Family sponsorship allows eligible Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people registered in Canada as Indians under the Canadian Indian Act to sponsor certain relatives for permanent residence.
Family sponsorship is not a single application stream. Depending on the relationship, the available categories can include spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, dependent children, adopted children, parents, grandparents and, in limited circumstances, other relatives.
Family sponsorship requirements differ according to the family relationship, whether the applicant is inside or outside Canada, whether the destination is Quebec and whether the relevant program is accepting applications.
Table of Contents
Who Can Use Family Sponsorship?
A sponsor generally must be at least 18 years old and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
Most sponsors must live in Canada. A Canadian citizen living outside Canada may sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child if the citizen can demonstrate plans to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor from abroad.
For family sponsorship, a sponsor must generally show that they are not receiving social assistance for a reason other than a disability and must meet the applicable sponsorship requirements. In most spouse, partner and dependent-child cases, there is no minimum necessary income requirement. An income requirement can apply when the sponsored spouse or partner has a dependent child who has a dependent child of their own, or when the sponsored dependent child has a dependent child.
Other possible bars include defaulting on a previous undertaking or immigration loan, failing to make court-ordered support payments, being an undischarged bankrupt, being under a removal order, being in prison or having certain criminal convictions. The exact rules depend on the sponsorship category.
Which Relatives Can Be Sponsored?
Spouse, partner or dependent child
A spouse must be in a legally valid marriage recognized for immigration purposes.
A common-law partner generally must have lived continuously with the sponsor in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 months.
A conjugal partner must live outside Canada and must have been in a genuine conjugal relationship with the sponsor for at least 12 months where marriage or cohabitation has not been possible. A conjugal partner cannot be living in Canada when the application is submitted.
A dependent child is generally under 22 years old and does not have a spouse or common-law partner. A child aged 22 or older may qualify if they have depended substantially on their parents for financial support since before age 22 and cannot financially support themselves because of a physical or mental condition.
In most cases, sponsors do not need to meet a minimum necessary income requirement when sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child.
Parents and grandparents
The Parents and Grandparents Program allows eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor parents and grandparents for permanent residence when the program is accepting applications.
As of October 19, 2026, the federal Parents and Grandparents Program is paused for new applications. IRCC has stated that it will continue processing existing applications and will not accept new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice.
Families should not assume that a new parents or grandparents family sponsorship application can be submitted simply because other family-class streams remain available.
Parents and grandparents may instead consider the Super Visa, which is a temporary-residence option rather than a permanent-residence program. The host must generally be their Canadian citizen, permanent-resident or registered-Indian child or grandchild, be at least 18 and live in Canada, meet the income requirement and provide an invitation letter. Applicants must also meet visitor requirements, undergo a medical examination and provide private health insurance valid for at least one year. A Super Visa can allow stays of up to five years at a time, subject to the applicable conditions.
Other relatives
In limited circumstances, a sponsor may sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild who is related by blood or adoption, is under 18, is single and whose parents have both died.
A sponsor may also be able to sponsor one other relative of any age if the sponsor does not have a living relative they could otherwise sponsor and does not have certain relatives in Canada who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. These rules are narrow and must be assessed against the exact family circumstances.
How The Family Sponsorship Process Works
The family sponsorship process requires applicants to follow the category-specific instructions and provide complete supporting documents.
Confirm that the sponsor and applicant meet the requirements for the specific family relationship.
Choose the correct application package and determine whether the application is under the Family Class or, where available, the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class.
Gather the required identity, civil-status, relationship, police, medical and financial documents.
Submit the sponsorship and permanent-residence applications as required by the current IRCC instructions.
Pay the applicable fees and provide biometrics when IRCC issues instructions.
Respond to requests for medical examinations, additional documents or an interview.
Wait for IRCC to assess the sponsor, the relationship, the permanent-residence application and admissibility.
If the sponsor lives in Quebec, complete the provincial undertaking process only when IRCC instructs the sponsor to do so.
IRCC may return an application that is incomplete or missing fees. Applicants should use the current forms and document checklist on the official IRCC website.
Inland And Overseas Spousal Sponsorship
Family sponsorship for a spouse or common-law partner living with the sponsor in Canada may proceed under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class if the applicant has valid temporary-resident status or is covered by the applicable public policy.
A spouse or partner outside Canada generally applies through the Family Class. A conjugal partner must apply through the Family Class.
Some sponsored spouses, common-law partners and conjugal partners living in Canada may apply for an open work permit after receiving an acknowledgement of receipt for the permanent-residence application and meeting the other requirements, including living with the sponsor in Canada and having valid temporary status or qualifying maintained or restored status.
A visitor visa does not guarantee approval of a permanent-residence application. The sponsored person must still meet the relationship, medical, security and other admissibility requirements.
Financial Undertaking And Sponsor Responsibilities
In family sponsorship cases, the undertaking is a legal commitment. It requires the sponsor to provide for the sponsored person’s basic needs, including food, clothing, shelter and certain health needs not covered by public health services, and to repay applicable social assistance received during the undertaking period.
For provinces and territories other than Quebec, the undertaking period is generally three years for a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner; 10 years or until a dependent child under 22 turns 25, whichever comes first; and three years for a dependent child who is 22 or older. For parents and grandparents, the federal undertaking is generally 20 years. Other relatives generally have a 10-year undertaking.
Quebec has different undertaking periods and provincial rules. Once the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident, the undertaking generally cannot be cancelled or shortened because of divorce, separation, financial difficulty, a move or Canadian citizenship.
For Quebec applications, IRCC says sponsors should not submit the provincial undertaking until IRCC provides confirmation and instructions. Quebec may refuse to process an undertaking submitted too early.
Family Sponsorship Fees In 2026
IRCC increased permanent-residence fees on April 30, 2026. For applications received on or after that date, the published family-reunification fees include:
| Fee category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship fee | $90 |
| Sponsored principal applicant | $570 |
| Sponsored dependent child when the principal applicant is under 22 and is not a spouse or partner | $90 |
| Accompanying spouse or partner | $660 |
| Accompanying dependent child | $180 |
| Right of permanent residence fee for the principal applicant and accompanying spouse or partner, where applicable | $600 each |
Applicants may also need to pay biometrics fees and third-party costs for medical examinations, police certificates, translations and document certification. Fees should be checked immediately before payment because an incorrect or incomplete payment can delay or interrupt processing.
How Long Does Family Sponsorship Take?
Family sponsorship processing times vary by application type, destination, completeness, security screening, medical processing, document verification and the number of applications in the inventory.
IRCC’s processing-time tool is the authoritative source for the current estimate. The estimate can change after submission and is not a guarantee of a decision by a specific date.
Applications destined for Quebec can involve both federal processing and Quebec’s undertaking or selection processes. An incomplete application, missed deadline, unclear relationship evidence or delayed response to an IRCC request can extend processing beyond the published estimate.
Common Family Sponsorship Mistakes
Using an outdated application guide or document checklist.
Failing to declare every family member, including non-accompanying family members.
Submitting weak or inconsistent evidence of a genuine relationship.
Paying the wrong fee after the April 30, 2026 fee increase.
Leaving gaps in addresses, employment history, travel history or relationship history.
Assuming that the Parents and Grandparents Program is open because other family sponsorship streams are accepting applications.
Submitting a Quebec undertaking before IRCC instructs the sponsor to do so.
Applicants should keep copies of the complete submission, payment receipts, delivery confirmations and all correspondence with IRCC.
Bottom Line For Family Sponsorship Applicants
Family sponsorship remains a major Canadian permanent-residence pathway for eligible relatives of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Spouses, partners, dependent children and some other relatives may qualify under open streams, but every category has separate relationship, sponsor, admissibility and documentation requirements.
As of October 19, 2026, the Parents and Grandparents Program is paused for new applications. Families seeking to reunite with parents or grandparents should review the Super Visa as a temporary option and monitor official IRCC announcements for future intake instructions.
Because family sponsorship forms, fees, processing estimates and intake rules can change, applicants should verify the current IRCC and, where relevant, Quebec requirements before submitting an application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is family sponsorship open in Canada?
Several family sponsorship streams remain available, including sponsorship for spouses, partners, dependent children and certain other relatives. The Parents and Grandparents Program is currently paused for new applications.
Who can sponsor a family member in Canada?
Generally, a sponsor must be at least 18, be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Canadian Indian Act, live in Canada and meet the applicable sponsorship requirements.
Can I sponsor my spouse without meeting a minimum income?
In most cases, there is no minimum income requirement to sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child. Exceptions can apply when the sponsored family member has dependent children who have children of their own.
How long does family sponsorship take?
Processing times vary by category, country, destination province, application completeness and security or medical checks. Applicants should use IRCC’s current processing-time tool for the latest estimate.
Can I sponsor my parents or grandparents right now?
IRCC has paused intake of new Parents and Grandparents Program applications as of 2026. Existing applications continue to be processed, and the Super Visa may provide a temporary alternative for eligible parents and grandparents.
Fact-Checked: Fact-checked against current Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada family sponsorship, fee, processing-time and Parents and Grandparents Program pages available in 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is general information and is not legal advice. Requirements, fees, processing times and intake rules may change; verify details with IRCC before applying.
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