Who you can sponsor
In very specific situations, you may be able to sponsor certain relatives.
There are 2 types of relatives that you may be able to sponsor:
- Your orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild
- Your other relative
Orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild
You can sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild only if they meet all of these requirements:
You can’t sponsor them if
- 1 or both of their parents is still alive
- no one knows where their parents are
- their parents abandoned them
- someone else other than their parents is taking care of them while 1 or both their parents are alive
- their parents are in jail or otherwise detained
Other relative
You may sponsor 1 relative of any age, if you meet all of these conditions:
- you’re related to them by blood or adoption
- you (the person who wants to sponsor your relative) don't have a living relative you could sponsor instead, such as a
- spouse
- common-law partner
- conjugal partner
- son or daughter
- parent
- grandparent
- orphaned sibling
- orphaned nephew or niece
- orphaned grandchild
- you (the sponsor) don’t have any relatives (aunt, uncle, or any of the relatives listed above), who is a
- Canadian citizen
- permanent resident
- registered Indian under the Indian Act
If the relative you want to sponsor has a spouse, partner, or dependent children who will come with them to Canada, you must include them on the same sponsorship application.
Examples of who you can sponsor
Example 1: Eligible to sponsor an aunt
Veronica lives in Canada as a permanent resident. Veronica doesn’t have a spouse, common-law partner, or children. Veronica’s parents and grandparents have all passed away and Veronica doesn’t have any relatives in Canada who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. Veronica wants to sponsor their aunt Betty, who they’re very close with. Betty is married and has a child.
Veronica meets the requirements to sponsor their aunt because Veronica doesn’t have
- a close living relative they could sponsor instead (such as a spouse, partner, child, parent or grandparent, orphaned sibling, orphaned niece or nephew, orphaned grandchild), and
- another relative, such as an aunt, who is a citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian of Canada.
On the application, Betty will be the principal applicant and their spouse will be the dependant.
Betty’s child can be included on the application only if they qualify as a dependent child. If the child is older than the age limit or doesn’t meet all the requirements, they can’t be added to Betty’s application and will have to immigrate to Canada on their own.
Example 2: Eligible to sponsor a cousin
Sam is an only child. Sam’s parents and grandparents have passed away. Sam was raised in the United States by their only cousin. Sam immigrated to Canada as a permanent resident. Sam is single and doesn’t have any relatives in Canada who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. Sam wants to sponsor their American cousin, who is also single.
Sam meets the requirements to sponsor their cousin because Sam doesn’t have
- a close living relative they could sponsor instead (such as a spouse, partner, child, parent or grandparent, orphaned sibling, orphaned niece or nephew, orphaned grandchild), and
- another relative who is a citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian of Canada.
Example 3: Not eligible to sponsor uncle’s spouse
Aba is a Canadian citizen. The only family Aba had in Canada was their parent, who passed away. Aba has always been close to their uncle (their parent’s only sibling) and their uncle’s spouse. Aba’s uncle recently passed away, and Aba wants to sponsor their uncle’s spouse to come to Canada. Aba does not meet the requirements to sponsor their uncle’s spouse because they’re not related by blood or adoption.
Who you can’t sponsor
You can’t sponsor someone who is inadmissible to Canada. This means they’re not allowed to come to Canada.