Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship
Sponsor your parent or grandparent and reunite as a family in Canada
What is the Definition of Parent and Grandparent?
Parents and grandparents are defined by blood relation or adoption, and they must be the principal applicant named in the permanent residency application.
A step parent can be sponsored as a dependent of the principal applicant, and a child of the parents being sponsored (i.e. the sponsor’s brother/sister) would have to be a dependent child to be included in the application.
Who Can Sponsor their Parents and Grandparents?
security (i.e. no criminal history) based.
Unlike some other sponsorship routes, sponsoring a parent or grandparent requires meeting financial requirements.
A sponsor must meet a minimum income threshold for the last 3 taxation years before the application is submitted. This threshold changes from year to year, due to inflation, and is larger the more individuals are being sponsored.
Responsibilities as a Sponsor
A sponsor must also sign an undertaking to provide the parents/grandparents being sponsored financial support for 20 years after they receive PR status and to repay any money they receive for social assistance. This undertaking also requires you to cover their expenses, such as non-government health, dental, and prescription costs.
Parents and grandparents are defined by blood relation or adoption, and they must be the principal applicant named in the permanent residency application. A step parent can be sponsored as a dependent of the principal applicant, and a child of the parents being sponsored (i.e. the sponsor’s brother/sister) would have to be a dependent child to be included in the application.
Application Process
To apply for an Invitation to Apply, you must submit an interest to sponsor form.
NOTE: Access to this form is limited to a brief period each year to ensure a limited number of candidates. As the program is currently closed, no interest to sponsor forms are available, and thus no invitations are being issued.
After receiving your Invitation to Apply, you will have 60 days to complete 2 applications. Both applications are submitted together:
- Application for the inviter to become a sponsor,
- Parents/grandparents permanent residency application.
Have a Question?
How We Can Help
Our representatives understand all the ins and out of sponsorships applications and can help you get into the mind of an immigration officer to ensure you compile a complete, strong and convicting application to give you the best chances of success.
If you are looking to sponsor your parent and/or grandparent, please contact our office at 416-477-2570 to schedule a
consultation, and we will be happy to assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the parental sponsorship process?
For a parental or grandparent sponsorship application there are two stages. The first stage is submitting an interest to sponsor form. The first stage is open for a limited time each year, so it is important to be prepared and have everything completed. Once you submit the first stage the next step is to wait until the parental sponsorship portal opens and then you will receive an invitation to complete the application. The second stage is receiving an invitation to apply to sponsor your parents or grandparents.
When is the opening date for parents or grandparent sponsorship?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada chooses the opening date. In 2019, the interest to sponsor form was available for a limited time on January 28, 2019. CIC usually announces their opening date on their website, through their Facebook page or on their Twitter account. Every year will be something different, so it is important to keep an eye out on the CIC website and other social media accounts to know when to apply.
Can I sponsor my parents if they have a medical condition?
The answer to this question is dependent on the severity of the medical condition and the situation at hand. You can be considered medically inadmissible to Canada if your health condition exceeds the demand of health and social services. There are ways in which an individual can overcome medical inadmissibility but every situation is different. Immigration Canada takes into account your entire situation, they will look at when you developed the medical condition, what treat did you receive for this condition, it is an extreme condition, is it safe for you to travel, etc. All these factors will play into account to prove to the officer you are not medically inadmissible to Canada.