Sponsor Your Relatives

You can only sponsor relatives like a brother, sister, aunt or uncle in very specific situations.

Sponsor Requirements:

  • 18 years or older Canadian citizen or permanent resident residing in Canada.
  • No immediate family members are available to sponsor.
  • No immediate family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • Meet set income guidelines (LICO）.
  • Agree in writing to give financial support to your relative and any other eligible relatives coming with them.

If you meet the above requirements, you can sponsor:

  1. You can sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild if they meet all the following conditions:
    • Related by blood or adoption.
    • Both parents are deceased.
    • Under 18 years old.
    • Single (not married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship).
  2. You may sponsor one relative of any age, related by blood or adoption, if you meet these conditions:
    • You don’t have a living relative (spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son, daughter, parent, grandparent, orphaned sibling/niece/nephew/grandchild) to sponsor instead.
    • You don’t have any relatives (aunt, uncle, or any listed above) who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Note: If the relative you want to sponsor has a spouse, partner, or dependent children who will come with them to Canada, include them in the same sponsorship application.

Example 1:  Eligible to sponsor an aunt

Ms. H, a permanent resident in Canada, has no spouse, children, or living relatives she could sponsor. Her parents and grandparents have passed away, and she has no relatives in Canada who are citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians. She wants to sponsor her aunt Betty, who is married with a daughter.

Ms. H is eligible to sponsor her aunt because:

  • She has no close living relative to sponsor (such as a spouse, child, orphaned sibling, parent, or grandparent).
  • She has no other relatives (such as an aunt) who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians.

In the application:

  • Betty will be the principal applicant.
  • Betty’s husband will be a dependant.
  • Betty’s daughter can be included only if she qualifies as a dependent child. If not, she must immigrate to Canada separately.
Example 2: Not eligible to sponsor an aunt by marriage

Ms. L is a Canadian citizen. The only family she had in Canada was her mother, who passed away. Ms. L has always been close to her mother’s only brother and his wife. Ms. L’s uncle recently passed away, and Ms. L would like to sponsor his wife (her aunt by marriage) to come to Canada. Ms. L does not meet the requirements to sponsor her aunt, because they’re not related by blood.

Example 3: Eligible to sponsor a cousin

Mr. W, a permanent resident of Canada, is an only child with no spouse or common-law partner. His parents and grandparents have passed away, and he has no relatives in Canada who are citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians. Raised by his only cousin in China, Mr. W wants to sponsor his cousin, who is also single.

Mr. W qualifies to sponsor his cousin because:

  • He has no close living relative to sponsor instead (such as a spouse, partner, child, sibling, parent, or grandparent).
  • He has no other relatives who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians.
Example 4: Not eligible to sponsor a nephew

Mr. H, a permanent resident of Canada with no spouse or common-law partner, has no relatives in Canada who are citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians. His 90-year-old mother lives outside Canada and doesn’t want to move to Canada. He wants to sponsor his 20-year-old nephew in China.

Mr. H does not qualify to sponsor his nephew because he has a close living relative (his mother) he could sponsor instead.

If your situation is complex and you are planning to sponsor your family or relatives to Canada, we’re here to help! Feel free to contact us for expert guidance and support.