Family Class Sponsorship

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) knows it is important to help families who come from other countries to reunite in Canada. If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted children) or other eligible relatives (such as a parents or grandparents) to become permanent residents.

Immigrants who are eligible can use this family sponsoring process as the Family Class.

If you become a permanent resident, you can live, study and work in Canada. If you sponsor a relative to come to Canada as a permanent resident, you are responsible for supporting your relative financially when he or she arrives. As a sponsor, you must make sure your spouse or relative does not need to seek financial assistance from the government.

As a citizen or permanent resident in Canada, you can start the process to sponsor your family member when you apply to be a sponsor. There are two different processes for sponsoring your family. One process is used for sponsoring your spouse, conjugal or common-law partner and/or dependent children.   You can initiate this process from inland or overseas. Another process is used to sponsor other eligible relatives such as parents, grandparents, dependents of parents or orphans.