Canada sponsorship pathway: What foreign citizens need to know about sponsoring their child's PR
Canada allows eligible citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, partner, or dependent child for permanent residency under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its regulations
- Sep 16, 2025,
- Updated Sep 16, 2025 12:35 PM IST
If you are a foreign citizen living in Canada, the question of how to bring your children to live with you permanently is a crucial one.
Canada allows eligible citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, partner, or dependent child for permanent residency under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its regulations. However, the process comes with clear conditions, income rules, and restrictions that applicants must fully understand before applying.
Who is eligible to sponsor a child?
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you can sponsor your dependent child if you:
-
Are at least 18 years old.
-
Are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or registered in Canada under the Canadian Indian Act.
-
Live in Canada at the time of application.
Canadian citizens living abroad can apply, but they must prove that they plan to return and live in Canada once the child becomes a permanent resident. Permanent residents living outside Canada, however, cannot sponsor.
Sponsors must also sign an undertaking and sponsorship agreement, committing to financially support the child and meet all requirements set under Canadian immigration law.
Income requirements
In most cases, IRCC does not require sponsors to meet a minimum income threshold for sponsoring a dependent child. The exception applies if:
-
The dependent child has one or more dependent children of their own.
-
You are sponsoring a spouse or partner who has a dependent child, and that child has one or more dependents.
In such cases, sponsors must submit the Financial Evaluation Form (IMM 1283) to show adequate income to cover the family unit.
For applicants in Quebec, separate rules apply. Sponsors must meet Quebec’s eligibility and income requirements and sign an undertaking with the provincial government. Quebec applicants are specifically warned: “Don’t submit your undertaking application to Quebec until we tell you to do so. If you don’t wait for our confirmation, Quebec won’t process your application.”
Who is not eligible to sponsor?
There are several restrictions that could prevent a Canadian citizen or permanent resident from sponsoring their child. According to IRCC, you cannot sponsor if you:
-
Became a permanent resident less than five years ago through spousal sponsorship.
-
Are still financially responsible for a spouse or partner you previously sponsored (within the three-year commitment period).
-
Are in jail, prison, or a penitentiary.
-
Are behind on immigration loans, performance bonds, or court-ordered family support payments (except in some Quebec cases).
-
Declared bankruptcy and have not been discharged.
-
Are receiving social assistance for reasons other than disability.
-
Were convicted of violent crimes, sexual offences, or offences against relatives causing bodily harm.
-
Are subject to a removal order from Canada.
As IRCC notes, “There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child. If we determine you’re not eligible to sponsor, we’ll tell you why.”
Why this matters for immigrant families
Family reunification remains a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration policy. By sponsoring their child for permanent residency, foreign citizens can secure long-term stability, ensure access to healthcare and education, and eventually support their child’s path to Canadian citizenship. But the process is tightly regulated, and applicants must carefully assess eligibility before starting the application.
If you are a foreign citizen living in Canada, the question of how to bring your children to live with you permanently is a crucial one.
Canada allows eligible citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, partner, or dependent child for permanent residency under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its regulations. However, the process comes with clear conditions, income rules, and restrictions that applicants must fully understand before applying.
Who is eligible to sponsor a child?
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you can sponsor your dependent child if you:
-
Are at least 18 years old.
-
Are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or registered in Canada under the Canadian Indian Act.
-
Live in Canada at the time of application.
Canadian citizens living abroad can apply, but they must prove that they plan to return and live in Canada once the child becomes a permanent resident. Permanent residents living outside Canada, however, cannot sponsor.
Sponsors must also sign an undertaking and sponsorship agreement, committing to financially support the child and meet all requirements set under Canadian immigration law.
Income requirements
In most cases, IRCC does not require sponsors to meet a minimum income threshold for sponsoring a dependent child. The exception applies if:
-
The dependent child has one or more dependent children of their own.
-
You are sponsoring a spouse or partner who has a dependent child, and that child has one or more dependents.
In such cases, sponsors must submit the Financial Evaluation Form (IMM 1283) to show adequate income to cover the family unit.
For applicants in Quebec, separate rules apply. Sponsors must meet Quebec’s eligibility and income requirements and sign an undertaking with the provincial government. Quebec applicants are specifically warned: “Don’t submit your undertaking application to Quebec until we tell you to do so. If you don’t wait for our confirmation, Quebec won’t process your application.”
Who is not eligible to sponsor?
There are several restrictions that could prevent a Canadian citizen or permanent resident from sponsoring their child. According to IRCC, you cannot sponsor if you:
-
Became a permanent resident less than five years ago through spousal sponsorship.
-
Are still financially responsible for a spouse or partner you previously sponsored (within the three-year commitment period).
-
Are in jail, prison, or a penitentiary.
-
Are behind on immigration loans, performance bonds, or court-ordered family support payments (except in some Quebec cases).
-
Declared bankruptcy and have not been discharged.
-
Are receiving social assistance for reasons other than disability.
-
Were convicted of violent crimes, sexual offences, or offences against relatives causing bodily harm.
-
Are subject to a removal order from Canada.
As IRCC notes, “There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child. If we determine you’re not eligible to sponsor, we’ll tell you why.”
Why this matters for immigrant families
Family reunification remains a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration policy. By sponsoring their child for permanent residency, foreign citizens can secure long-term stability, ensure access to healthcare and education, and eventually support their child’s path to Canadian citizenship. But the process is tightly regulated, and applicants must carefully assess eligibility before starting the application.