Permanent residence
Family Sponsorship
Canadian citizens and permanent residents 18 or older can sponsor close family members to immigrate. Spouses and dependent children get the fastest processing.
Who you can sponsor
- Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner (any gender)
- Dependent children (under 22 and not married, or financially dependent due to a condition)
- Parents and grandparents — through the annual Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lottery + invitation, or via a Super Visa
- An orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew, or grandchild under 18
- In limited circumstances, another relative (if you have no other living family)
Sponsor requirements
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Indian Act
- Be at least 18 years old
- Live in Canada (or plan to return when the sponsored person becomes a PR — citizens only)
- Sign an undertaking to financially support the sponsored person and their family for 3 to 20 years
- Meet a minimum income level (only required for parents, grandparents, or a spouse with dependent children of their own who have children)
- Not be in default on a previous undertaking, on social assistance, or in receivership
Spouse / partner pathway
- Inland sponsorship: applicant lives in Canada and gets an open work permit while waiting
- Outland sponsorship: applicant lives outside Canada or wants to retain travel flexibility
- Processing target is roughly 12 months for both, but actual times vary
- Genuine relationship is the central issue — be prepared to document the history with photos, communication logs, joint financials, etc.
Costs
- Sponsorship fee: $85 CAD
- Principal applicant processing fee: $570 CAD
- Right of permanent residence fee: $575 CAD
- Biometrics: $85 CAD per person
- Dependent child fee: $175 CAD per child
Official source
Eligibility, fees, and processing times are pulled from canada.ca. They change frequently — confirm against the IRCC page before submitting an application.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship.html ↗