Canadian Family Sponsorship: Spouse, Children, Parents and Grandparents

TL;DR — Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 or older can sponsor close family members for permanent residence in Canada: spouses and common-law/conjugal partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents (PGP), and a limited "orphaned" relative category. PGP sponsorship runs through an annual interest-to-sponsor draw that re-uses applications received in the 2020 intake while waiting for a new selection design. The Super Visa is a multi-entry alternative for parents and grandparents — 10-year validity, up to 5 years per visit, with private medical insurance and minimum-income requirements.

Who can be a sponsor

To sponsor a family member, the sponsor must:

• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Indian Act.
• Be 18 or older.
• Reside in Canada (PR sponsors must reside in Canada; Canadian-citizen sponsors abroad must demonstrate intention to return when the sponsored relative arrives).
• Sign a sponsorship undertaking to provide for the sponsored relative's basic needs.
• Not be in default on a previous sponsorship undertaking, immigration loan, or court-ordered support.
• Not be receiving social assistance (except for disability).
• Meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for parent/grandparent sponsorship (no MNI for spouse/child sponsorship).
• Not be prohibited from sponsoring because of certain criminal convictions.

Categories

Spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner

The most common sponsorship. The relationship must be genuine and legally valid in the jurisdiction where the relationship was contracted (and recognized in Canada).

• Spouse: legally married, with the marriage recognized in Canada (cannot be polygamous; both must have been physically present at the wedding).
• Common-law partner: cohabited continuously for at least 12 months in a marriage-like relationship.
• Conjugal partner: in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 months but unable to live together due to immigration barriers, country-of-origin laws, or persecution.

Two channels:

• Outland sponsorship (Family Class) — applicant outside Canada applies through the visa office serving their country.
• Inland sponsorship (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class) — applicant inside Canada applying with valid temporary status; can apply for an open work permit (OWP) in the meantime under a longstanding pilot program.

Processing standard: ~12 months end-to-end for inland and outland.

No minimum-income requirement for spouse, partner, or dependent-child sponsorship.

Dependent children

A dependent child is:

• A biological or adopted child of the sponsor or the sponsor's spouse/partner.
• Under 22 and unmarried.
• Or 22 or older if dependent due to a physical or mental condition since before age 22.

Processing standard: ~12 months.

Parents and Grandparents (PGP)

The PGP program operates as an annual lottery (with a fixed yearly cap). Steps:

1. Submit Interest-to-Sponsor form during the annual intake window.
2. IRCC randomly selects a target number to be invited to apply (recent years used the existing 2020 pool of interest forms rather than opening a new intake).
3. Selected sponsors submit a complete application within 60 days.
4. Applicants must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) plus 30% for the past 3 tax years.

Processing standard for PGP: ~24 months. Eligibility caps shift each year — IRCC's 2025–2027 Levels Plan reduced PGP admissions.

Super Visa (alternative for parents and grandparents)

The Super Visa is a 10-year multiple-entry temporary-resident visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Each visit can last up to 5 years (extended from the original 2 years per visit). Requirements:

• A signed letter of invitation from the host child or grandchild.
• Evidence the host meets the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus 30% based on family size.
• Private medical insurance from a Canadian insurer (recently expanded — see below) valid for at least 1 year, with at least CAD $100,000 in coverage.
• A medical exam of the parent or grandparent.

In 2024, IRCC expanded the list of accepted medical-insurance providers to include certain non-Canadian insurers approved by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), and clarified income calculations.

Other relatives (limited)

If a Canadian sponsor has no living spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, parent, or grandparent — and no living orphaned brother/sister/niece/nephew/grandchild under 18 — they may sponsor one other relative of any age (the "lonely Canadian" provision). In practice, this is rarely available because most sponsors have eligible relatives in higher categories.

Application steps

1. Confirm eligibility of both sponsor and sponsored person.
2. Compile documents: identity, relationship evidence (marriage certificate, photos, joint accounts), sponsor's tax records, sponsor's letter of intent.
3. Apply online through the IRCC Portal (or paper for some PGP cases).
4. Pay fees: sponsorship fee CAD $85 + processing fee CAD $545 + Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) CAD $575 = CAD $1,205 for spouse/partner; PGP fees similar plus dependents.
5. Biometrics for the sponsored person (CAD $85 individual fee).
6. Medical exam for the sponsored person.
7. Police certificates for the sponsored person from every country where they lived 6+ months since age 18.
8. Wait for processing — typically 12 months (spouse/child) or 24 months (PGP).
9. Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and landing.

Processing times

IRCC publishes live processing-time estimates on canada.ca. As of 2026, typical estimates:

• Spouse/Common-law/Conjugal: ~12 months.
• Dependent child: ~12 months.
• PGP: ~24 months.
• Inland Spouse Open Work Permit: ~4 months.

Key facts at a glance

• Sponsor age: 18+.
• Spouse/child MNI: not required.
• PGP MNI: LICO + 30% for past 3 tax years.
• Super Visa: 10-year multi-entry, max 5-year stay, $100K medical insurance, host meets LICO+30%.
• Sponsor undertaking length: 3 years (spouse), 10 years (children under 22), 20 years (PGP).
• Spousal sponsorship fees: ~CAD $1,205.
• Application channel: online IRCC Portal (most cases).
• Inland Spouse OWP: available under longstanding pilot.

Source attribution

This article rewrites public information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship.html. The original Government of Canada content is licensed under the Open Government Licence — Canada.

Verify on canada.ca

Family-sponsorship rules and processing times change — verify before applying: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship.html.

IRCC.com is an independent news and information aggregator. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada and do not provide immigration services or advice. For personalized help, contact a CICC-licensed RCIC or a Canadian immigration lawyer.