Family Sponsorship

The required income depends on the type of sponsorship and the size of your family unit.

• In most sponsorship cases, you must sign an undertaking to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person.

• For certain programs, such as the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP), you must also meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirements.

• You must show that you have met the MNI for the past 3 taxation years (based on Canada Revenue Agency Notices of Assessment).

• Sponsors living in Quebec must meet different income requirements set by the province.

As a sponsor, you promise to provide your family members with:

• Food, clothing, and shelter.

• Other necessities of life.

• Health-related needs not covered by Canada’s public health system, such as dental and eye care.

⚠️ Note: This obligation applies only if the sponsored person is unable to provide for themselves.

Yes. The undertaking may be shared by a co-signer, but only if the co-signer is the:

• Sponsor’s spouse,

• Common-law partner, or

• Conjugal partner.

The co-signer must also meet the same eligibility requirements as the sponsor.

As a sponsor, you (and your co-signer, if applicable) must sign an undertaking with:

• The Government of Canada, or

• The Government of Quebec (if you live in Quebec).

By signing, you promise to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person(s) for a set period after their arrival in Canada.

The purpose of this undertaking is to ensure that your family members do not rely on social assistance or welfare once they arrive.

No. Once the sponsored family members have arrived in Canada, the undertaking cannot be cancelled, withdrawn, or modified by the sponsor.

If a sponsor (or co-signer) fails to meet the commitments of the undertaking, they may face legal action and be required to repay any social assistance benefits that the sponsored person(s) receive.

• If the sponsor alone does not meet the financial requirements, their spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner may act as a co-signer.

• The financial abilities of both will be combined and assessed together. The co-signer is equally liable if the sponsor defaults.

• If the combined financial situation still falls short of the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI), the sponsorship application will be refused.

• Exception: Financial ability requirements do not apply when sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child.

Yes. The sponsor must also sign a Sponsorship Agreement with the sponsored person(s).

• By signing, the sponsor agrees to provide for their essential needs.

• The sponsored person(s) agree to make every effort to become self-supporting once in Canada.

Yes. A sponsored spouse or common-law partner may work or study in Canada while their application is being processed, provided they have valid authorization:

• They must maintain legal status in Canada (as a visitor, student, or worker).

• They may apply for an open work permit, which typically takes 4–5 months to process.

• An open work permit is not tied to a specific employer or job, allowing them to work for almost any Canadian employer without a confirmed job offer.

Yes. Canada recognizes same-sex relationships for immigration purposes. You may sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner regardless of their sex.

No. Marriage to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident does not automatically grant permanent residence. The Canadian partner must submit a spousal sponsorship application, and the foreign spouse will only gain permanent residency once the application is approved.

The sponsorship application can be submitted once the adoption is in its final phase. However, processing will not begin until the adoption is legally finalized.

No. Dependents of the sponsored person do not have to accompany them to Canada.
However, whether accompanying or not, all dependents must undergo:

• Medical examinations

• Police and security clearances

Interviews are rare but may be required in certain cases. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may request an interview if:

• There is insufficient documentation supporting the relationship.

• There are discrepancies in the information provided (e.g., on forms or documents).

• There are factors such as significant age differences, religious differences, or little/no cohabitation between partners.

Yes. In most cases, you do not need to show proof of income when sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner.
However:

• An immigration officer may still request an interview to ask how you plan to support yourself and your spouse.

• Note: Income requirements do apply when sponsoring other family members (such as parents or grandparents).

Yes. You may sponsor more than one person (or couple) under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

• A separate application must be submitted for each individual or couple.

• Each application will be processed independently.

You may not be eligible to sponsor if you:

• Are in prison.

• Have unpaid child support obligations.

• Have declared bankruptcy and not yet been discharged.

• Have defaulted on an immigration loan or failed to make repayments.

• Sponsored another relative in the past but did not comply with the sponsorship agreement.

• Were convicted of a violent crime or certain other criminal offenses.

To sponsor a relative, you must complete the following steps:

1. Get the application package from the official Government of Canada website, read the instruction guide, and fill out the required forms.

2. Pay the application fees, which may include processing fees, biometrics, and third-party fees.

3. Submit your application to the mailing address provided in the application guide.

Processing times vary depending on the type of sponsorship:

• Spousal sponsorship: approximately 12 months.

• Dependent children: varies depending on the country of application.

• Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP): approximately 20–24 months.

Canada welcomes over 100,000 family class immigrants each year under its Immigration Levels Plan.

IRCC requires proof of relationship, which depends on who you are sponsoring:

• Parents, grandparents, or children: Birth certificates or adoption records.

• Spouse: Marriage certificate.

• Additional supporting evidence for spousal/common-law sponsorship may include:

  • Joint bank account statements

  • Travel itineraries and tickets

  • Wedding invitations and photos

  • Emails, chats, or other correspondence

Providing as much relevant documentation as possible helps strengthen your application.

IRCC requires that you include strong proof of your spousal relationship. Your evidence should include:

• IMM 5532 questionnaire (“Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation”) — included in the application package.

• Marriage certificate and proof the marriage is registered with a government authority.

• Proof of divorce if either spouse was previously married.

• Children in common: Long-form birth certificates or adoption records naming both parents.

• Wedding invitations and photos.

In addition, couples must provide at least two of the following sets of documents (or a written explanation if they cannot):

• Evidence of joint ownership of property.

• Rental agreement showing both names.

• Joint utility accounts, joint credit cards, or joint bank accounts.

• Car insurance listing both partners at the same address.

• Government-issued ID showing the same address (e.g., driver’s license).

• Other official documents with the same address (e.g., cellphone bills, pay stubs, tax records, insurance policies, financial statements).

Evidence requirements differ depending on whether the couple lives together:

General requirements:

• IMM 5532 questionnaire (included in the application package).

• Proof of separation from any former spouse.

• IMM 5519 form if previously in a common-law relationship.

• Children in common: Long-form birth certificates listing both parents.

• Photos of the couple together.

• At least two of the following sets of documents (or a written explanation if not possible):

  • Documents showing recognition of the relationship (employment/insurance benefits).

  • Evidence of shared expenses or financial support.

  • Proof the relationship is recognized by friends/family (letters, social media posts, etc.).

If the couple is living together: Provide at least two of the following sets of documents:

• Joint ownership of property.

• Rental agreement showing both names.

• Joint utility accounts, joint credit cards, or joint bank accounts.

• Car insurance showing both names at the same address.

• Government-issued ID with the same address.

• Other official documents showing the same address (cellphone bills, tax records, pay stubs, insurance, etc.).

If the couple is not currently living together: Show evidence of previously living together for at least one year, such as:

• Proof of ongoing contact (letters, text messages, emails, social media chats) — max 10 pages of evidence.

• Proof of visits (flight tickets, boarding passes, passport stamps).

• If no visits occurred, the sponsored person must provide an explanation in the IMM 5532 questionnaire (Part C, Question 4).