Check if you’re eligible

On this page

• Who can sponsor
• Who can’t sponsor

Who can sponsor

You can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child if you

• are at least 18 years old
• are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada under the Canadian Indian Act
• live in Canada
  • If you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when the people you’re sponsoring become permanent residents.
  • If you’re a permanent resident living outside Canada, you can’t sponsor.
• commit to supporting the people you’re sponsoring by signing an undertaking and sponsorship agreement
• meet all other requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

Income requirement

In most cases, there isn’t an income requirement to sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child. You only need to show that you have enough money to meet the income requirement if

• you’re sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own
• you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more dependent children of their own

The Financial Evaluation Form (IMM 1283) explains how much money you’ll need and how to fill out the form.

If you live in Quebec

You must meet the following requirements:

• Quebec’s eligibility requirements for
  • sponsoring your spouse or partner, or
  • sponsoring your dependent child
• Quebec’s income requirements, if this applies

You must also sign an undertaking with the Government of Quebec.

Don’t submit your undertaking application to Quebec until we tell you to do so. If you don’t wait for our confirmation, Quebec won’t process your application.

Who can’t sponsor

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse or partner if you

• were sponsored by a spouse or partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago
• signed an undertaking for a previous spouse or partner that you sponsored and it hasn’t been 3 years since they became a permanent resident
  • This means you’re still financially responsible for them.

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child if you

• have already applied to sponsor the same spouse, partner or child and a decision on that application hasn’t been made yet
• are in jail, prison or a penitentiary
• are behind on payments for
  • an immigration loan
  • a performance bond
  • court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support (this doesn’t apply if you're sponsoring your spouse or partner or child in Quebec)
• did not give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past (this doesn’t apply if you're sponsoring your spouse or partner or child in Quebec)
• declared bankruptcy and are not discharged (this doesn’t apply if you're sponsoring your spouse or partner or child in Quebec)
• are receiving social assistance for a reason other than a disability
• were convicted of a violent criminal offence, an offence against a relative causing bodily harm or a sexual offence within 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 spouse, partner or child. If we determine you’re not eligible to sponsor, we’ll tell you why.