Start with the relationship and the program status
Each family category is a separate legal class with its own definitions. Being close to someone, or supporting them financially, does not by itself make that person a member of the family class.
| Family member | Status | Main route |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner | Open | Spouse or partner sponsorship, through the family class or the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class |
| Dependent child | Open | A biological or adopted child who meets the dependent-child definition |
| Child adopted abroad | Open | The adoption process plus either sponsorship or a grant of citizenship (see International adoption) |
| Other relatives | Open, very limited | Orphaned minor relatives, or the narrow "one other relative" rule |
| Parent or grandparent | Paused for new applications since July 15, 2026 | Existing PGP files continue. The Super Visa is a temporary-visit alternative. |
Who can sponsor
Age and status
At least 18, and a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada under the Indian Act.
Living in Canada
A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor. A Canadian citizen living abroad may sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child if they show they will live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.
The undertaking
The sponsor signs an undertaking to provide for the sponsored person's basic needs (food, clothing, shelter and health needs not covered by public health care) and a sponsorship agreement. Social assistance paid to the sponsored person during the undertaking must be repaid.
Income
Sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child generally has no income requirement. An income test applies when a sponsored child, or a partner's dependent child, has dependent children of their own, and for other relatives and parents or grandparents.
Who cannot sponsor
- Spouse or partner onlyA sponsor who was sponsored as a spouse or partner and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago, or who signed an undertaking for a previous spouse or partner less than 3 years ago, cannot sponsor a new spouse or partner.
- Pending applications and custodyA sponsor cannot apply while an application to sponsor the same person is pending, or while in jail, prison or a penitentiary.
- Debts and defaultsBeing behind on an immigration loan, a performance bond or court-ordered family support, having defaulted on a past sponsorship undertaking, or being an undischarged bankrupt can bar sponsorship. Some of these bars do not apply to Quebec sponsorships of a spouse, partner or child.
- Social assistanceA sponsor who receives social assistance for a reason other than disability cannot sponsor.
- Criminal convictionsA conviction for a violent offence, an offence against a relative that caused bodily harm, or a sexual offence, in or outside Canada, can bar sponsorship. For a Canadian conviction, the bar lifts after a record suspension, a final acquittal, or five years after the sentence was completed.
- Removal orderA sponsor who is subject to a removal order cannot sponsor.
Which income test applies
Most spouse, partner and dependent-child sponsorships have no minimum income. The federal minimum necessary income applies to other relatives and to spouse, partner or child cases where the sponsored child, or the partner's child, has a dependent child. The sponsor generally shows income for the 12 months before applying, using form IMM 1283 (Financial Evaluation). The income must meet or exceed the table amount on the date you sign the sponsorship application, and IRCC may reassess it during processing if new information suggests you no longer meet it. The PGP uses a separate three-year table, and Quebec uses its own calculation.
| Size of family unit (outside Quebec) | Minimum necessary income (IRCC Federal Income Table, 2025) |
|---|---|
| 1 person (the sponsor) | $30,526 |
| 2 persons | $38,002 |
| 3 persons | $46,720 |
| 4 persons | $56,724 |
| 5 persons | $64,336 |
| 6 persons | $72,560 |
| 7 persons | $80,784 |
| Each additional person | +$8,224 |
Spouse, common-law partner and conjugal partner
| Category | Definition | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Legally married to the sponsor, at least 18, any gender, in a genuine relationship. | A marriage abroad must be legally valid where it took place and under Canadian law. Proxy, telephone, fax, internet and similar marriages where a spouse was not physically present are not recognized (IRPR 117(9)(c.1)), with a narrow exception for Canadian Armed Forces members. |
| Common-law partner | At least 18, any gender, and has lived with the sponsor in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months, with only short, temporary absences. | Joint leases or ownership, bills, identity documents at the same address, insurance, shared finances and a coherent history help prove cohabitation. |
| Conjugal partner | At least 18, lives outside Canada, in an exclusive, interdependent relationship with the sponsor for at least one year, and unable to live together or marry because of legal, immigration, social, cultural or religious barriers. | Not a substitute for a long-distance relationship or a personal choice not to marry or live together. The barrier and the interdependence need strong evidence. |
| Dependent child | The sponsor's (or partner's) biological or adopted child, under 22 and without a spouse or partner; or 22 or older, financially dependent since before 22 and unable to support themselves because of a physical or mental condition. | Apart from age, the child must keep meeting the definition until processing ends. |
Family class or the in-Canada class
| Process | When it fits | Important consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Family class (outland) | The sponsored person lives outside Canada, or lives in Canada but may not stay during processing. Required for conjugal partners and for a dependent child sponsored on their own. | If the permanent resident visa is refused, the sponsor may be able to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division, subject to limits in the Act. |
| Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (inland) | The spouse or common-law partner lives with the sponsor in Canada and has temporary resident status (or qualifies under the related public policy). | There is no appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division. Leaving Canada during processing can create re-entry problems. |
A sponsored spouse or partner living in Canada with the sponsor, and their accompanying dependent children, may be eligible for an open work permit once the permanent residence application has an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR). Applicants whose status expires within two weeks may apply without the AOR; out-of-status applicants under the spousal public policy must wait for approval in principle. A spouse or partner abroad may apply for a visitor visa, and IRCC may process it faster once the sponsorship has an AOR.
Proving a genuine relationship
- A clear chronologyHow you met, visits, cohabitation, engagement or marriage, important family events, any separations and your plans in Canada.
- Evidence across timeTravel records, communication, photos in context, shared housing and finances, insurance and beneficiary designations, money transfers, and recognition by family and community.
- Explain what may look unusualCultural, religious, family, age or language factors and living arrangements that an officer might misread. Quality, dates and consistency matter more than volume.
- Declare everyoneList every spouse, partner and child, including non-accompanying family members and those whose whereabouts are unknown. Omissions can bar future sponsorship.
- ChildrenProve parentage or adoption, custody and the other parent's consent or the legal authority to immigrate. Do not assume one parent's signature is enough.
- Consistency and updatesKeep forms, civil records, addresses, work and travel history consistent, and report births, marriages, separations, deaths, custody changes and charges promptly.
The undertaking lasts even if life changes
Divorce, separation, job loss, financial hardship or the sponsored person becoming a citizen does not cancel an undertaking. These are the periods in IRPR section 132, counted from the day the person becomes a permanent resident. Quebec sets its own periods.
| Sponsored person | Undertaking |
|---|---|
| Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner | 3 years |
| Dependent child under 22 | 10 years, or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first |
| Dependent child 22 or older | 3 years |
| Parent or grandparent | 20 years (10 years in Quebec) |
| Other relative | 10 years |
Other relatives: a narrow category
Orphaned relative
A brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild, related by blood or adoption, who is under 18, not married or in a common-law relationship, and whose parents have both died.
What is not enough
Abandonment, unknown whereabouts, detention or care by someone else does not meet the rule while a parent is alive.
One other relative
A sponsor may sponsor one relative of any age only if they have no spouse, partner, child, parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who is a citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, or whom they could sponsor.
Income and family
The minimum necessary income applies. The relative's spouse or partner and dependent children who are coming must be included in the same application.
Parents and Grandparents Program: paused
Current status
On July 15, 2026 IRCC paused the PGP. It is not accepting new interest-to-sponsor forms or sending invitations until further notice. No 2026 intake was held. Applications already submitted continue to be processed, and IRCC plans to approve up to 15,000 people through the PGP in 2026.
The last intake
The 2025 intake accepted up to 10,000 complete applications. Invitations from July 28, 2025 went only to people who had submitted an interest-to-sponsor form in 2020; no new interest form was opened.
Income (for invited and pending files)
The sponsor, with an eligible spouse or common-law partner as co-signer if needed, must meet the minimum necessary income plus 30% for each of the three tax years before applying, proved with Canada Revenue Agency notices of assessment.
Super Visa
IRCC points families to the Super Visa: a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years that allows stays of up to 5 years at a time. It is not permanent residence and has its own income, insurance and medical requirements.
| Family size | 2024 tax year | 2023 tax year | 2022 tax year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 persons | $47,549 | $44,530 | $43,082 |
| 3 persons | $58,456 | $54,743 | $52,965 |
| 4 persons | $70,972 | $66,466 | $64,306 |
| 5 persons | $80,496 | $75,384 | $72,935 |
| 6 persons | $90,784 | $85,020 | $82,259 |
| 7 persons | $101,075 | $94,658 | $91,582 |
| Each additional person | +$10,291 | +$9,636 | +$9,324 |
This is the table IRCC published for the 2025 intake. The amount must be met in each of the three years, not as an average. Family size can differ from year to year. Quebec sponsors meet Quebec's requirements instead.
Sponsors who live in Quebec
- Two stagesApply to IRCC first. Quebec sponsors must also meet Quebec's requirements and sign an undertaking with Quebec's immigration ministry (MIFI), but only after IRCC tells them to.
- Quebec limits and calendarQuebec sets a maximum number of sponsorship undertaking applications it will accept in each period, and a calendar for when they may be sent. An undertaking sent before it is allowed can be returned. Check Quebec's current rules on reception of applications immediately before sending.
- Quebec income rulesQuebec assesses financial capacity with its own tables and forms. The federal table and form IMM 1283 do not replace them.
- Undertaking periodsQuebec sets its own undertaking lengths; for a parent or grandparent it is 10 years.
Fees
From IRCC's fee list (page modified September 21, 2026). The totals include the right of permanent residence fee ($600), which can be paid later, before permanent residence is granted. IRCC refunds the right of permanent residence fee if the application is withdrawn or refused; it is the only refundable fee once processing has started. It does not apply to dependent children, sponsorship of adopted children or sponsorship of an orphaned relative.
| Application | Fee (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor a spouse or partner | $1,260 ($660 without the right of permanent residence fee) |
| Include a dependent child | $180 per child |
| Sponsor a dependent child, adopted child or orphaned relative | $180 per child |
| Sponsor a parent or grandparent (files in process) | $1,260 ($660 without the right of permanent residence fee) |
| Sponsor another relative, 22 or older | $1,260 ($660 without the right of permanent residence fee) |
| Sponsor another relative under 22 who is not a dependent child | $780 ($180 without the right of permanent residence fee) |
| Include the spouse or partner of the relative you sponsor | $1,260 ($660 without the right of permanent residence fee) |
| Biometrics | $85 per person; $170 maximum per family applying together |
How to apply
- Choose the categoryConfirm the exact class, then get the current guide, document checklist and any country-specific instructions.
- Two linked applicationsThe sponsorship application and the permanent residence application are submitted together through the Permanent Residence Portal.
- SignaturesThe principal applicant types their own name in the declaration. A paid representative must be authorized (form IMM 5476) and submits through the representative portal, but cannot sign for the client. Paper is available only as an accommodation.
- Documents and feesUpload signed forms, identity and civil documents, relationship or custody evidence, financial documents where required, police certificates, photos, translations and the fee receipt.
- After the AORGive biometrics within the deadline in the letter, complete medical exams, answer requests and attend any interview. Keep contact details and family information up to date.
- At approvalFollow the instructions for the confirmation of permanent residence, passport and visa, or virtual landing. Do not make irreversible travel plans before the documents are issued. Check the current IRCC processing times; they change often.
If you are experiencing family violence
Immigration status should not force anyone to stay with an abusive partner. If you are in immediate danger in Canada, call 911. Use a safe phone, email and device that the abuser cannot see.
Temporary resident permit
IRCC offers a special temporary resident permit for some people in Canada who are experiencing family violence and whose status depends on their spouse or partner. Check eligibility, validity and fees on IRCC's page for victims of family violence.
Pending applications and H&C
A person with a pending permanent residence application can tell IRCC about family violence through its web form. Family violence is also a factor in humanitarian and compassionate applications.
Official sources
- IRCC: Sponsor a spouse, partner or child, who can sponsor
- IRCC: Who you can sponsor
- IRCC: How to apply to sponsor a spouse, partner or child
- IRCC: Open work permit for sponsored spouses and partners
- IRCC: Guide 5196 and the Federal Income Table
- IRCC: Sponsor other relatives
- IRCC: Sponsor your parents and grandparents
- IRCC notice: Parents and Grandparents Program paused (July 15, 2026)
- IRCC: PGP income requirements
- IRCC: Parent and Grandparent Super Visa
- Justice Laws: IRPR s. 117 (family class)
- Justice Laws: IRPR s. 132 (undertaking periods)
- Justice Laws: IRPR s. 133 (sponsor requirements)
- IRCC: Fee list
- Gouvernement du Québec: Rules for reception of sponsorship applications
- IRCC: Help for victims of family violence
- IRCC: Processing times
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.