Who you can sponsor
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption.
In case of divorce, you’ll need to submit separate applications if you sponsor divorced parents and grandparents. If your divorced parents or grandparents have a current spouse, common-law partner or a conjugal partner, these people become dependants on the application and can immigrate to Canada with your parents and grandparents, if approved.
In the application, you can include your brothers and sisters, half-brothers and half-sisters, or step-brothers and step-sisters only if they qualify as dependent children.
You must meet the income requirements for all the people you want to sponsor and their dependants (spouse, partner and dependent children).
The people you sponsor must also be eligible
To show they meet the eligibility requirements, your parents and grandparents and their dependants must provide
- all required forms and documents with their application
- any additional information we request during processing, including
Examples of who you can sponsor
See the examples below to better understand who you can sponsor.
Sponsoring your mother and father, together as a couple
You can sponsor your parents together if they’re a couple (married or in a common-law relationship). On the application, you must designate one of them (either your mother or your father) as the main applicant, called the principal applicant. The other will be designated as a dependant.
Note: Once the application has been submitted, you can’t change the parent or grandparent you designated as the principal applicant.
- If you designate your mother as the principal applicant, your father will be the dependant.
- If you designate your father as the principal applicant, your mother will be the dependant.
If you have brothers or sisters, you can include them in the application only if they qualify as dependent children. If they’re older than the age limit or they don’t meet all the requirements, they can’t be added to your parents’ or grandparents’ application as dependent children. They’ll have to immigrate on their own if they want to live in Canada.
Sponsoring your father, your stepmother and their son
You can sponsor your father, his spouse and their son (your half-brother). On the application, your father must be the principal applicant, because he’s related to you. Your step mother can’t be the principal applicant. She’ll be listed as your father’s dependant. Your half-brother can be added as a dependant only if he qualifies as a dependent child.
Sponsoring your grandparents, your mother and your stepfather
In this situation, you’ll have to submit 2 separate sponsorship applications: 1 application per couple.
On your grandparents’ application, you must designate one of them (either your grandmother or your grandfather) as the main applicant, called the principal applicant. The other will be designated as a dependant.
Note: Once the application has been submitted, you can’t change the parent or grandparent you designated as the principal applicant.
- If you designate your grandmother as the principal applicant, your grandfather will be the dependant.
- If you designate your grandfather as the principal applicant, your grandmother will be the dependant.
On your mother’s application, your mother must be the principal applicant, because she’s related to you. Her spouse can’t be the principal applicant. He’ll be listed as your mother’s dependant.
Who you can’t sponsor
You can’t sponsor
- your spouse’s parents and grandparents (your in-laws)
- however, you can be a co-signer on your in-laws’ application
- someone who is inadmissible to Canada (someone who is not allowed to come to Canada)
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