Foreign applicants can become PR themselves according to sponsorship offered from the individual (sponsor) already living in Canada.

Spouse, common-law partner, dependent child (adopted child), same sex partner, relative (parents or grandparents) are eligible to become Canadian PRs.

Note a sponsor has to financially aid their partner/relative post their arrival in Canada. And has to make sure they do not receive any financial assistance from Canadian government. If received then sponsor is obliged to repay that assistance.

Family Members Eligible for Sponsorship

Parent/Grandparent

This depends on the yearly cap as per number of applications accepted for parent/grandparent sponsorship. After the cap is full, there’s an option via Super Visa Program that allows parent/grandparent to visit Canada on multi-entry visas having validity of 10 years.

Requirement

Sponsor	Parent/Grandparent
Must be Canadian PR or citizen aged 18 years.	Must show written commitment of financial support from sponsor.
Must have minimum income to support visiting members.	Must show purchase of Canadian health insurance for a minimum year.
Must take an undertaking to repay social assistance benefits received.	Show proof of immigration medical examination.

 

Spouse/Common-Law Partner

There exist two types of federal spousal sponsorship.

Inland

The Inland sponsorship is applicable to couples living together in Canada where the foreign spouse having temporary status in Canada is eligible to work for any Canadian employer with open work permit whilst his/her inland application is under process.

Outland

An Outland process is applicable for spouse partner living outside Canada via visa office of applicant’s country of origin. But can also be present in Canada while applying through the Outland program.

Requirement

Sponsor	Spouse
Must be Canadian PR or citizen aged 18 years.	Must show marriage certificate as per marriage in Canada or province.
Must have minimum income to support spouse for 3 years from the moment he/she becomes PR.	If marriage outside Canada then valid certificate in accordance with law of respective country must be shown.
Committed to provide financial support to dependent child for 10 years.

 

Dependent Children

Sponsors can bring their children (biological/adopted) living in other country to Canada through dependent child sponsorship program.

Requirement

• Dependent child must be under 22 years of age. Unlike the case of mental or physical disability that make dependents unable to support them.
• Must be unmarried & fully dependent on support from sponsor.

Conjugal Partner

Partners unable to live together for a duration of 1 year at a common address due to circumstances unavoidable (immigration problems/ marital status/ sexual orientation) are applicable via this sponsorship.

Same Sex Partner

Same sex partners are eligible for such sponsorship to Canada via application from their respective partner. If they got married in Canada then partners need to show marriage certificate issued by provinces with respect to below dates mentioned.

• British Columbia (on / after July 8^th, 2003)
• Manitoba (on / after September 16^th, 2004)
• New Brunswick (on / after July 4^th, 2005)
• Newfoundland and Labrador (on / after December 21^st, 2004)
• Nova Scotia (on / after September 24^th, 2004)
• Ontario (on / after June 10^th, 2003)
• Quebec (on / after March 19^th, 2004)
• Saskatchewan (on / after November 5^th, 2004)
• Yukon (on / after July 14^th, 2004)
• Other provinces or territories (on / after July 20^th, 2005)

If applicant has married outside Canada then certificate according to law of that place where the marriage happened needs to be provided.

Other Relative/Friend

Less than 18 years old unmarried friends, relative, brother-sister, nephew-niece, grand kids, and common-law relationship come under this class of family sponsorship.