There are two stages in the process for your eligible relatives to become permanent residents.
- You apply to sponsor your relatives.
- Your family members must apply for permanent residence.
You must send both your sponsorship application and the permanent residence application for your relatives at the same time.
To apply as a sponsor, you must be at least 18 years of age and a:
- Canadian citizen or
- person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or
- permanent resident of Canada
We’ll process your application to sponsor and write you to tell you if we approve your application.
How to apply?
To apply to sponsor your eligible relatives you must:
- Get the application package
The application package includes the:
- instruction guide
- forms you need to fill out
- document checklist (PDF, 822KB)
When submitting applications:
- you’ll have to provide proof of income
- your relatives must state they will try to support themselves
- you must agree in writing to support your relatives for a set amount of time (3 to 20 years)
- include all your relative’s dependent children (if any) on your relative’s application
- include all the documents listed in the document checklist
- missing information or documents can delay your application
All information in your application must be true. You must tell the truth about:
- your family members (include them all on your application)
- your marital status
- any change in your case
The people you sponsor must also tell us about each of their close family members. These family members must have a security and criminality check and a medical exam. If they don’t, the sponsored person won’t be able to sponsor them in the future.
Helping your relative with their application?
If you want to:
- prepare your relative’s application for them
- This would mean that you’d be acting as their representative.
- check on their application status
You have to request permission and provide the right forms with your application.
Find out how to act as a representative or access your family member’s information.
- Pay your application fees
In most cases, your fees will include:
- processing fees for you, the people you’re sponsoring and their dependants
- the right of permanent residence fee
- the biometrics fee
Biometrics fee
In most cases, you must pay a biometrics fee when you submit your application. Otherwise you may experience delays. The biometrics fee covers the cost of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.
After you pay the biometrics fee with a complete application, we’ll send your family members a letter confirming that they need to give their biometrics and where they can go. Your family members must show this letter when they give their biometrics.
They must give their biometrics in person. They should book an appointment if this service is offered. Find a collection point.
Third-party fees
Depending on your situation, you may need to pay third parties for:
- medical exams
- police certificates
- You need to include police certificates when you apply.
- You need a police certificate for the people being sponsored and each family member 18 or older (who isn’t already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident).
- Police certificates are generally valid for 1 year from the date they’re issued.
- Depending on processing time, we may ask you for new certificates.
The instruction guide can help you understand which fees apply to you.
- Submit your application
The mailing address is in the instruction guide.
Find out how long it will take to process your application.
Relatives who can be sponsored include:
spouse – (restrictions apply)
common-law partner – (restrictions apply)
conjugal partner – (restrictions apply)
dependent children
parents – (Additional conditions apply)
grandparents – (Additional conditions apply)
brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
another relative of any age or relationship but only under specific conditions accompanying relatives of the above (for example, spouse, partner and dependent children).
Spouses and common-law partners who come to Canada under the sponsorship programs are allowed to work under the Spousal Work Permit Pilot Program.
government believes in keeping families together, and prioritizes the processing of sponsorship applications. There are many options for family members that are Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor a family member living abroad, to become a permanent resident in Canada.
