Sponsor Spouse, Partner, or Children

Eligibility

As of October 25, 2012, sponsored spouses or partners must live with their sponsor in a legitimate relationship for two years from the day they get their permanent resident status in Canada.

This applies to you if:

  • a permanent resident or Canadian citizen is sponsoring you,
  • you and your sponsor have been in a relationship for two years or less,
  • you have no children in common and
  • we got your application on or after October 25, 2012

You can apply to sponsor spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children to immigrate to Canada. It does not matter if they live in or outside Canada. If they live in Canada, they do not need to have legal status to be sponsored.

Your family member must have medical, criminal and background checks. If they have a criminal record or are a risk to Canada’s security, they may not be allowed to enter Canada.

They may have to get a police certificate in their home country.

You can sponsor spouse, common-law or conjugal partner (partner), or dependent children if you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. To be a sponsor, you must be 18 or older.

When you sponsor one of these relatives to become permanent residents of Canada, you must support them financially. This means you have to meet certain income guidelines.

If you have sponsored relatives to come to Canada in the past, and they have later asked the government for financial help, you may not be allowed to sponsor another person. Sponsorship is a big commitment, so you must take it seriously.

To be a sponsor you must:

  • agree in writing to give financial support to your relative, if they need it
    • for a spouse or partner, this lasts for three years from the date they become a permanent resident, and
    • for a dependent child, this lasts for 10 years, or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first.

Your relative must also agree to try to support themselves.

You may not be eligible to be a sponsor if you:

  • did not meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement in the past,
  • did not pay alimony or child support even though a court ordered it,
  • get government financial help for reasons other than being disabled,
  • were convicted of
    • an offence of a sexual nature,
    • a violent crime,
    • an offence against a relative that resulted in bodily harm or
    • an attempt or threat to commit any such offences, depending on the detailss of the case, such as
      • the type of offence,
      • how long ago it occurred and
      • whether a record suspension was issued (see Sponsorship bar for violent crime below),
  • were sponsored as a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner in the past and became a permanent resident of Canada less than five years ago (see Five-year sponsorship bar below)
  • did not pay back an immigration loan, made late payments or missed payments,
  • are in prison or
  • have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it yet.

Other things not on this list may stop you from being able to sponsor a relative.

If you live in Quebec, Citizenship and Immigration Canada must approve you as a sponsor first. Then you must also meet Quebec’s conditions to be a sponsor.

Five-year sponsorship bar for people who were sponsored to come to Canada as a spouse or partner

Due to changes in Canada’s immigration law, if a spouse or partner sponsored you, you now cannot sponsor a new spouse or partner within five years of becoming a permanent resident.

This rule applies even if you got your Canadian citizenship within those five years. Other members of the Family Class will not be affected by the rule change.

Spouses and partners sponsored before
Date CIC got your sponsorship application Are you eligible to sponsor someone?
Before March 2, 2012 The five-year sponsorship bar does not apply, no matter when you became a permanent resident.
On or after March 2, 2012 The five-year sponsorship bar applies. You cannot sponsor someone until you have been a permanent resident for five years.

Sponsorship bar for violent crime

The sponsorship bar stops people who have been convicted of certain crimes from sponsoring a family member.

If you have been convicted of a crime that caused bodily harm to any of the relatives below, you cannot sponsor anyone under the Family Class.

Definitions of Terms

These are the Definitions of Terms related to the terms used to describe the various roles.

Please Contact Us for more information on this program.

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