Family Sponsorship · 2026 Guide

Canadian Family Sponsorship:
Bring your loved ones to Canada.

Whether you want to sponsor your spouse, parents, dependent children, or other eligible relatives, we help you reunite with family in Canada. Expert guidance from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) based in Vancouver.

Free Assessment Processing Times
Experience
30+ years
Certification
RCIC R411151
Languages
English · Español
Based in
Vancouver, B.C.
Index
07 visas · 04 categories
01
Spousal & Partner
Spousal Sponsorship · Common-Law · Conjugal Partner
02
Parents & Grandparents
PGP Program · Super Visa
03
Children & Dependents
Dependent Children Sponsorship
04
Other Relatives
Lonely Canadian / Other Eligible Relatives
Family Sponsorship

Five family pathways to Canada

Each relationship has its own program, its own rules, and its own timeline. Hover any card to learn more, or tap to keep it open.

How we work

From consultation to family reunification

A clear four step process that covers every sponsorship pathway, from spousal applications to Super Visa, while keeping you informed at every stage.

01

Eligibility check

We verify your status as sponsor, identify the right pathway for your relative, and confirm income or insurance requirements before any work begins.

02

Strategy & evidence

We build your case strategy and assemble the relationship evidence, financial documents, and supporting forms IRCC requires for your specific stream.

03

Submission to IRCC

We file the complete sponsorship and permanent residence application through the official IRCC portal and manage all communications on your behalf.

04

Decision & landing

We support you through the decision phase, respond to any IRCC requests, and guide your relative through landing once approval is granted.

Frequently asked questions about family sponsorship

Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are at least 18 years old can sponsor specific family members for permanent residence: a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, dependent children under 22, and parents or grandparents. In limited cases, you may also sponsor an orphaned sibling, niece, nephew, or grandchild under 18, or another relative if you have no eligible close family in Canada. You must reside in Canada or, as a citizen, demonstrate clear intent to return.

In most cases, no minimum income is required to sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or a dependent child. You only need to meet a financial threshold if the dependent child you are sponsoring has dependent children of their own. You must still sign a sponsorship agreement and a three-year undertaking, committing to support your partner financially and ensure they do not rely on social assistance during that period. Quebec applies its own rules and a separate undertaking with MIFI.

As of March 2026, IRCC’s published processing times outside Quebec are approximately 15 months for outland spousal sponsorship and 21 months for inland applications. Quebec-destined applications take 35 to 36 months due to the additional provincial undertaking step with MIFI. The Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) usually arrives within four to eight weeks after submission. Total timelines depend on document completeness, biometrics, medical exams, security checks, and whether IRCC requests additional information during processing.

Not through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) at this time. IRCC paused the PGP intake on January 1, 2026, after processing the final batch of applications drawn from the 2020 interest-to-sponsor pool in late 2025. No new intake has been announced. While the program remains paused, the Super Visa is the most realistic pathway: a long-term, multiple-entry visa that lets parents and grandparents stay in Canada for up to five years per visit, valid for up to ten years.

The Super Visa is a long term temporary visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to visit Canada for up to five years per entry, with multiple entries over a ten-year period. The PGP is a permanent residence stream with strict income requirements and is currently paused. Since March 31, 2026, Super Visa applicants need a two year income assessment from the host (combinable with the parent’s income), plus $100,000 in OSFI-approved medical insurance.

Yes. Sponsored spouses applying through the inland stream can apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) under LMIA exemption code A74 once they receive the Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) for the permanent residence application. The SOWP allows them to work for any employer in Canada and is typically issued for up to two years, renewable while the PR application is in progress. Current SOWP processing inside Canada is approximately 240 to 260 days. Maintaining valid temporary status throughout is essential.

Only Canadian citizens can sponsor from outside Canada, and only their spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent child. They must show clear intent to return to Canada once the sponsored family member becomes a permanent resident. Permanent residents must be physically present in Canada throughout the sponsorship process and cannot sponsor while living abroad. For parents, grandparents, and other relatives, the sponsor must reside in Canada regardless of citizenship status.

Bring them home

Reuniting your family in Canada starts with a conversation.

Book a free assessment with a licensed RCIC. We’ll review your eligibility as sponsor and identify the right pathway for your relative.

Free Assessment
30+years RCIC R411151 English · Español Vancouver, B.C.