own; then you must meet the income requirement in the Financial Evaluation form (IMM 1283). You must also not be receiving social assistance other than for a disability.
Can I submit a new interest-to-sponsor form for the Parents and Grandparents Program in 2026?
No. The last intake was in 2025, and Ministerial Instructions stopped new PGP applications from January 1, 2026. On July 15, 2026, IRCC confirmed it will not receive new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite sponsors to apply until further notice, while it continues to process existing applications.
What is the Minimum Necessary Income for sponsoring parents and grandparents?
It is the income you (and any co-signer) must show for each of the three tax years before applying, set at Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off plus 30% for your family size. The figures change every year, so check the table in the current PGP guide.
How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse in 2026?
Since the April 30, 2026 fee update, sponsoring a spouse or partner costs $1,260 in government fees including the $600 Right of Permanent Residence Fee, or $660 if the RPRF is paid later. Add $180 for each dependent child and $85 per person for biometrics ($170 maximum per family).
How long does the sponsorship undertaking last?
Outside Quebec, it lasts 3 years for a spouse or partner, 10 years or until age 25 (whichever is first) for a dependent child under 22, and 20 years for parents and grandparents. Quebec sets its own periods. The undertaking cannot be cancelled once permanent residence is granted.
Can a sponsored spouse work in Canada while the application is processed?
Yes, if they are living in Canada with their sponsor. After IRCC acknowledges receipt of the permanent residence application, the spouse or partner can apply online for an open work permit, whether the sponsorship was filed inland or outland. Partners without valid status must wait for approval in principle.