Family Sponsorship
Reunite with your spouse, partner, children, or parents through family sponsorship.
Prepared under the legal authority of Atty. George M. Garvida, Barrister & Solicitor
What This Pathway Is
Family sponsorship lets Canadian citizens and permanent residents bring close family members to Canada as permanent residents. The most common streams are spousal or common-law partner sponsorship, dependent children, and — when intake is open — parents and grandparents.
The sponsor must meet eligibility requirements, including being at least 18, living in Canada (for most streams), and agreeing to financially support the person they sponsor for a set period. The person being sponsored must pass medical, criminal, and background checks.
Processing times change. Check IRCC's processing-times tool for the current estimate. In its 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan (5 November 2026), IRCC said extra admission space in 2027 should help bring wait times closer to 12 months for spouse or common-law partner applications from people living in Canada outside Quebec. This is a government goal, not a guarantee, and IRCC says applicants do not need to do anything or contact IRCC. The Parents and Grandparents Program has been paused since 15 July 2026.
Are You Likely Qualified?
This is a general guide for spousal, common-law, and conjugal partner sponsorship — not parent or grandparent (PGP) sponsorship, which is a separate program. Many factors affect actual qualification; start an assessment or book a free screening if you want the office to review your facts.
- You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years old.
- You can demonstrate a genuine relationship (for spousal or partner sponsorship) with supporting evidence.
- For most spousal, common-law, or conjugal partner cases, there is no minimum income requirement — income is only assessed if a dependent grandchild would be included in the sponsorship.
- You are not receiving social assistance (other than disability benefits), and neither you nor the person being sponsored has serious admissibility issues that would block approval.
- You understand the undertaking to provide financial support for the sponsored person for the required period.
Based on what you've read, what would you like to do?