Can I be a sponsor for a member of my family?

You may be able to sponsor a or a member of your family to apply for status if you're:

a Canadian citizen, or
a permanent resident.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a policy that allows people who are defined as Status Indians under the Indian Act to sponsor relatives and family members. This policy was created because it was left out of the law.

Relatives and family members include your , , , , parents, and grandparents.

You must also be:

at least 18 years old, and
living in Canada.

If you're a Canadian citizen, who's not living in Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, partner, or child. But you will have to show that you will be living in Canada when the person you're sponsoring becomes a permanent resident. To do this, you need to show you have a plan for moving to Canada after the application is approved. A permanent resident cannot do this from outside Canada.

If you did not tell IRCC about a family member

You cannot sponsor someone who was your when you applied for or became a permanent resident, if you did not tell IRCC about them before becoming a permanent resident.

If that is your situation, you should get legal advice about:

the risk of losing your status in Canada
any options for your family member to come to Canada

Other rules

There are other requirements that you must meet to be a sponsor. And there are other situations where members of your family cannot be sponsored.

Some rules are specific to sponsoring certain family members. For example, there are rules that apply to sponsoring a spouse or partner. Read more in the Next Steps and:

If you do not qualify to sponsor, or your family member does not qualify to be sponsored, you might be able to ask IRCC to approve the sponsorship application based on or reasons. You should get legal advice about your options and legal help with making any H&C requests.

Parents and grandparents

IRCC is not accepting applications to sponsor parents or grandparents at this time.

Your parents or grandparents may be able to apply for a Super Visa to come to Canada as visitors. The Super Visa lasts for 10 years and lets them come and go from Canada during that time.

The Super Visa does not make your parents or grandparents permanent residents.

Get help if you need it

The rules and the process for sponsoring someone are complicated.

If you make a mistake in an application, it can be difficult to correct. Your application might be refused or you or your relative or family member could have problems with immigration status in the future.

If you're not sure about something, ask for information from a community agency or get legal help.