Other close relatives who can be sponsored to Canada are orphaned brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, grandchildren. In extremely specific situations, any other relative by blood or adoption can be sponsored by Canadians. Strict conditions apply to these family class sponsorship categories.

‌Your Responsibilities‌

When you sponsor a relative to become a permanent resident of Canada, you must:

• Meet set income guidelines.
• Agree in writing to give financial support to your relative and any other eligible relatives coming with them:
• beginning on the date they become a permanent resident.
• for up to 20 years (depending on their age and how you are related).
• The person you sponsor must sign an agreement saying they will make the effort to support themselves. This includes sponsored dependent children 18 or older. Dependent children under 19 do not have to sign this agreement.

Sponsoring orphaned relative (brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild)

Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents who meet general eligibility requirements can sponsor certain orphaned relatives or family members (e.g. brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandchild). It is possible only if the relatives meet following requirements:

• They are related to you by blood or adoption.
• Both their mother and father passed away.
• They are under 18 years of age.
• They are single (not married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship).

Family sponsorship would not be an option if one of the parents is still alive, unknown, abandoned a child, in jail or detained, or if someone else is taking care of them while one or both parents are alive.

Sponsor any other relative

Sometimes, due to life circumstances, there may be no living relatives who can be sponsored. This means no living spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son or daughter, parent, grandparent, orphaned brother or sister, orphaned nephew or niece, or orphaned grandchild, or aunt or uncle who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. If this is the case, then a potential sponsor may sponsor one relative of any age, related by blood or adoption. If the relative you want to sponsor has a spouse, partner, or dependent children who will come with them to Canada, you must include them on the Davide sponsorship application.

Who you can not sponsor?

You can not sponsor someone who is inadmissible to Canada. This means they are not allowed to come to Canada.

Examples of who you can sponsor?

Olivia does not have a spouse or a common-law partner. She has no children, and lives in Canada as a permanent resident. Her parents and grandparents have all passed away and she doesn’t have any relatives in Canada who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. Olivia would like to sponsor her aunt Emily, who she is very close with. Her aunt Emily is married and has a daughter.

Eligible to sponsor a cousin

David is an only child. His parents and grandparents have passed away. He was raised in the Mexico by his only cousin. He immigrated to Canada as a permanent resident. He is single (does not have a spouse or a common-law partner). David does not have any relatives in Canada who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians. David wants to sponsor his Mexican cousin. His cousin is single (does not have a spouse or a common-law partner).