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💡To qualify for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), IRCC strictly requires you to prove your income using official Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Notices of Assessment. Foreign income only counts…
💡Yes, you can include a dependent sibling in a Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) application if they are under 22 years old and unmarried. You must add them to IRCC…
💡Generally, regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits do not count towards your Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for PGP sponsorship. However, IRCC makes a strict exception for EI maternity and parental benefits.…
💡Yes, you can absolutely sponsor only one divorced parent to Canada through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). By doing so, you reduce your required Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) threshold,…
💡The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) grants Permanent Residency but operates on a highly competitive, slow lottery system. In contrast, the Super Visa is a temporary visitor document allowing parents…
💡When sponsoring parents or grandparents to Canada, you must sign a legally binding 20-year undertaking. This means you are completely financially liable for their basic needs for two decades, and…
💡In 2026, the standard processing time for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is generally between 20 and 24 months. To sponsor your family, you must prove three consecutive years…
💡If you miss the strict 60-day deadline to submit your Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) application, your invitation becomes permanently void. Your best alternative is to immediately apply for a…
💡If your individual income is too low to sponsor your parents, your spouse or common-law partner can act as a co-signer. This allows you to pool both of your incomes…
💡Under Canadian immigration law, a PGP sponsor must maintain the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) from the day the application is filed until the exact day the parents are granted Permanent…
💡To sponsor your parents or grandparents to Canada under the PGP, you must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI). This is calculated as the federal Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus…
🔎In Canada, all family sponsorship applications undergo mandatory security and criminality checks. If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) flags an applicant due to military history, government employment, or extended…
💡Adding multiple dependent children to a spousal sponsorship costs $150 CAD per child in IRCC processing fees. Biometrics are capped at $170 CAD per family, while hiring a Canadian immigration…
💡To remove a dependent child from a PR application, you must formally notify IRCC via Webform and re-classify them as non-accompanying. While there is no government fee to update your…
💡You cannot sponsor a sibling to Canada simply because you are related. Under strict IRCC rules, you can only sponsor a brother or sister if they are under 18 years…
💡To sponsor a grandchild to Canada, they must be strictly orphaned (both parents deceased), under 18 years of age, and not married. The IRCC application fee is $150 CAD, but…
💡To sponsor a dependent child to Canada, you must prove you have the legal right to remove them from their home country. IRCC requires a completed IMM 5604 Form (Declaration…
💡If you have a baby while your Canadian spousal sponsorship is processing, you must immediately notify IRCC through the Web Form. If the baby is born outside Canada, you must…
💡To successfully sponsor a child to Canada without your ex-spouse accompanying you, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) absolutely requires the ex-spouse to sign Form IMM 5604. If they refuse,…
👪You can only sponsor a nephew or niece to Canada if they meet the strict legal definition of an “orphaned relative.” They must be under 18 years old, unmarried, and…
💡If you are a Canadian Permanent Resident (PR) and you have a baby outside of Canada, the child does not automatically gain Canadian status. You must formally sponsor them for…
🎯 Specialization: Real Estate Closings, Spousal Sponsorship, Will Drafting, Business Incorporation
🗣️ Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi
📍 Address: 10 Gillingham Dr, Brampton, Ontario
🏢 Est: 2019
🎯 Specialization: Express Entry, Family Sponsorship, Landlord Tenant Disputes, Personal Tax Filing
🗣️ Languages: English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
📍 Address: 33 City Centre Dr # 650, Mississauga, Ontario
🏢 Est: 1999
🎯 Specialization: Refugee Claims, Spousal Sponsorship, Express Entry, Citizenship
🗣️ Languages: English, Arabic
📍 Address: 10601 Southport Rd SW Suite 200, Calgary, Alberta
🎯 Specialization: LMIA Applications, Spousal Sponsorship, Express Entry, Post-Graduate Work Permits
🗣️ Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi
📍 Address: 32615 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, British Columbia
🏢 Est: 2019
🎯 Specialization: Refugee Law, Immigration Visas, Canadian Citizenship, General Practice
🗣️ Languages: English, French
📍 Address: 1423 Rue de l'Aeronca, Sherbrooke, Quebec
🎯 Specialization: Federal Court Appeals, Spousal Sponsorship, Criminal Inadmissibility, Humanitarian Applications
🗣️ Languages: English
📍 Address: 100 New Park Pl, Vaughan, Ontario
🏢 Est: 2002
✨ Free Consultation
🎯 Specialization: Refugee Claims, Immigration Appeals, Spousal Sponsorship, Detention Reviews
🗣️ Languages: English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
📍 Address: 5730 Coopers Ave, Mississauga, Ontario
🎯 Specialization: Crimmigration, Detention Reviews, Human Rights, Refugee Appeals
🗣️ Languages: English, French, Italian
📍 Address: 116 Lisgar Street, Ottawa, Ontario
🏢 Est: 2014
🎯 Specialization: Immigration Appeals, Refugee Claims, Start-Up Visa, Spousal Sponsorship, Study Permits
🗣️ Languages: English, Punjabi
📍 Address: 35969 Emily Carr Crescent, Abbotsford, British Columbia
🎯 Specialization: RNIP Sudbury, Vietnamese Immigration, Student Permits
🗣️ Languages: English, Vietnamese
📍 Address: 81 Larch St, Sudbury, Ontario
🏢 Est: 2013
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance Records,…
📍 101 22nd St E, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Passports, Records of Employment
📍 118B-1835 Gordon Dr, Kelowna, British Columbia
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: social-insurance-number, canadian-passport, biometrics
📍 9700 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, Alberta
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Fishing Licenses, Tax Compliance, Federal Identification
📍 80 Water St, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Canadian Passports (10-day service), Social Insurance Numbers, Access Codes
📍 1615 Dundas St E #6, Whitby, Ontario
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Canadian Passport
📍 540 Beaumont Ave, Montreal, Quebec
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Passport Program, Travel Documents, Biometrics
📍 757 W Hastings St, Vancouver, British Columbia
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Passports, Biometrics
📍 210 Rue Champlain, Gatineau, Quebec
⚙️ Services: Appointment Records, Audit Reports, Language Testing Results, Employment Statistics
📍 2350 Albert St, Regina, Saskatchewan
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Numbers, Passports, Record of Employment, Pension Statements, Apprenticeship Grants
📍 95 Foundry St Suite 110, Moncton, New Brunswick
Welcome to the Canada Federal Family Sponsorship guide centre. Here you will find comprehensive resources covering everything from sponsoring a spouse to bringing your dependent children to Canada, based on current federal regulations.
Family reunification is a core pillar of Canada’s immigration system, managed entirely at the federal level by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Whether you reside in Vancouver, Toronto, or Halifax, the federal laws governing who you can sponsor and the financial commitments required remain exactly the same. The primary legislation guiding these applications is the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Bringing your loved ones to Canada can be an emotional and highly rewarding journey, but the process is exceptionally rigorous. The government requires extensive proof of relationship genuineness and financial stability to ensure sponsored family members are fully supported upon arrival. This guide centre is designed to help you navigate these complex requirements and clearly understand your legal responsibilities as a sponsor.
Our resources break down the complexities of the family class sponsorship process. We cover many common topics, including:
Family sponsorship is a federal process handled primarily by centralized IRCC processing offices across the country. However, if a family class sponsorship application is refused, the sponsor usually has the right to appeal the decision. These appeals are not heard in provincial courts like the Superior Court of Justice or the Court of King’s Bench, but rather at the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the independent Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).
You may also interact with other specialized agencies during the application timeline. Sponsored family members must complete mandatory medical exams with IRCC-approved panel physicians and obtain police certificates from their home countries. Furthermore, if an application requires a complex legal challenge beyond the IAD, such as a Judicial Review for an unreasonable refusal, the matter is escalated strictly to the Federal Court of Canada.
The emotional stakes of family sponsorship are incredibly high, and the paperwork can be overwhelming. A single missing document, a missed deadline, or a poorly explained relationship timeline can result in years of processing delays or an outright refusal. We strongly advise against navigating complex sponsorship appeals, overcoming criminal inadmissibility, or explaining complicated relationship histories on your own without professional guidance.
A qualified immigration lawyer can help you build a robust application, ensure all financial undertakings are accurately calculated, and protect your rights during a tribunal hearing. You can find a list of relevant local lawyers and government agencies at the top of this page. Relying on a legal professional provides the best chance of reuniting with your loved ones in Canada without unnecessary stress or critical errors.
To be a sponsor, you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident living in Canada, or a person registered under the Canadian Indian Act. You must also be at least 18 years old and able to prove you can provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person without relying on social assistance.
An undertaking is a legally binding promise you make to the Government of Canada to provide financial support for your sponsored relative’s basic needs. If they receive provincial social assistance during this defined period, you will be legally required to repay the government in full.
When you sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, the length of the financial undertaking is strictly three years from the day they become a permanent resident. This legally binding commitment applies even if the relationship breaks down, you separate, or you get a divorce.
Inland sponsorship is for spouses already living together inside Canada, which often allows the sponsored person to apply for an open work permit while waiting. Outland sponsorship is processed through the visa office in the sponsored person’s home country, though they can still visit Canada as a tourist if they secure a temporary visa.
Yes, permanent residency is possible through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), though this operates on a lottery-based intake system that is highly competitive. Alternatively, you can apply for a Super Visa, which allows them to visit Canada for extended periods of up to five years per entry.
Absolutely. If your sponsored relative has a criminal conviction, including offences like impaired driving (DUI) or minor theft, they may be deemed criminally inadmissible to Canada under the IRPA. Overcoming this typically requires applying for Criminal Rehabilitation before or alongside the sponsorship.
Most refusals for family class sponsorships involving spouses, dependent children, or parents can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. An immigration lawyer can help you prepare evidence and represent you at the appeal hearing.
