Sponsoring Parents & Grandparents

 
 
 

How can I sponsor my parents or grandparents to Canada for permanent residence?   

Each year in January, sponsors are given the opportunity to submit an interest to sponsor form to sponsor their parents or grandparents. After submitting this form, you may be invited to submit a complete application to sponsor your parents or grandparents to Canada as permanent residents.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening of the 2020 Parents and Grandparents program has been delayed.  Contact one of our lawyers to be notified of any updates regarding the opening of the 2020 Parents and Grandparents program.  

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Am I eligible to sponsor my parents or grandparents to Canada as permanents? To be eligible to sponsor your parents or grandparent to Canada, you must be:

  • At least 18 years of age;

  • A Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;

  • Able to prove that you are not receiving social assistance for any reason except for disability; and

  • Able to prove that you can financially support your parents/grandparents and your dependants.

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Am I ineligible to sponsor my parents or grandparents for permanent residence to Canada?

You may be ineligible to sponsor your parents/grandparents for Canadian permanent resident if you:

  • are in default of an undertaking;

  • have not paid back an immigration loan, a performance bond or court ordered spousal support or child support;

  • are in jail, prison or a penitentiary;

  • have not been discharged from bankruptcy if you declared bankruptcy;

  • are receiving any type of social assistance except for disability;

  • there is a Removal Order against you and therefore, you are not legally permitted to stay in Canada and must leave; or

  • you have been convicted of threatening to commit, attempting to commit, or have committed:

    • a violent criminal offence;

    • any offence against a relative; or

    • any sexual offence, either within Canada or outside of Canada.

If you are receiving maternity, parental or sickness benefits under the Employment Insurance Act, you are still eligible to sponsor because these benefits are considered income.

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I was adopted. Can I sponsor my adopted parents?

Yes, your parents must be related to you by birth or adopted. You only have one set of parents by law. So, if you were legally adopted, your birth parents are no longer your parents for sponsorship purposes.

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My parents/grandparents are divorced. Can I still sponsor them?

Yes, you can sponsor your parents/grandparents even if they are divorced or separated. A separate application is required for each parent/grandparent.

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Can I sponsor my in-laws?

Under the parents/grandparents program, you are only able to sponsor your own parents/grandparents (by birth or adoption). However, you can co-sign a sponsorship application filed by your spouse or common-law partner who wishes to bring their parents.

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Who can my parents/grandparents include on their permanent residence applications?

You must choose one parent to be the Principal Applicant. That parent can include their spouse or common-law partner (whether or not they are your parent) and dependent children.

Dependent children are defined as children under the age of 22, or if they are over 22 but have been financially dependent on the parents due to a physical or mental condition since before the age of 22. Children’s ages are ‘locked-in’ at the time the application is received by Canada Immigration. They will be granted PR with their parents even if they are over 22 at the time the PR is issued, as long as they were under 22 at the lock-in-date.

Children who themselves are married or in common-law relationships are not considered dependents. Dependent children who may have children of their own may still be eligible to be included on their parents’ application.

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How much money do I need to sponsor my parent or grandparents to Canada as permanent residents?

As a sponsor, you (and your co-signer, if applicable) must be able to prove that you have enough income to financially support yourself, your dependants, and those who you wish to sponsor.

You must show that you meet the income requirement for each of the three taxation years immediately preceding your application by providing your Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency. The minimum income required varies each year.

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What is an Undertaking?

The sponsor must promise to financially take care of the sponsored individual for a certain period of time. This promise is called an undertaking. If the sponsor signs an undertaking, the sponsor is committing to provide financial support for their sponsored family member from the moment the sponsored family member becomes a permanent resident of Canada. Also, should the sponsored family member receive any provincial social assistance during the term of the undertaking, the sponsor is responsible to repay any assistance received by the sponsored family member.

During the undertaking period, a sponsorship agreement is entered into between the sponsor and the sponsored individual. In accordance to this sponsorship agreement, the sponsor must provide for the basic needs of the sponsored family member and the sponsored family member agrees to make every effort to support themselves and their family members.

If your sponsored family member received social assistance or welfare during the undertaking period, you are ineligible as a sponsor if you have not repaid the social assistance or welfare received by your sponsored family member. You may be able to qualify as a sponsor should you repay the debt to the satisfaction of the government authority that issued the social assistance or welfare.

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