The family sponsorship program helps reunite families by allowing Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are the parents of a child abroad to apply to sponsor their child, or other dependent, for Canadian permanent residence.

Children qualify as dependants if they meet both requirements:

• they’re under 22 years old
• they don’t have a spouse or common law partner

Children 22 years old or older qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:

• they are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition
• they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22

To be eligible to sponsor your dependent child to Canada you must meet all of the following requirements:

• you must be 18 years of age or older
• you must be a Canadian citizen, a Canadian PR , or a person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
  • If you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents.
  • If you are a Canadian Permanent Resident you must be living in Canada.
• you must be able to show that you’re not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
• you must be able to provide for the basic needs of your dependent child