If you submit the interest to sponsor form to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and you’re
invited to submit a complete application, you can sponsor your parents and grandparents to become permanent
residents of Canada. If you do, you must:
support them and their dependants financially
make sure they don’t need social assistance from the government
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO SPONSOR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents if:
you’re at least 18 years old
you live in Canada
you’re a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian
under the Canadian Indian Act
you have enough money to support the persons you want to sponsor
To show that you have enough, you’ll have to provide your proof of income.
Proof of Income required for sponsoring your own parents and grandparents
You, the sponsor (and your co-signer, if you have one) must prove you have enough income to support all the
people you’ll be financially responsible for once you become a sponsor. This includes you. The income
requirement for sponsoring parents and grandparents is minimum necessary income plus 30%.
If you’re invited to apply, you have to provide proof that you meet the income requirements for each of the 3
tax years before the date you apply. IRCC can’t assess whether you meet the income requirements until you apply
(if you’re invited). To prove you meet the income requirements, you must include your Notice of Assessment from
the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the last 3 tax years before you apply. The easiest way to prove your income
is to give IRCC permission to get your Notices of Assessment directly from the CRA.
The table below applies to you if you live in any province except Quebec. If you live in Quebec, the Quebec
ministry in charge of immigration will assess your income.
Income required for the 3 tax years right before the day you apply (sponsors applying in 2021)
Total number of people you’ll be responsible for
2020
2019
2018
2 people
$32,899
$41,007
$40,379
3 people
$40,445
$50,414
$49,641
4 people
$49,106
$61,209
$60,271
5 people
$55,695
$69,423
$68,358
6 people
$62,814
$78,296
$77,095
7 people
$69,935
$87,172
$85,835
If more than 7 people, for each additional person, add:
$7,121
$8,876
$8,740
Because the program opened later than usual in 2020, sponsors were invited to apply in early 2021. Because of
this, IRCC will assess sponsors on their income for tax years 2020, 2019 and 2018. You may not get your 2020
Notice of Assessment (NOA) until after you apply. So, for the 2020 process, IRCC will accept your application if
you include your 2019 and 2018 NOAs along with it, and submit your 2020 NOA as soon as it’s available.
Since many sponsors may have been affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic, the income requirement for the
2020 tax year has been reduced to the minimum necessary income, instead of the minimum necessary income plus
30%. The income requirements for the 2019 and 2018 tax years remain at minimum necessary income plus 30%.
Also, family class sponsors will be able to count these benefits in their income calculations for the 2020 tax
year:
regular Employment Insurance benefits (rather than just special Employment Insurance benefits)
any Canada Emergency Response Benefits issued under the Employment Insurance Act or Canadian Emergency
Response Benefit Act
other temporary COVID-19 related benefits as long as they’re not part of provincial social assistance
programs
If you live outside Quebec
To become a sponsor, you must promise to financially take care of the persons you are sponsoring for a period of
time. This promise is called an undertaking. The undertaking commits you to:
providing financial support for your sponsored family members for 20 years, starting when they become
permanent residents
repaying any provincial social assistance (money from the government) your sponsored family members get
during that time
Also, you and your sponsored family members need to agree to certain responsibilities during the undertaking
period. This agreement is called the sponsorship agreement. The sponsorship agreement means that:
you’ll provide for the basic needs of your sponsored family members
the person you sponsor will make every effort to support themselves and their family members
When you apply, you’ll have to complete and sign a form that includes the undertaking and the sponsorship
agreement.
If you live in Quebec
You must meet Quebec’s immigration sponsorship requirements after IRCC approves you as a sponsor. The
Quebec ministry in charge of immigration will assess your income. You must also sign an undertaking with the
province of Quebec.
WHO CAN’T SPONSOR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT
You can’t sponsor your parents and grandparents if:
you’re less than 18 years old
you won’t live in Canada when you apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents and/or when your parents
and grandparents become permanent residents
Your primary residential address must be in Canada when you submit your application and until IRCC makes a
decision on your application.
you’re not a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian
under the Canadian Indian Act
you’re a temporary resident, that is you’re visiting, studying or working in Canada on a visa or permit
your permanent residence application is still in process
You must have permanent resident status at the time you submit your sponsorship application.
your proof of income shows you don’t have enough money to support the persons you want to sponsor
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:
are in jail, prison, or penitentiary
didn’t pay back:
an immigration loan
a performance bond
court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support (This is not applicable if you live
in Quebec)
didn’t give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone
else in the past (This is not applicable if you live in Quebec)
declared bankruptcy and are not discharged (This is not applicable if you live in Quebec)
receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or
outside Canada
can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order
There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents. If IRCC determines
that you’re not eligible to sponsor, they will tell you why.
WHO YOU CAN SPONSOR
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption.
In case of divorce or separation, you can sponsor your parents’ and your grandparents’ spouses, or conjugal
or common-law partners.
In the application, you can only include your brothers and sisters, or half brothers and sisters, if they
qualify as dependent children.
You may sponsor more than 1 person or couple if you meet the income requirements for all the people you want
sponsor and their dependants (spouse, partner and 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 that IRCC requests during processing, including medical exams, police
certificates, and biometrics
Examples of who you can sponsor
Example 1: Sponsoring your mother and father, together as a couple: 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’ application as dependent children. They’ll have to immigrate
to Canada on their own.
Example 2: Sponsoring your father, your step mother and their son (your half-brother): On the application, your
father must be the main applicant, called 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 step-brother can be added as
a dependant only if he qualifies as a dependent child.
Example 3: Sponsoring your grandparents, your mother and your step-father: In this situation, you’ll have to
submit 2 separate sponsorship applications: 1 per couple. On your grandparents’ application, one of them (either
your grandmother or your grandfather) will be designated as the main applicant, called the principal applicant.
The other will be designated as a dependant. On your mother’s application, your mother must be the principal
applicant, because she’s related to you. Her partner 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
This means they are not allowed to come to Canada.
PROCESS
Step 1: Fill out the Interest to Sponsor Form
The first step to sponsor your parents or grandparents is filling out the interest to sponsor form.
For 2020 intake, the form was available from noon (EDT) on October 13, 2020 to noon (EST) on November 3, 2020.
In 2021, IRCC will open the interest to sponsor form again to accept 30,000 new applications.
If you are able to submit your interest to sponsor form, you will see a page with a confirmation number. Write
down this number so you can use it later to check if you’ve been invited to apply once IRCC sends out
Invitations to Apply (ITA). IRCC will also send you an email with the confirmation number to let you know they
got your form.
Once you submit your interest to sponsor form, you can’t change it.
Step 2: Find out if you’re invited to apply
IRCC randomly selects and invites potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents. They
send invitations by email. Let IRCC know if your email address changed. If you’re invited to apply, make sure
you don’t miss the invitation:
Check the same email account you used on the interest to sponsor form or your new email account of which you
intimated IRCC.
Check your junk mail or spam folder to see if an email from us is there.
You can also find out if you’re invited to apply by looking up your confirmation number on IRCC’s website and
answering a few questions.
Step 3: Apply
If you’re invited to apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents, there are 2 applications:
You must apply to become a sponsor.
Your parents or grandparents must apply for permanent residence.
Send both the sponsorship and the permanent residence applications together at the same time. IRCC must receive
your application package 60 days from the date of your invitation. The deadline is clearly indicated in your
ITA.
To avoid using outdated forms or the old instruction guide, don’t start filling out your application unless
you’re invited to apply.
The application package includes the:
document checklist for you and the people you want to sponsor
forms you and the people you want to sponsor need to fill out
instruction guide to help you and your family members fill out the forms correctly
Note: If you live in Quebec, find out the steps to take to sponsor your parents and grandparents in Quebec.
Helping your parents and grandparents with their application
You have to ask permission and provide the right forms if you want:
to prepare or help prepare your parents’ and grandparents’ application and communicate with IRCC on their
behalf (this would mean that you’d be acting as their representative)
check on their application status
NEED HELP?
Get in Touch for
more information about sponsoring your parents or/and grandparents or for assistance
in applying.
If you submit the interest to sponsor form to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and you’re invited to submit a complete application, you can sponsor your parents and grandparents to become permanent residents of Canada. If you do, you must:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO SPONSOR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents if:
Proof of Income required for sponsoring your own parents and grandparents
You, the sponsor (and your co-signer, if you have one) must prove you have enough income to support all the people you’ll be financially responsible for once you become a sponsor. This includes you. The income requirement for sponsoring parents and grandparents is minimum necessary income plus 30%.
If you’re invited to apply, you have to provide proof that you meet the income requirements for each of the 3 tax years before the date you apply. IRCC can’t assess whether you meet the income requirements until you apply (if you’re invited). To prove you meet the income requirements, you must include your Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the last 3 tax years before you apply. The easiest way to prove your income is to give IRCC permission to get your Notices of Assessment directly from the CRA.
The table below applies to you if you live in any province except Quebec. If you live in Quebec, the Quebec ministry in charge of immigration will assess your income.
Income required for the 3 tax years right before the day you apply (sponsors applying in 2021)
Total number of people you’ll be responsible for
2020
2019
2018
2 people
$32,899
$41,007
$40,379
3 people
$40,445
$50,414
$49,641
4 people
$49,106
$61,209
$60,271
5 people
$55,695
$69,423
$68,358
6 people
$62,814
$78,296
$77,095
7 people
$69,935
$87,172
$85,835
If more than 7 people, for each additional person, add:
$7,121
$8,876
$8,740
Because the program opened later than usual in 2020, sponsors were invited to apply in early 2021. Because of this, IRCC will assess sponsors on their income for tax years 2020, 2019 and 2018. You may not get your 2020 Notice of Assessment (NOA) until after you apply. So, for the 2020 process, IRCC will accept your application if you include your 2019 and 2018 NOAs along with it, and submit your 2020 NOA as soon as it’s available.
Since many sponsors may have been affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic, the income requirement for the 2020 tax year has been reduced to the minimum necessary income, instead of the minimum necessary income plus 30%. The income requirements for the 2019 and 2018 tax years remain at minimum necessary income plus 30%.
Also, family class sponsors will be able to count these benefits in their income calculations for the 2020 tax year:
If you live outside Quebec
To become a sponsor, you must promise to financially take care of the persons you are sponsoring for a period of time. This promise is called an undertaking. The undertaking commits you to:
Also, you and your sponsored family members need to agree to certain responsibilities during the undertaking period. This agreement is called the sponsorship agreement. The sponsorship agreement means that:
When you apply, you’ll have to complete and sign a form that includes the undertaking and the sponsorship agreement.
If you live in Quebec
You must meet Quebec’s immigration sponsorship requirements after IRCC approves you as a sponsor. The Quebec ministry in charge of immigration will assess your income. You must also sign an undertaking with the province of Quebec.
WHO CAN’T SPONSOR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT
You can’t sponsor your parents and grandparents if:
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:
There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents. If IRCC determines that you’re not eligible to sponsor, they will tell you why.
WHO YOU CAN SPONSOR
In the application, you can only include your brothers and sisters, or half brothers and sisters, if they qualify as dependent children.
You may sponsor more than 1 person or couple if you meet the income requirements for all the people you want sponsor and their dependants (spouse, partner and 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:
Examples of who you can sponsor
Example 1: Sponsoring your mother and father, together as a couple: 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’ application as dependent children. They’ll have to immigrate to Canada on their own.
Example 2: Sponsoring your father, your step mother and their son (your half-brother): On the application, your father must be the main applicant, called 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 step-brother can be added as a dependant only if he qualifies as a dependent child.
Example 3: Sponsoring your grandparents, your mother and your step-father: In this situation, you’ll have to submit 2 separate sponsorship applications: 1 per couple. On your grandparents’ application, one of them (either your grandmother or your grandfather) will be designated as the main applicant, called the principal applicant. The other will be designated as a dependant. On your mother’s application, your mother must be the principal applicant, because she’s related to you. Her partner can’t be the principal applicant. He’ll be listed as your mother’s dependant.
WHO YOU CAN’T SPONSOR
You can’t sponsor:
PROCESS
Step 1: Fill out the Interest to Sponsor Form
The first step to sponsor your parents or grandparents is filling out the interest to sponsor form.
For 2020 intake, the form was available from noon (EDT) on October 13, 2020 to noon (EST) on November 3, 2020. In 2021, IRCC will open the interest to sponsor form again to accept 30,000 new applications.
If you are able to submit your interest to sponsor form, you will see a page with a confirmation number. Write down this number so you can use it later to check if you’ve been invited to apply once IRCC sends out Invitations to Apply (ITA). IRCC will also send you an email with the confirmation number to let you know they got your form.
Once you submit your interest to sponsor form, you can’t change it.
Step 2: Find out if you’re invited to apply
IRCC randomly selects and invites potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents. They send invitations by email. Let IRCC know if your email address changed. If you’re invited to apply, make sure you don’t miss the invitation:
You can also find out if you’re invited to apply by looking up your confirmation number on IRCC’s website and answering a few questions.
Step 3: Apply
If you’re invited to apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents, there are 2 applications:
Send both the sponsorship and the permanent residence applications together at the same time. IRCC must receive your application package 60 days from the date of your invitation. The deadline is clearly indicated in your ITA.
To avoid using outdated forms or the old instruction guide, don’t start filling out your application unless you’re invited to apply.
The application package includes the:
Note: If you live in Quebec, find out the steps to take to sponsor your parents and grandparents in Quebec.
Helping your parents and grandparents with their application
You have to ask permission and provide the right forms if you want:
NEED HELP?
Get in Touch for more information about sponsoring your parents or/and grandparents or for assistance in applying.