Step-by-Step Guide for Family Sponsorship Application in Canada
By Anne Lui, founder and principal consultant of Hopeway Immigration
The Canadian Immigration System focuses on family reunification. It’s their primary objective to reunite the families of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. As Canada’s immigration consultant, I love to work on family sponsorship cases. It is just gratifying to see families bringing their loved ones to join them and build their new chapter of life in Canada.
Immigration is a life-changing project that will impact your whole family, so it is essential for you to have the right knowledge of the sponsorship process. This understanding will help you develop the best strategy, avoid common pitfalls, and save a lot of time.
Understand the process for the Family Sponsorship Application in Canada
Here is my step-by-step guide to help you navigate the Family Class Sponsorship process in 2025.
Step 1: Confirm if you are eligible to act as a Sponsor
Before you apply, the first thing you should do is to ensure you meet the requirements for a Sponsor:
- You’re at least 18 years old.
- You’re a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- You live in Canada (those who don’t must show proof of their return plan once their family member obtains permanent residency).
- You’re not in default of previous undertakings, immigration loans, or court-ordered payments.
- You’re not under a removal order or an undischarged bankruptcy.
Moreover, you need to check that you are not precluded from being a sponsor under the 5-year-bar rule. Did you obtain your permanent residency through sponsorship by a former spouse or common-law partner? If yes, then you cannot sponsor your current spouse or partner until 5 years have passed.
A sponsor of their spouse, common-law partner or dependent child is not required to prove the level of their income. However, if you want to sponsor your parents, grandparents or other family members, you must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirements set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These requirements apply to your income for the last three taxation years.
Step 2: Find Out Who You Can Sponsor
While you may have a big extended family, Canada’s immigration law has a very narrow definition of the members of the Family Class. In most cases, they include only the following:
- Spouse – only if your marriage is recognized by Canadian law.
- Common-law partner – you have lived together continuously for at least 12 months in a conjugal relationship.
- Conjugal partner – outside Canada and unable to cohabit due to legal or social barriers.
- Dependent children – under 22 years old and single, or dependent on parents financially due to a physical/mental condition.
- Parents and grandparents – biological or adoptive.
There are rare cases where you may sponsor a sibling if they are younger than 18 and are orphaned, or a blood-related relative of any age if you are a lone Canadian. You should consult a professional to check the detailed requirements in these cases of family sponsorship in Canada.
Step 3: Collect Supporting Documents
Family sponsorship applications are among the most document-intensive in Canada’s immigration system. This requires the government to carefully screen each case to prevent fraud and ensure the relationship is genuine. Typical documents include:
- Proof of relationship and cohabitation: You must provide a marriage certificate, photos, a joint bank account, joint lease agreements, and communication logs.
- Identity and Status Documents: It is crucial to have passports, birth certificates, the sponsor’s PR card or citizenship proof.
- Financial evidence: For parents’ sponsorship, it is essential to provide documents such as employment verification letters, tax returns (NOAs/T4s), and pay stubs.
- Police Certificates and Medical Exams: All applicants and dependents need to submit these clearance checks, whether they are accompanying or not.
For spousal or common-law sponsorships, you should try your best to provide extra proof to demonstrate the genuineness of your relationship.
Step 4: Complete the Forms on the PR Portal
Nowadays, all family sponsorship applications are online through IRCC’s PR portal. You are expected to complete the forms online and upload the supporting documents there. The most important forms include:
- IMM 1344 – Application to Sponsor and Undertaking
- IMM 5532 – Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation
- IMM 5406 – Additional Family Information
- IMM 5669 – Schedule A: Background/Declaration
- IMM 5476 – Use of a Representative (if applicable)
For those sponsoring their common-law partner, you should complete a Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union (IMM5409) too.
You need to make sure you validate each form, save barcodes, and sign digitally before uploading. If the sponsor or the principal applicant misses out their signature on some of the forms, your application will be returned to you without being processed.
Step 5: Pay the Government Fees
Government Fees charged by IRCC in 2025 include:
- Sponsorship fee – $85
- Principal applicant processing fee – $545
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee – $575
- Biometrics – $85 per person
Pay online through IRCC’s portal and upload the receipt to your submission. Applications without proof of payment may be returned.
Step 6: Submit Your Application
IRCC’s PR Portal is where you should submit all your forms and documents. After submission, you will receive a confirmation email. However, that is not the same as the Acknowledgement of Receipt, which will only come in an email after your application has passed the completeness check.
Incomplete applications or outdated forms are among the top reasons for returns. IRCC has its own set of terminologies. If you are not sure about how to fill out some of the forms or whether some info is required, you should check with a professional.
Step 7: Track Your Application and Respond Promptly
According to IRCC’s website, the processing times as of November 2025 are:
- Spousal/common-law sponsorships: about 14 months for outland applications and 20 months for in-Canada applications
- Parent/grandparent sponsorships: about 42 months
You may track your application using the IRCC online tracker. When you receive any requests for additional information or interviews, be responsive and pay attention to deadlines. A delayed response may postpone a decision or even lead to a refusal of your case.
Step 8: Final Decision and Landing
When your case is approved, your family member receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).
- If they live outside Canada, they must enter before the COPR expiry date to finalize their PR status.
- If they are living inside Canada, they can complete the landing process online through the IRCC portal, which is known as the virtual landing process.
Your family member becomes a permanent resident once the landing process of Canadian family sponsorship is complete. They can then start their new life by applying for a PR card, a Social Insurance Number (SIN), and provincial health coverage.
Professional Tips from a Licensed RCIC
- Never provide fake documents or withhold important facts. Even inadvertent mistakes may lead to findings of misrepresentation. This will later result in a five-year ban on entering Canada and jeopardize your PR application.
- Provide organized and complete proof of your relationship and ongoing communication until your case is finalized.
- Always double-check form versions, fees, and instructions, as IRCC frequently updates requirements.
Why Work with a Professional
Family sponsorship in Canada is a personal and a legal process that requires accuracy and attention to detail. Missing a single document or misunderstanding a question on a form can delay your case by months.
At Hopeway Immigration and Services Inc., our Principal Consultant, Anne Lui, is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB) and a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits in Ontario. Our team offers personalized guidance to clients throughout the immigration process. We provide compassionate support to help families reunite in Canada efficiently and stress-free.
