Sponsorship
Statutory definition
(1) A Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or a group of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, a corporation incorporated under a law of Canada or of a province or an unincorporated organization or association under federal or provincial law — or any combination of them — may sponsor a foreign national, subject to the regulations.
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27, s 13(1)
Explanation
Sponsorship is the mechanism by which a Canadian citizen or permanent resident supports a foreign national's application for permanent residence in the family class. The sponsor provides a formal undertaking — a legally binding promise to financially support the sponsored person and ensure they do not require social assistance for a specified period (typically three to ten years depending on the relationship).
Eligibility to sponsor is subject to regulatory conditions including minimum income requirements (in most family class categories), the sponsor's own immigration status, and the absence of certain bars such as being in receipt of social assistance, having been sponsored oneself within the past five years, or having been convicted of certain offences.
How this term is used
Sponsors must be at least 18 years of age and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident ordinarily residing in Canada. Permanent residents cannot sponsor from outside Canada except in limited circumstances. The sponsorship undertaking remains binding even if the relationship between the sponsor and sponsored person breaks down. A sponsored person who is found to have obtained permanent residence through misrepresentation may render the sponsor inadmissible under IRPA s 40(1)(b).