Family reunification · Permanent residence
Family sponsorshipin Canada
A future together starts with a clear plan. Explore your family’s sponsorship options with practical guidance from Swodeshi Immigration.
Bring your family closer.
Family sponsorship can help eligible relatives become Canadian permanent residents. The right application depends on your relationship, your status in Canada and the family member’s circumstances.
Spouse or partner
A legally married spouse, a common-law partner after at least 12 consecutive months of cohabitation, or a qualifying conjugal partner living outside Canada. Partners must be at least 18; the relationship must be genuine.
Dependent children
Generally, children under 22 without a spouse or common-law partner. Older children may qualify if financial dependence began before 22 and a physical or mental condition prevents self-support.
Parents and grandparents
A separate permanent residence program with its own intake and financial requirements. New intake is currently paused; existing applications continue to be processed.
Other relatives
Narrow exceptions may cover certain orphaned relatives or one other relative. There is no general sponsorship category for any adult sibling, cousin or friend.
Official guidance: Spouses, partners and dependent children ↗
Official guidance: Other eligible relatives ↗
Can you become a sponsor?
For spouse, partner or child sponsorship, you generally must be at least 18 and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered under the Indian Act. You must commit to financial support and meet the remaining sponsorship conditions.
Where you live matters
Permanent residents must live in Canada. Canadian citizens abroad may sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child if they demonstrate plans to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.
Check possible restrictions
Social assistance other than for disability, a conviction for a violent or sexual offence, unpaid sponsorship debts, undischarged bankruptcy, overdue immigration-loan or court-ordered support payments, an outstanding removal order, being in custody, or an earlier undertaking still running can all affect eligibility. A full history review is essential.
The five-year bar most people miss
If you became a permanent resident through sponsorship by a spouse or partner, you generally cannot sponsor a new spouse or partner until five years have passed since you landed. A separate rule applies if you have sponsored a partner before: three years must have passed since they became a permanent resident. In Quebec, the bankruptcy, support-payment and past-sponsorship-default bars are applied differently.
Official guidance: Sponsor eligibility and income requirements ↗
Choose the right application class.
| Application class | Typical situation | Planning consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class | A spouse or common-law partner living with the sponsor in Canada. | Temporary status, any applicable status exemption, and continued cohabitation need review. |
| Family Class | An eligible family member abroad; it can also suit some spouses or partners in Canada. | Travel plans, residence and available appeal rights can influence the choice. |
“Inland” and “outland” are informal labels. Physical location alone does not settle which class to use. Conjugal partner and dependent-child applications use the Family Class.
Official guidance: IRCC application guide and class selection ↗
Plan with the current intake rules.
Permanent residence sponsorship
For existing files, follow the applicable intake requirements and respond to IRCC requests. For future plans, check official reopening instructions before preparing an intake-specific submission.
Temporary visits: Super Visa
Eligible parents and grandparents may instead qualify for a Super Visa, permitting visits of up to five years at a time. This is temporary residence, with separate host, insurance and other requirements; it does not grant permanent residence.
Official guidance: Current PGP status and Super Visa alternative ↗
Understand the promise you are making.
A sponsorship undertaking covers basic needs, including certain health costs not covered by public services. It begins when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. Social assistance paid during the undertaking can become a debt owed by the sponsor.
| Sponsored person | Undertaking outside Quebec |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | 3 years |
| Dependent child under 22 at permanent residence | 10 years, or until age 25, whichever comes first |
| Dependent child aged 22 or older at permanent residence | 3 years |
Separation, divorce, job loss or the sponsored person becoming a citizen does not end an existing undertaking. Quebec has separate undertaking rules and provincial steps; check the applicable MIFI instructions and intake conditions.
Official guidance: Financial responsibility and undertaking periods ↗
Build a clear, consistent family file.
Sponsor documents
Proof of status, residence and relevant financial circumstances; prior sponsorship details; and a return-to-Canada plan where applicable.
Applicant documents
Passports, civil-status records, immigration history, and required police certificates, medical examinations and biometrics.
Relationship evidence
A relationship timeline supported by relevant communication, visits, photographs, shared residence and financial arrangements. Follow the checklist’s limits and instructions.
Children and family history
Birth and custody records, required consent, and details of accompanying and non-accompanying family members. Obtain compliant translations where needed.
Use the current document checklist and country-specific instructions. For families with documents from Bangladesh, we can help identify inconsistent names, dates or translations before submission. Evidence should explain your actual circumstances.
Official guidance: Application package and supporting documents ↗
A practical path from assessment to decision.
- Assess the family and sponsorReview the relationship, residence, immigration history, sponsor restrictions and relevant intake availability.
- Select the category and prepare the fileChoose the application class, gather the required evidence and resolve gaps before filing.
- Submit the sponsorship and PR applicationsComplete the required online forms, signatures and document uploads, and pay the applicable government fees.
- Respond to IRCCTrack correspondence, complete requested examinations and biometrics, and answer additional document or interview requests on time.
- Report changes and complete final stepsKeep contact and family information current. Follow the approval and permanent residence confirmation instructions when issued.
Government processing times are estimates. Professional fees are explained in a written agreement; government fees, translations and examinations are separate where applicable.
Official guidance: How to apply ↗
Official guidance: After submission and application updates ↗
Visiting, working and maintaining status.
A sponsorship application does not itself grant temporary status or permission to work. Plan status extensions and travel separately from the permanent residence application.
Sponsored partner open work permits
Eligible sponsored partners living in Canada with their sponsor may qualify. A PR acknowledgement of receipt is generally required, alongside the applicable status conditions. A limited exception allows certain applicants to apply without AOR when status expires within two weeks.
Travel and visitor applications
Visitor entry is assessed separately. Leaving Canada can affect an in-Canada case if the applicant cannot return. Discuss travel before booking, especially where continued cohabitation is required.
If status has expired, assess restoration, any relevant public policy and work-permit timing individually. Submitting an application does not automatically authorize employment.
Official guidance: Sponsored family open work permits ↗
Official guidance: Travel and status considerations ↗
How Mehrul Islam Rajib, RCIC can help.
Family applications involve personal histories as well as forms. Swodeshi Immigration provides structured support so you understand the category, the evidence needed and the next step.
Eligibility and strategy
Review your family circumstances, identify the appropriate route and explain issues that need attention.
Evidence and preparation
Organize the document checklist, review consistency, prepare forms and explain material gaps in the submission.
Communication and follow-through
Assist with document requests and interview preparation within the agreed service scope.
Complex circumstances
Review previous refusals, relationship concerns or procedural fairness letters and assess the appropriate next steps.
Mehrul Islam Rajib · RCIC R708721
Offices in Edmonton and Dhaka. Consultations available in English, Bangla, Hindi and Urdu.
Answers before you begin.
Can I sponsor my husband or wife from Bangladesh?
Potentially. Both sponsor and applicant must meet the relevant requirements. The country of residence affects the supporting-document instructions; nationality alone does not determine approval.
Do we need to be married?
Not necessarily. A qualifying common-law or conjugal relationship may support sponsorship. These categories have different requirements; a dating relationship alone is insufficient.
Can I sponsor a child who is already Canadian?
No. Check citizenship first, especially for a child born abroad to a Canadian parent. A Canadian citizen does not need permanent residence sponsorship.
Can I sponsor my adult brother or sister?
Usually not through ordinary family sponsorship. Certain orphaned relatives under 18 may qualify. The separate “other relative” provision is narrow and depends on the sponsor’s entire family situation.
Does divorce cancel my financial responsibility?
No. Once permanent residence begins, a relationship breakdown does not cancel the undertaking.
Can I submit a new parent sponsorship application now?
New Parents and Grandparents Program intake is paused as of the reference date on this page. Monitor IRCC’s official announcements; existing applications continue to be processed.
Can my spouse work as soon as we submit sponsorship?
Only if they already hold valid work authorization. Sponsorship alone does not authorize employment. A sponsored-person open work permit has separate eligibility and application requirements.
Do I need to include children who are not coming to Canada?
Declare all required family members and follow examination instructions, including for non-accompanying children. Omissions can seriously affect the application and future sponsorship.
What happens after I submit the application?
IRCC checks completeness and assesses eligibility and admissibility. Follow requests for biometrics, medical examinations, documents or an interview, and report relevant changes.
What if IRCC asks for more evidence?
Read the request carefully, identify the concern and respond with relevant evidence within the deadline. Swodeshi can help organize a focused response.
Can you guarantee approval or a processing time?
No. IRCC makes the decision. Our role is to provide a careful assessment, prepare a clear application and explain realistic expectations.
What should I bring to the consultation?
Bring both partners’ or family members’ status details, relationship and residence timelines, previous refusal letters, available civil records and your main questions.
Let’s plan your family’s next chapter.
Discuss your relationship, family circumstances and sponsorship options with Mehrul Islam Rajib, RCIC.