Normally, the person to be sponsored must fit into one of the following relationships with the principal sponsor(s) under the family class.

A dependent child, parent, grandparent and/or spouse

However, the Canadian government also allows people to sponsor a relative other than those listed above provided they are unmarried and without other surviving relatives. This is to keep families together and to show compassion.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The person who wants to sponsor the relative from overseas must:

• Be the citizen of Canada or its permanent resident.
• Be ready to sign an agreement with the government proving their readiness to undertake the sponsorship for 10-years.
• Fulfill the minimum financial responsibilities expected by the government of Canada.