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 (such as a parent or grandparent) 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.

Learn about:

• Family Class: Spouses, partners and dependent children (includes common-law and conjugal partners)
• Family Class: Other eligible relatives