SPONSOR YOUR CHILD OR OTHER DEPENDANT
Sponsor your child to immigrate to Canada through child sponsorship program. It allows Canadian Citizens and permanent residents parents to sponsor their biological or adopted children to immigrate to Canada.
If a child meets the definition of a dependant and the parent meets the requirements to be a sponsor, the parent can submit an application for the child to become a Canadian permanent resident.
Eligibility Requirements for Child Sponsorship
To qualify for child sponsorship program, both the sponsoring parent and the dependent child must meet the eligibility requirements listed, as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Requirements for Parent to sponsor a child to Immigrate to Canada
A parent must be at least 18 years old and have status as either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
All sponsors must agree to provide for the basic needs of the child they want to sponsor. In addition, sponsors must sign an undertaking, agreeing to provide financial support to their dependent child once they become a permanent resident.
There are certain situations that a parent is INELIGIBLE to sponsor their child:
- If the parent was sponsored to become a permanent resident of Canada less than five years prior to an application to sponsor.
- does not intend to live in Canada with the sponsored child once they become a permanent resident.
- a permanent resident and residing outside Canada. Please note: Canadian citizens can file a sponsorship application regardless of their country of residence, so long as they intend to live in Canada with the sponsored relative once the application is approved.
- receiving social assistance for a reason other than a disability.
- the parent is in jail or has been convicted of certain criminal offences, especially offences against relatives.
In most cases, the parent does not have to show proof of financial income. However, if the dependent child being sponsored also has dependent children of their own, then the parent will be required to meet a certain income requirement.
If you are living in Quebec and want to sponsor a child, note that you must meet Quebec’s immigration sponsorship requirements in addition to the requirements listed.
Requirements for children to be sponsored for Canadian Immigration
To be sponsored, your child must meet Canada’s definition of a dependant. There are two ways to demonstrate status as a dependant:
- The child is under the age of 22 and they do not have a spouse or a common-law partner; or
- The child is 22 years of age or older and they are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition and have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22.
NOTE: If you are sponsoring your spouse or partner’s child who is not your child, you must be sponsoring your partner at the same time. Canada has a separate process for sponsoring adopted children.
If a child was born in Canada, or if one of the child’s parents is a Canadian citizen, then there is a strong possibility that the child is already a Canadian citizen.
Feel free to contact us so we can discuss child sponsorship more with you.