What this page is: a comprehensive guide to sponsoring your family members to become permanent residents of Canada. This includes sponsoring your spouse, partner, children, parents, and grandparents.
Family reunification: Canada values family unity. If you're a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18+, you can sponsor certain relatives to come permanently to Canada if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Section 1: Sponsor Your Spouse, Partner or Child
This section covers sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent children.
Who can sponsor (spouse/partner/child)
You can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child if you:
- Are at least 18 years old
- Are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
- Are able to prove you're not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
Key Point: Generally, there is NO income requirement to sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child (unless they have dependent children of their own).
Income requirement (spouse/partner/child)
In most cases, there is NO income requirement.
Income requirement ONLY applies if:
- You're sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own
- You're sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more dependent children of their own
If this applies to you, complete the Financial Evaluation Form (IMM 1283) to determine how much money you need.
Who cannot sponsor (spouse/partner/child)
Specific bars for spouse/partner sponsorship:
- You were sponsored by a spouse or partner and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago
- You signed an undertaking for a previous spouse/partner you sponsored and it hasn't been 3 years since they became a permanent resident (you're still financially responsible)
General bars for all sponsorships:
- You have already applied to sponsor the same person and a decision hasn't been made yet
- You are in jail, prison or a penitentiary
- You are behind on payments for an immigration loan, performance bond, or court-ordered family support payments (alimony/child support)
- You did not provide financial support you agreed to in a previous sponsorship agreement
- You declared bankruptcy and are not discharged (exception for Quebec sponsors of spouse/partner/child)
- You are receiving social assistance for a reason other than a disability
- You were convicted of a violent criminal offence, offence against a relative causing bodily harm, or sexual offence (within or outside Canada)
- You received a Removal Order and must leave Canada
Documents required (spouse/partner/child)
Identity documents
- Passport or travel documents
- Birth certificates
- National identity documents
Relationship proof
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Common-law relationship evidence (12+ months living together)
- Photos together over time
- Communication records (emails, messages, calls)
- Joint accounts, bills, lease agreements
Background checks
- Police certificates from all countries lived in 6+ months since age 18
- Medical examination results
Download: Get the complete document checklist and forms from
Canada.ca
Application process (spouse/partner/child)
1
Gather documents
Identity documents, relationship proof, photos, police certificates, medical exams for your spouse/partner/child.
2
Complete application forms
Sponsorship forms, principal applicant forms, and all supporting schedules.
3
Pay fees
Sponsorship fee ($85), principal applicant processing fee ($545), and right of permanent residence fee ($575). Total: $1,205 CAD.
4
Submit application
Apply online (recommended) or mail to appropriate processing center. Processing time: typically 12 months.
Quebec residents:
After IRCC approves your sponsorship, you must submit an undertaking application to the Quebec ministry (Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration). Wait for IRCC's instruction before submitting to Quebec.
Section 2: Sponsor Your Parents and Grandparents
This section covers sponsoring your biological or adopted parents and grandparents.
Who can sponsor (parents/grandparents)
You can sponsor your biological or adopted parents and grandparents if you:
- Are invited to apply through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) intake
- Are at least 18 years old
- Live in Canada - your primary residential address must be in Canada when you submit and until a decision is made
- Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
- Have enough income to support the people you want to sponsor (meet Minimum Necessary Income for 3 consecutive years)
- Commit to an undertaking - providing financial support for 20 years starting when they become permanent residents
2025 Update: IRCC intends to accept up to 10,000 complete applications for the Parents and Grandparents Program in 2025. You must first submit an Interest to Sponsor form when intake opens, then wait for a random invitation.
Income requirement (parents/grandparents)
You MUST meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for the 3 most recent tax years before you apply.
For 2025 applications:
- You must meet the income requirement for tax years 2022, 2023, and 2024
- Income can include your spouse or common-law partner's income if they co-sign
- The minimum income is based on your family size (including yourself, your spouse, dependents, AND the relatives you're sponsoring)
- Income must come from Canadian sources only
Acceptable income sources:
- Employment income
- Self-employment income
- Interest and dividends
- Pensions
- Rental income
NOT acceptable:
- Social assistance payments (except disability)
- Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
- Loans or credit
- Assets (property, vehicles, etc.)
Important: The MNI amounts are updated annually by IRCC. Check the official Income Table on Canada.ca for the current year's requirements based on your family size.
Proof of income (parents/grandparents)
You must provide Notice of Assessment (NOA) from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the last 3 tax years.
Two ways to provide proof:
Option 1: Submit documents
- Option C printout (proof of income statement) from CRA
- Or your Notice of Assessment for each year
- T4, T4A, T5 slips
- T1 General tax returns
Option 2: Authorize IRCC
- Authorize IRCC to retrieve your tax information directly from CRA
- Faster and more convenient
- Sign the consent form included in the application
Co-signing:
You may have a spouse or common-law partner co-sign the application to combine your incomes. Both of you must meet all other sponsorship requirements and provide proof of income.
Who cannot sponsor (parents/grandparents)
You may NOT be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:
- Were not invited to apply through the Parents and Grandparents Program
- Are in jail, prison or penitentiary
- Didn't pay back an immigration loan, performance bond, or court-ordered family support payments (alimony/child support)
- Didn't provide financial support you agreed to in a previous sponsorship agreement
- Declared bankruptcy and are not discharged
- Receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
- Were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative, or any sexual offence (inside or outside Canada)
- Received a Removal Order and must leave Canada
- Do not meet the income requirement for the 3 consecutive tax years
Documents required (parents/grandparents)
Financial documents
- Notice of Assessment (NOA) for 3 years
- T4, T4A, T5 slips
- T1 General tax returns
- Employment letters
- Pay stubs (recent)
Identity documents
- Passport or travel documents
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates (if applicable)
- Proof of relationship to you
Background checks
- Police certificates from all countries lived in 6+ months since age 18
- Medical examination results
Application process (parents/grandparents)
1
Submit Interest to Sponsor
When the intake opens, submit an Interest to Sponsor form. This enters you into the pool for random selection. The form is simple and takes about 10 minutes.
2
Wait for invitation
IRCC conducts random draws from the pool. If selected, you'll receive an email invitation with a confirmation number. Check your spam/junk folder regularly.
3
Prepare your application (if invited)
You have 60 days from the date of invitation to submit a complete application. Gather all documents, complete forms, and provide income proof for 3 tax years.
4
Pay fees & submit
Sponsorship fee ($75), principal applicant fee ($490 per person), and right of PR fee ($515 per person). Apply online (recommended) or by mail.
5
Sign undertaking & wait for decision
Sign a 20-year undertaking to financially support your parents/grandparents. Processing time: typically 20-24 months.
Important: Being invited does NOT guarantee approval. You must still meet all eligibility requirements, including income, when you apply and when IRCC makes a decision.
Quebec residents:
After IRCC approves your sponsorship, you must submit an undertaking application to Quebec. Don't submit until IRCC tells you to do so. Quebec has its own income requirements and evaluation process.
The 20-year undertaking (parents/grandparents)
When you sponsor your parents or grandparents, you must sign an undertaking - a legally binding commitment.
What the undertaking means:
- You agree to provide financial support for your parents/grandparents for 20 years
- The 20-year period starts when they become permanent residents
- You must repay any social assistance they receive during this time
- This commitment continues even if:
- Your relationship with them breaks down
- Your financial situation changes
- They become Canadian citizens
- You become a Canadian citizen (if you're currently a PR)
Legal obligation: The undertaking is a legal contract. If you fail to meet your obligations, the government can take legal action to recover any social assistance payments made to your sponsored relatives.
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Official resources
Spouse, Partner & Children:
Parents & Grandparents:
This summary simplifies official wording. The Government of Canada pages control if anything changes.
Prepared for clients in plain language. This page is not legal advice.