YOU CAN BECOME A SPONSOR IF YOU ARE:

  1. a Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident,
  2. at least 18 years old
  3. living in Canada:
    • if you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident.
    • You can’t sponsor someone if you’re a permanent resident living outside of Canada.
  4. able to show that you can provide basic needs for:
    • yourself,
    • your spouse or partner,
    • your spouse or partner’s dependent children (if applicable)

Note: All sponsors must show that they can provide for the basic needs of the persons being sponsored. If you live in Quebec, you must also meet Quebec’s conditions to be a sponsor

 

YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SPONSOR IF YOU:

  1. signed an undertaking for a previous spouse or partner and it hasn’t been three years since they became a permanent resident,
  2. receive social assistance for a reason other than disability,
  3. previously sponsored someone and did not pay back any social assistance that they received while the undertaking was in place.
  4. are in default on an immigration loan or a performance bond
  5. did not pay court-ordered alimony or child support
  6. have declared bankruptcy which has not been discharged
  7. were convicted of
    • an offence of a sexual nature,
    • a violent crime,
    • an offence against a relative that caused bodily harm or
    • threatened or attempted to commit any of the above offences—depending on the nature of the offence, how long ago it happened and if you received a pardon
  8. were previously sponsored as a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner and became a permanent resident of Canada less than five years ago,
  9. are under a removal order,
  10. are in a penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison,
  11. have already applied to sponsor your current spouse or partner and haven’t received a decision.