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Length of Time You Must Support a Sponsored Relative or Family Member

When you sponsor a relative or family member to become a permanent resident of Canada, you must promise to support that person and their accompanying family members for a period of three to 10 years, depending on their age and relationship to you.

This unconditional promise of support comes in the form of an Undertaking with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. You must also sign a Sponsorship Agreement with the person you are sponsoring and all accompanying family members that outlines your commitment to support them and their commitment to make every effort to be self-supporting. Dependent children under the age of 22 do not have to sign the Sponsorship Agreement.

Length of Time for Support

You must provide financial support for the relatives or family members you are sponsoring depending on their age and relationship to you. If you are sponsoring:

• your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, you must provide financial support for three years from the date that person became a permanent resident;
• your, or your spouse’s, common-law or conjugal partner’s dependent child who is less than 22 years of age, you must provide financial support for 10 years from the date that person became a permanent resident or until the child turns 25 years of age, whichever comes first;
• your, or your spouse’s, common-law or conjugal partner’s dependent child who is 22 years of age or older, you must provide financial support for three years from the date that person became a permanent resident; or
• any other person not mentioned above, you must provide financial support for 10 years from the date that person became a permanent resident.