Last Updated on August 23, 2021
Canadian citizens or permanent residents in very specific situations can sponsor relatives such as brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandchildren and other relatives to become permanent residents of Canada.
Who Is Eligible To Sponsor?
Sponsors must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- Be able to provide for the basic needs of those being sponsored.
To sponsor a relative who falls into the ‘other’ category (ie not a spouse, common law or conjugal partner, dependent child, adopted child, parent or grandparent), the sponsor must:
- Meet set income guidelines.
- Be financially responsible for the sponsored person(s) for 10 years.
This includes providing financial support and repaying any social assistance received by the sponsored person(s) in that time.
The sponsor and the sponsored person(s) must also undertake a sponsorship agreement meaning:
- The sponsor will provide for the basic need of the sponsored person(s).
- The sponsored person(s) will try to support themselves and any family members.
Who Can Be Sponsored?
Relatives who fall into the ‘other’ category can only be sponsored in very specific situations.
1) Orphaned Brother, Sister, Nephew, Niece or Grandchild
An orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild can be sponsored if they meet the following conditions:
- They are related to the sponsor by blood or adoption.
- Both their mother and father died.
- They are under 18.
- They are not married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship.
2) Other Relative
One relative, related by blood or adoption, of any age, can be sponsored if the sponsor meets all of these conditions:
- The sponsor does not have a living relative they could sponsor instead, such as a:
- spouse
- common-law partner
- conjugal partner
- son or daughter
- parent
- grandparent
- orphaned brother or sister
- orphaned nephew or niece
- orphaned grandchild
- The sponsor does not have any relatives who is a:
- Canadian citizen
- permanent resident
- registered Indian under the Indian Act
If the sponsored relative has a spouse, partner, or dependent children who will come with them to Canada, they must be included on the same sponsorship application.
