Canada Family Sponsorship & Spousal PR Guide 2026

Understand who can sponsor family members for Canadian permanent residence, the current undertaking periods, spouse and child income rules, inland versus Family Class applications, current 2026 fees, work-permit options and appeal limitations.

Who Can Sponsor a Family Member?

For spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner and dependent-child sponsorship, the sponsor generally must be at least 18 years old, be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act, live in Canada and sign the required undertaking and sponsorship agreement. A Canadian citizen who lives outside Canada can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or a dependent child who has no children of their own if they demonstrate that they plan to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor from abroad.

Who Can Be Sponsored?

The family sponsorship system has different eligibility tests for spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents, and certain other relatives. A relationship must satisfy the statutory definition and documentary requirements for the specific category.

Financial Undertaking and Income Rules

A sponsorship undertaking is a legal commitment to provide financial support for the sponsored family member and to make sure they do not need social assistance. The sponsor can remain responsible for the undertaking even if the family relationship changes, the sponsor or sponsored person moves, or the sponsor experiences financial difficulty.

Spousal Sponsorship: Family Class vs In-Canada Class

For a spouse or common-law partner, there are two principal application classes. The Family Class is generally used when the sponsored person lives outside Canada or when the Family Class is preferable for the applicant's circumstances. The Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class is designed for an eligible spouse or common-law partner who is living with the sponsor in Canada and has valid temporary resident status or is covered by an applicable public policy.

The inland class is not automatically preferable simply because the applicant is in Canada. The person's status, location, circumstances, family situation and appeal considerations should be considered.

Spousal Open Work Permit While PR Is Processing

An eligible spouse or common-law partner living in Canada and being sponsored for permanent residence may qualify for an open work permit while the PR application is processed. IRCC's current rules require more than simply mailing or submitting an inland sponsorship application. The sponsored person generally must be in a genuine relationship, be included in the permanent-residence application and have an acknowledgement of receipt confirming that the PR application is being processed, along with meeting the other temporary-resident and work-permit conditions.

Do not state that every inland sponsorship applicant automatically receives an open work permit immediately after submitting the PR application. The current IRCC policy has specific eligibility and timing requirements.

Current 2026 Family Sponsorship Fees

IRCC's current fee list shows the present family-sponsorship fees. For a spouse or partner, the sponsorship and processing fee including the right of permanent residence fee is $1,260. If the right of permanent residence fee is not paid at that stage, the amount is $660. A dependent child included in the family sponsorship application is $180 per child. Parent and grandparent sponsorship has the same $1,260 fee when the right of permanent residence fee is included.

IRCC fees can change. Verify the official fee list immediately before payment and submission.

Parents and Grandparents Program — Current 2026 Status

The Parents and Grandparents Program is currently not accepting new applications. IRCC paused the program on July 15, 2026 and is not accepting new interest-to-sponsor forms or inviting potential sponsors to apply until further notice. Existing applications continue to be processed, and IRCC plans to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the PGP in 2026.

Do not advertise PGP as an open annual intake or lottery in 2026. The intake is currently paused.

Sponsorship Bars and Sponsor Responsibilities

Family sponsorship creates legal financial obligations, and some previous immigration or financial circumstances can prevent a person from sponsoring. The exact bars differ somewhat by sponsorship category and province, so they should be checked against the current IRCC rules for the intended sponsorship.

Application, Processing and Appeal

A family-sponsorship application generally contains the sponsorship forms, permanent-residence forms, relationship evidence, identity and civil-status documents, police certificates where required, medical examinations when instructed and applicable fees. For spouse, partner and dependent-child sponsorship, the sponsor and principal applicant submit their sponsorship and permanent-residence applications together through the current online PR Portal process.

Official IRCC & Government References

Frequently Asked Questions (6 Verified Answers)

Usually no. IRCC generally does not impose a minimum income requirement for sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child, although specific financial requirements can apply in situations involving a dependent child who has dependent children of their own and Quebec has separate rules.

Outside Quebec, the undertaking for a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner lasts 3 years from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. Quebec has different undertaking rules.

Outside Quebec, for a dependent child who is under 22 when becoming a permanent resident, the undertaking lasts 10 years or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first. For a dependent child who is 22 or older when becoming a permanent resident, the undertaking lasts 3 years.

A Canadian citizen living outside Canada can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner if they demonstrate an intention to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. A citizen abroad can also sponsor certain dependent children, but the current rules restrict this to children who have no children of their own. Permanent residents cannot sponsor while living outside Canada.

Yes, an eligible spouse or common-law partner living in Canada may qualify for an open work permit while the PR application is processed. Eligibility is not automatic upon filing: the current IRCC process generally requires the person to be included in the PR application, be living in Canada with the sponsor and have the required acknowledgement of receipt or satisfy the narrow exception for applicants whose status expires within two weeks.

No. IRCC paused new PGP intake on July 15, 2026. It is not currently accepting new interest-to-sponsor forms or inviting new sponsors to apply, although existing applications continue to be processed and IRCC plans to approve up to 15,000 people through the program in 2026.

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