The most frequently asked questions that we receive at our office is in regards to sponsorship – whom can we sponsor and what are the requirements to be a sponsor.

Whom can we sponsor? There are two categories of family members that a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is allowed to sponsor:

1) Spouses, partners and dependent children;

2) Other eligible family members.

Other eligible family members are restricted to the following:

·         parents

·         grandparents

·         brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship

·         another relative of any age or relationship but only if you do not have a living spouse, partner, child, parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who could be sponsored as a member of the family class, and you do not have any relative who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

·         accompanying relatives of the above

Therefore you cannot sponsor a brother or sister whom is over the age of 18. You cannot sponsor a brother or sister whom is under 18, unless they have been orphaned.

What are the requirements to be a sponsor? If you are sponsoring your spouse or partner or/and dependent children, there are no requirements to show that you have an income. However you cannot sponsor a spouse or partner or/and dependent children if you are receiving government financial assistance for reasons other than a disability.

If you are thinking of sponsoring a person whom falls under the category of eligible family member (ie. parent or grandparent), you will have to meet financial requirements. This amount varies depending on the size of your family already in Canada, whom you already support, and the age and number of people you are sponsoring.

In addition, you cannot be eligible to sponsor if you:

·         failed to provide financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor another relative in the past

·         defaulted on a court-ordered support order, such as alimony or child support

·         received government financial assistance for reasons other than a disability

·         were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence—depending on circumstances such as the nature of the offence, how long ago it occurred and whether a pardon was issued

·         defaulted on an immigration loan—late or missed payments

·         are in prison or

·         have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it yet.

As a sponsor you are also agreeing to be financially responsible for your spouse/partner during the 3 year period following their granting of permanent residence status. For children the period is 10 years, or until age 25 (whichever happens first). For any other person (ie. parents, grandparents) the period is 10 years.