Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Canada

Sponsorship Eligibility

The Parent and Grandparent sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents to sponsor parents or grandparents for immigration to Canada; however, the sponsorship process allows a limited number of applicants each year. The program typically opens once in each calendar year and accepts a specified number of applications within a short period of time until it closes for the remainder of the year. There are always more people who want to sponsor through this program than spots available in any given year, so permission to sponsor is given by invitation only.

If you would like to sponsor your parents or grandparents to immigrate to Canada, you will first notify Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that you meet the eligibility requirements once the sponsorship application process opens for that year; and then wait to see if you are chosen to sponsor. If you are chosen to sponsor, you then submit a complete application for processing.

Parents and Grandparents who achieve permanent residence in Canada through sponsorship enjoy all of the benefits of Permanent Resident status, including Provincial health care coverage. They are also required to maintain residency in Canada for 2 years in every 5 year period of time, in order to keep their status as Permanent Residents of Canada.

Requirements to Sponsor A Parent or Grandparent:

In order to sponsor your parents or grandparents for immigration to Canada, you must be a Canadian Citizen or Canadian Permanent Resident and meet the following general criteria:

• you are at least 18 years old
• you live inside Canada
• you meet residency requirements if you are a Permanent Resident
• you have enough income to support your own family plus your parents or grandparents; based on your past three income tax filings
• you are not in prison, charged with a serious crime, bankrupt or under a removal order
• you do not owe money related to a previous immigration sponsorship, alimony or child support payments

Note that when you are calculating the amount of income required to sponsor, you must include all the members of your family (yourself, spouse and dependent children) plus all of the members of the family for those you wish to sponsor (parent or grandparent, their spouse and any dependent children). Sometimes family size changes during the processing of the application, such as when a new baby is born. In this situation, you will need to count the new baby in the total number of family members and demonstrate an increased level of income in order for the sponsorship application to proceed. You can combine the income levels of you and your spouse in order to meet the minimum required levels if necessary.

Requirements of the Sponsored Parent or Grandparent

If you are the parent or grandparent of the Canadian sponsor, you meet the following general criteria to be eligible for family sponsorship:

• you are the parent or grandparent of the Canadian sponsor (by blood or adoption)
• you are not inadmissible for criminality, security or past misrepresentation
• you must pass an immigration medical exam
• you must make every effort to support yourself in Canada

Sponsorship Obligations

As the sponsor of your parent or grandparent, you are agreeing to provide financial support for your parent or grandparent, and their accompanying dependent children (if applicable) for 20 years from the date they land as a Permanent Resident.

Other Options Instead of FAMILY SPONSORSHIP

In some cases, it may not be possible for you to sponsor your parents or grandparents due to income levels or because you were not successful in being invited to sponsor. It may still be possible to bring your loved ones to Canada as a visitor with a regular Visitor Visa or on a Super Visa.