Family class sponsorship
Statutory definition
IRPR s 116 defines the members of the family class who may be sponsored: spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents, and orphaned siblings/nephews/nieces/grandchildren under 18. IRPR ss 130–134 set out sponsorship eligibility criteria, including minimum income requirements for sponsoring parents and grandparents.
Explanation
Family class sponsorship is a fundamental pathway for family reunification in Canada. Spouses and dependent children can be sponsored without minimum income requirements. Sponsors of parents and grandparents must meet a minimum necessary income (MNI) threshold — generally 30% above the LICO for the household size. The sponsorship undertaking requires the sponsor to provide financial support for the sponsored person for a specified period (3 years for spouses; 10 years or until age 25 for children; 20 years for parents/grandparents).