Parents and grandparents category: How to calculate family size

To sponsor a parent or grandparent, the income requirement needed is based on the sponsor’s family size for the 3 tax years immediately proceeding the date of receipt of the application.

The following people must be included in the family size:

1. The sponsor for all 3 years
   1. your dependent children for the years they met the definition
2. The sponsor’s spouse or common-law partner
   1. if not co-signing, the years you were together (and their dependent children for the years they met the definition and you were together)
   2. if co-signing, all 3 years (and their dependent children for the years they met the definition)
3. The parent/grandparent being sponsored (principal applicant) for all 3 years
   1. their spouse or common-law partner (who may also be the sponsor’s parent/grandparent) for the years they were together
   2. their dependent children for the years they met the definition
4. Persons the sponsor or co-signer previously sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect, for example:
   1. if they co-signed to sponsor their in-laws
   2. if they sponsored a refugee

People to include in family size

Text version: People to include in family size

1. Sponsor + any dependent children
2. Sponsor’s spouse or common-law partner + any dependent children
3. Principal applicant (parent/grandparent being sponsored) + their spouse or common-law partner and any dependent children (even if not coming to Canada)
4. Persons the sponsor or co-signer previously sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect + their spouse or common-law partner and any dependent children

Notes

• The sponsor’s separated spouse must be included (and not their common-law partner if applicable) unless the separated spouse is a foreign national and they are in a common-law relationship with another person.
• The principal applicant’s separated spouse must be included unless they or their separated spouse are in a common-law relationship with another person.

See Program Delivery Instructions "Assessing the sponsor“ for more details.