Your relatives can live, study and work in Canada if they become permanent residents of Canada. You can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada if you’re at least 18 years old and a:

• Canadian citizen or

• a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or

• permanent resident of Canada

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Spouse or Common-Law Partner Sponsorships

Sponsoring your spouse or common-law partner for Canadian PR, whether they are living in Canada with a valid, temporary visa, or residing abroad will allow you an accelerated 12-month processing period. Applicants living in Canada may qualify for an open work permit. A spousal open work permit gives the applicant the ability to work in Canada while their application is being processed. Since Canada recognizes common-law partnerships, you may be eligible to apply for spousal sponsorship if you and your partner are not married but have been living together for at least one year.

Child or Other Dependent Sponsorship

You can choose to include your children as accompanying dependents on your application for PR. If you choose not to include them or are unable to include them, they may be able to join you in Canada later. Canada’s child sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens and PRs to sponsor their biological or adopted children under the age of 22 for PR, as long as they are unmarried and have no children of their own.

 

Parent or Grandparent Sponsorship

To sponsor a parent or grandparent, citizens and PRs need to demonstrate that they can financially support their family by meeting the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for the size of their family unit. They must also agree to financially support their sponsored family members if needed. Sponsors who are unable to permanently support their parent or grandparent may be eligible for a Super Visa, a long-term, multiple-entry visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.