The applicant and their spouse must be married and show the genuine and continuing nature of the relationship and intend to live together in Canada, upon approval.

• Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents may sponsor certain relatives so they become permanent residents. You can sponsor a spouse, children, parents or grandparents.
• You may also sponsor brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship.
• You may sponsor another relative regardless of age or relationship if if you do not have a living spouse or common-law partner, conjugal partner, a son or daughter, parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who could be sponsored as a member of the family class, and and you do not have any relative who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.

Basic Requirements

• The sponsor must be at least 18 years of age. The sponsor should not have failed to provide financial support in a previous sponsorship, should not have alimony debts or any immigration debts.
• The sponsor should not be receiving social assistance other than for a disability. Employment Insurance or other loans for study are not considered social assistance in this case.
• The sponsor should not be in prison or have committed a crime. (A pardon must be issued for people that have committed a crime). The sponsor should not have declared bankruptcy (If the bankruptcy has been released then the sponsor can apply).
• The sponsor and the sponsored person must have a clean criminal record or the appropriate pardons should have been granted.