Sponsor Spouse or Dependent child
If you’re eligible, you can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children to become permanent residents of Canada.
If you do, you must be able to:
- support them financially
- make sure they don’t need social assistance from the government
Who is eligible to sponsor their spouse, partner or child
You can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child if:
- You’re at least 18 years old
- You’re a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
- You’re able to prove that you’re not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
- you can provide for the basic needs of any persons you want to sponsor
Income requirement
In most cases, there isn’t an income requirement to sponsor your spouse or partner or dependent child. You only need to show that you have enough money to meet the income requirements if:
- you’re sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own, or
- you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more children of their own.
Who can’t sponsor their spouse, partner or child
You can’t sponsor your spouse, partner or child if:
- you’re less than 18 years old
- you won’t live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents
- you’re not a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
- you’re a temporary resident, that is you’re visiting, studying or working in Canada on a visa or permit
- your permanent residence application is still in process
- you don’t have enough money to support the persons you want to sponsor (if applicable)
You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child if you:
- were sponsored by a spouse or partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago
- are still financially responsible for a previous spouse or partner that you sponsored. This means you’re still bound by the 3 year undertaking to take care of this person.
- you have already applied to sponsor the spouse, parent or child you are currently seeking to sponsor and a decision on that application hasn’t been made
- are in jail, prison, or a penitentiary
- didn’t pay back: immigration loan, performance bond, court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support (not applicable if you live in Quebec)
- didn’t give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past (not applicable if you live in Quebec)
- declared bankruptcy and are not discharged (not applicable if you live in Quebec)
- receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
- you were convicted of attempting, threatening to commit or committing a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada
- can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order
There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child. If we determine you’re not eligible to sponsor, we’ll tell you why.
Your spouse
Your spouse can be either sex and must be:
- legally married to you
- at least 18 years old
Your common-law partner
Your common-law partner:
- isn’t legally married to you
- can be either sex
- is at least 18 years old
- has been living with you for at least 12 consecutive months, meaning you’ve been living together continuously for 1 year in a conjugal relationship, without any long periods apart
If you or your common-law partner choose to end the relationship, we consider the relationship to be over.
Your conjugal partner
Your conjugal partner:
- isn’t legally married to you or in a common-law relationship with you
- can be either sex
- is at least 18 years old
- has been in a relationship with you for at least 1 year
- lives outside Canada
- can’t live with you in their country of residence or marry you because of significant legal and immigration reasons such as
You’ll need to give proof that you could not live together or get married in your conjugal partner’s country (for example, proof of refused long-term stays in each other’s country).
Dependent children
Children qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
- they’re under 22 years old
- they don’t have a spouse or common law partner
Children 22 years old or older qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
- they are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition
- they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22
With the exception of age, your dependent child must continue to meet these requirements until we finish processing your application.
Eligibility of the people you’re sponsoring
You can’t sponsor someone who is inadmissible to Canada. This means they’re not allowed to come to Canada.
Still not sure what types of Sponsorship is suitable for you?
Please book an appointment with our experience RCIC by:
- Phone: 1 778 926 3086 – Wendy Cao OR
- Email: imsolutioncanadaus@gmail.com
