Family Sponsorship Canada
Family reunification is at the heart of Canadian immigration. Our licensed RCIC-IRB consultant helps Canadian citizens and permanent residents sponsor their spouses, partners, parents, grandparents, and dependent children to join them in Canada.
Program Overview
Everything you need to know about Family Sponsorship Canada
The Family Class Sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their close family members for permanent residency in Canada. This includes spouses and common-law partners, dependent children, parents, and grandparents.
As a sponsor, you must meet specific financial and eligibility requirements and sign an undertaking to provide financial support for the sponsored person. For the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) based on family size using their 2024 tax year income (e.g., $47,549 CAD for a family of 2, $58,456 CAD for a family of 3, or $70,972 CAD for a family of 4).
Important 2025 SOWP update: Since January 21, 2025, Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs) for spouses of international students are restricted to spouses of students enrolled in master's programs of 16 months or longer, or doctoral programs only. Spouses of undergraduate and college diploma students are no longer eligible. Rare corporate exemptions may apply for significant investment projects (e.g., in BC).
Our team handles the complex documentation requirements, helps you understand your obligations as a sponsor, and works to ensure your application is processed as efficiently as possible. We have extensive experience with both inland and outland spousal sponsorship applications.
Eligibility Requirements
Key requirements you need to meet
- Sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older
- Sponsor must demonstrate ability to provide basic financial needs for the sponsored person
- Sponsor must not be in default on previous sponsorship undertakings or immigration loans
- Sponsored person must pass medical, criminal, and security checks
- Genuine relationship evidence (for spousal/partner sponsorship)
- Meeting the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) threshold for parent/grandparent sponsorship
- Sponsor must not have been convicted of certain criminal offences
Our Process
How we guide you from start to finish
Free Assessment
We review both the sponsor and the applicant's eligibility, discuss the type of sponsorship (inland vs. outland), and outline the documentation requirements and expected processing times.
Document Collection & Relationship Evidence
We help you gather all required documents including identity documents, relationship evidence (photos, communication records, financial ties), police certificates, and financial documents to prove sponsor eligibility.
Application Submission
Both the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application are carefully prepared and submitted together. We ensure the package is complete to avoid processing delays.
Processing & Landing
We monitor your application, respond to any requests from IRCC, prepare you for interviews if required, and guide you through the final steps of permanent residence confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Family Sponsorship Canada
IRCC currently processes spousal and common-law partner sponsorship applications in approximately 15 months (outside Quebec) or 21 months (inland). Processing times are estimates and subject to change. Current as of March 2026.
Yes. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) opens periodically for new applications through an interest-to-sponsor process. Sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for three consecutive tax years. For the 2024 tax year, the MNI thresholds are: $47,549 CAD (family of 2), $58,456 CAD (family of 3), and $70,972 CAD (family of 4). Alternatively, a Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to visit Canada for up to 5 years at a time.
Inland sponsorship is for spouses or partners already living in Canada and allows the applicant to apply for an open work permit while waiting. Outland sponsorship is for spouses or partners living outside Canada and is generally processed through the visa office responsible for their country of residence.
Yes. Canada recognizes common-law partnerships for immigration purposes. You must provide evidence that you have lived together in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 continuous months. Conjugal partner sponsorship is also available in certain circumstances where couples cannot live together.
Since January 21, 2025, Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs) for spouses of international students are restricted to spouses of students enrolled in master's degree programs of 16 months or longer, or doctoral programs only. Spouses of undergraduate and college diploma students are no longer eligible. In rare cases, corporate exemptions may exist for significant investment projects (e.g., in British Columbia).
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