Sponsoring your family

Stakeholder and Public Consultations on a Redesigned Parent and Grandparent Immigration Program

Parent and Grandparent Super Visa:

Note: As of December 1, 2011, you may be eligible to apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa and enjoy visits to Canada of up to two years.

As of November 5, 2011, no new applications to sponsor parents or grandparents will be accepted for processing for up to 24 months.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) knows it is important to help families who come from other countries to reunite in Canada. If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child) or other eligible relative to become a permanent resident.

CIC refers to the immigrants who are eligible to use this family sponsoring process as the Family Class.

If you become a permanent resident, you can live, study and work in Canada.

When you arrive in Canada as a permanent resident, you must make every reasonable effort to provide for your own essential needs and those of your family.

If you sponsor a relative to come to Canada as a permanent resident, you are responsible for supporting your relative financially when he or she arrives. As a sponsor, you must make sure your spouse or relative does not need to seek financial assistance from the government.

The process to sponsor your family begins when you, as a citizen or permanent resident in Canada, apply to be a sponsor.

There are two different processes for sponsoring your family. One process is used for sponsoring your spouse, conjugal or common-law partner and/or dependent children. Another process is used to sponsor other eligible relatives.

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