Canada continues to prioritize family reunification, admitting over 100,000 newcomers annually under the family class immigration stream. While most of these immigrants arrive through the Spouses, Partners, and Children category, and a significant portion through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), there are additional, lesser-known pathways that allow Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor other types of family members.
According to Maple News, individuals aged 18 or older who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons registered under Canada’s Indian Act may sponsor their family members for permanent residency. In addition to more common sponsorships like spouses, partners, parents, or grandparents, the immigration system also provides specific provisions to support orphaned or uniquely-situated relatives.
One such path includes sponsoring an orphaned sibling, niece, nephew, or grandchild. However, eligibility is tightly defined. The child must be under 18, unmarried or not in any partnership, and have lost both parents. Importantly, you cannot sponsor them if one parent is still alive, their whereabouts are unknown, they were abandoned, are in the care of someone else, or if either parent is incarcerated.
Another lesser-known route is known as the ‘Other Relative’ sponsorship. In this case, you can sponsor one blood or adopted relative of any age, but only if you have no other living family member that could be sponsored—such as a spouse, child, parent, or grandparent—and have no other relatives in Canada who are citizens or permanent residents themselves.
If the person you’re sponsoring has a spouse or dependent children, they must be included in the same application. This program offers a meaningful, though limited, avenue for those with unique family circumstances to bring loved ones to Canada.
Sponsorship involves a dual application process: one from the sponsor and one from the relative applying for permanent residence. Both components must be submitted together to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Applicants should be prepared to provide proof of eligibility, including financial documents and statements of intent to support the family member upon their arrival.
Maple News notes that IRCC requires honesty and completeness from all applicants. Health and security screenings for the family member—and their dependents, if applicable—are mandatory components of the process. Fees and processing timelines vary, so careful planning and documentation are essential.
Canada’s family sponsorship program reflects the country’s enduring commitment to keeping families together. While the pathways beyond spouses and parents may involve strict criteria, they provide crucial options for Canadians with unique family situations.