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 differ widely by category and by whether the application is processed inside or outside Canada. Spousal sponsorship often takes twelve to twenty-four months or more; parent and grandparent streams depend on annual intake caps and lottery selection when applicable.
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; the best way to know for sure is to start an assessment or book a free consultation with our team.
- 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?