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Family Reunification & Permanent Residence

Family Class Sponsorship

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence under the Family Class — subject to eligibility, income requirements, and long-term financial undertakings.

What is Family Class sponsorship?

Family Class sponsorship allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to bring eligible family members to Canada as permanent residents. The sponsor signs a legal undertaking to financially support the sponsored person, reducing potential reliance on Canadian social assistance for a defined period. Family Class covers several relationship categories, each with different eligibility rules, income requirements, and undertaking obligations. Choosing the correct category and meeting all conditions on both sides of the file — sponsor and applicant — is essential.

For Canadian citizens and PRs Spouse, children, parents, and grandparents Legal financial undertaking required PGP: limited annual intake Sponsor must be resident in Canada

Who you can sponsor

Spouse, Partner & Dependent Children

Sponsors may sponsor a legally married spouse, common-law partner (1+ year cohabitation), conjugal partner, or dependent children. See our Spousal Sponsorship page for partner-specific details. No minimum income requirement for sponsoring a spouse, partner, or dependent children.

Parents & Grandparents (PGP)

The Parents and Grandparents Program has limited annual intake managed by IRCC. Demand significantly exceeds available spots each cycle. Sponsors must meet income requirements for three consecutive prior tax years. While waiting for PGP intake, many families use the Super Visa for extended visits.

Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) — what to know

The PGP allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residence. Because demand dramatically exceeds available spaces, IRCC manages PGP intake through a controlled process:

  • Limited annual intake IRCC announces when and how many interest-to-sponsor submissions will be accepted. Not everyone who submits interest is invited to apply for the program.
  • Three-year income requirement The sponsor must demonstrate minimum necessary income for the three consecutive tax years prior to applying. The threshold — based on the Low-Income Measure (LIM) — increases with household size, including the persons being sponsored.
  • 20-year undertaking Sponsors of parents and grandparents commit to financially supporting them for 20 years from the date their sponsored family member becomes a permanent resident. This is a legally enforceable obligation.
  • Two-stage process Both Stage 1 (sponsorship eligibility) and Stage 2 (permanent residence application for sponsored persons) are processed by IRCC. Both applications must be submitted and both sides must meet eligibility criteria.

Sponsoring dependent children

Dependent children of Canadian citizens or PRs can be sponsored at any time — the PGP-style intake restrictions do not apply. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a dependent child is generally defined as a child who is:

  • Under 22 years of age at the time the application is made, and not married or in a common-law relationship; or
  • 22 years of age or older and dependent on the parent due to a physical or mental condition that prevents them from being financially self-supporting.

Where possible, including dependent children in the sponsor's own permanent residence application at the time of their own landing is preferable to a separate later sponsorship.

Sponsor eligibility requirements

  • Age Must be at least 18 years old at the time of submitting the sponsorship application.
  • Status in Canada Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident residing in Canada. Canadian citizens residing abroad may sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child in limited circumstances.
  • No social assistance Cannot be receiving social assistance at the time of application, except for disability-related assistance.
  • No prior undertaking in default A sponsor whose previously sponsored person received social assistance — putting the sponsor in default of a prior undertaking — is ineligible to sponsor again until the default is resolved.
  • No disqualifying criminal convictions Certain criminal convictions — particularly involving violence, sexual offences, or offences against family members — may temporarily or permanently disqualify a person from sponsoring under the IRPA Regulations.
  • Income requirements (PGP) For parents and grandparents: must meet the minimum necessary income for three consecutive prior tax years at the LIM threshold for the household size. No income requirement for sponsoring a spouse, partner, or dependent children.

Undertaking periods by relationship

  • Spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner 3 years from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.
  • Dependent child under 22 10 years from the date they become a permanent resident, or until the child turns 25 — whichever comes first.
  • Dependent child 22 or older (dependent due to a condition) 3 years from the date they become a permanent resident.
  • Parents and grandparents 20 years from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.

Typical application process

  1. 1
    Confirm sponsor and applicant eligibility Verify the relationship category, sponsor's status in Canada, income requirements (PGP), and any bars to sponsorship eligibility.
  2. 2
    PGP only: submit interest to sponsor when intake opens IRCC announces when the interest submission window opens. Monitor IRCC announcements closely — the intake window can close within days of opening.
  3. 3
    Prepare sponsorship and PR application packages The sponsor completes the eligibility forms and undertaking. The sponsored person completes the PR application with forms, photos, civil documents, and relationship evidence.
  4. 4
    Submit both packages to IRCC with required fees Applications are submitted together (or sequentially depending on the stream). Fees cover both the sponsorship assessment and the PR application.
  5. 5
    Medical exams, biometrics, and police clearances Sponsored persons complete IRCC-directed medical exams with a panel physician, biometrics enrollment, and police clearance certificates from every country where they lived 6+ months since age 18.
  6. 6
    Approval and permanent residence landing IRCC approves the PR application; sponsored persons receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a PR visa (if abroad) to land in Canada.

Documents typically needed

  • Sponsor's proof of Canadian citizenship or PR status
  • Sponsor's NOAs for required tax years (three consecutive years for PGP)
  • Proof of relationship: birth certificates, marriage certificates, or adoption records
  • Sponsored person's valid passport and civil status documents
  • Police clearance certificates from each country of residence for 6+ months (for sponsored adults)
  • Medical exam results from an IRCC-designated panel physician
  • Biometrics (for sponsored persons aged 14 to 79)
  • Undertaking forms and statutory declarations
How we help

Family sponsorship involves two applications — the sponsor's and the sponsored person's — that must be internally consistent and complete. We review the sponsor's eligibility, prepare both packages, ensure all civil documents are properly gathered and certified, and identify any complexity (prior refusals, prior sponsorships, criminal records, custody issues, or admissibility concerns) early. For PGP applicants, we monitor IRCC intake announcements and help ensure you are ready to act the moment the window opens.

Family Sponsorship — Frequently Asked Questions

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouse or common-law partner (see Spousal Sponsorship), dependent children (under 22 or older if dependent due to a physical or mental condition), parents and grandparents (through the Parents and Grandparents Program), and in some cases orphaned siblings, children, or nieces/nephews who are under 18 and have no other living parents. The relationship must meet IRCC's definitions under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is a permanent residence pathway for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and PRs. IRCC runs an annual intake process where interested sponsors submit an interest to sponsor form. Candidates are selected from the pool (by lottery or first-come-first-served depending on the year's rules) and invited to submit a full sponsorship application. Intake spots are limited and competitive — successful sponsors must meet income thresholds and commit to a multi-year undertaking.

Sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) — based on Statistics Canada's Low Income Cut-offs (LICO) plus 30% — for each of the 3 tax years prior to applying. The required income amount increases with the number of people in your household including the persons being sponsored. IRCC updates these thresholds. An RCIC can confirm your current income eligibility before you apply.

Yes. Canadian permanent residents (not only citizens) can sponsor their parents and grandparents through the PGP. However, if you live in Quebec, provincial sponsorship approval is also required in addition to federal approval. Permanent residents must continue to maintain their PR status throughout the sponsorship process.

Processing times for family sponsorship vary significantly by relationship and stream. PGP applications can take 2 or more years from invitation to landing. Dependent child sponsorship generally processes faster. Spousal and partner sponsorship has its own stream with a different timeline (see our Spousal Sponsorship page). IRCC publishes current processing times by application type on its website.

Yes. If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and your parents are in India (including Punjab), you can sponsor them for permanent residence through the PGP. The process involves meeting income requirements, obtaining a PGP invitation from IRCC, and submitting a complete sponsorship and permanent residence application. While waiting for PGP, the Super Visa is an excellent option for extended temporary visits.

Family Class sponsorship requirements, PGP intake processes, income thresholds, dependent child definitions, and undertaking periods are set by IRCC under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations and are subject to change. This page is general information only and does not constitute legal advice or guarantee approval. Always verify current requirements on the official Government of Canada website.