Family Sponsorship Canada
Reunite with your loved ones in Canada. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor close family members, spouses, common-law partners, parents, grandparents, dependent children, and certain other relatives.
Who You Can Sponsor
Spouse or common-law partner
12+ months continuous cohabitation for common-law
Conjugal partner
When you cannot live together due to exceptional circumstances
Dependent children
Under 22 and unmarried (or 22+ if dependent due to disability)
Parents and grandparents
Subject to PGP intake or interest-to-sponsor invitation
Adopted children
Including children to be adopted in Canada
Orphaned relatives
Siblings, nephews, nieces, grandchildren under 18, unmarried
Sponsor Requirements
- ✓ Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (or registered Indian under the Indian Act).
- ✓ Be at least 18 years old.
- ✓ Sign a 3-year financial undertaking for spouse/partner (longer for parents/grandparents).
- ✓ Not be in default on a previous undertaking.
- ✓ Not have been convicted of certain offences (with conditions on nature, timing, and rehabilitation).
- ✓ Not receive social assistance (other than for a disability).
- ✓ For parents/grandparents only: meet Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for the past 3 tax years.
Spousal Sponsorship: Inland vs Outland
Outland Sponsorship
Spouse outside Canada (or choosing outland processing). Processed by IRCC visa offices abroad.
- ✓ Right of appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD)
- ✓ Typically faster overall
- ✗ No automatic open work permit for sponsored spouse
Inland Sponsorship
Spouse already inside Canada with legal status. Processed in Canada.
- ✓ Open Work Permit (SOWP) available almost immediately
- ✗ No right of appeal (only Federal Court judicial review)
- ✗ Sponsored spouse should not leave Canada during processing
For a deeper dive, read our 2026 Spousal Sponsorship Guide.
Why Choose Us?
Personalized Assessment
- Understanding your Canadian immigration needs and goals.
- Assessing eligibility across multiple programs.
- Recommending the best pathway for your situation.
- Answering all questions and addressing concerns.
Tailored Approach
- Custom Canadian immigration plan suited to you.
- Clear proposal outlining services and payment structure: 50% before processing, 50% before submission.
- Comprehensive checklist after initial payment.
Application Fulfillment
- Dedicated case manager assigned to your file.
- Strong application prepared within 7–10 business days.
- Review and final approval before submission.
Trusted Partnership
- Kept informed at every stage from submission to decision.
- Ongoing support and guidance until you reach your goals.
- Available for status updates at any time.
Ready to take the next step?
Book a free assessment with our licensed RCIC team. We'll review your case, identify your best pathway, and outline the next steps.
Our Technology Ecosystem
The platform behind Waymark, built in Abbotsford, BC by RCICs, for the way modern immigration practices actually work.
Nova System Inc.
Canadian legal-tech company building modern software for immigration consultants. The team behind Meridian, Polaris, and Aurora.
- ▸Founded in Abbotsford, BC by a practicing RCIC
- ▸Three products serving the full RCIC workflow
- ▸Built on the global edge network
- ▸Encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM
- ▸CICC-aware trust accounting and RCIC compliance baked in
Meridian
The all-in-one operating system for RCIC firms. Cases, clients, documents, trust accounting, AI, and intake, one connected platform.
- ▸AI-powered CRM for cases, clients, leads, deadlines
- ▸Document automation plus smart checklists per IRCC pathway
- ▸CICC-aware trust accounting and annual report generator
- ▸Per-case AI chat plus global firm AI assistant
- ▸Branded intake forms, client portal, e-signatures
- ▸Real-time IRCC policy and Express Entry draw monitoring
Polaris
The desktop cockpit. A native app that puts your day, your cases, and your AI assistant one click away, built for staff who live in the practice.
- ▸Daily bench view, your day at a glance
- ▸Voice notes and camera capture into cases
- ▸Owner cockpit with firm-wide metrics and approvals
- ▸Compass with in-app help and onboarding
- ▸RCIC approvals queue for L1 staff submissions
- ▸Lock and unlock workstation via mobile passkey
Aurora
The mobile client experience. Clients track their case, upload documents, sign forms, and message their RCIC, from the palm of their hand.
- ▸Live case tracking and processing-time radar
- ▸Multi-page document scan and camera upload
- ▸Secure document viewer and watermarked downloads
- ▸In-house e-signatures and payment receipts
- ▸Eligibility checks, CRS, NOC, travel calculators
- ▸Push notifications and PIPEDA data export and delete
Waymark Immigration runs on the Nova System ecosystem.