Regulation 118 — Undertaking by sponsor
Text of provision
A foreign national who is an adopted dependent child or is a person referred to in paragraph 117(1)(f) or (g) shall not be issued a permanent resident visa as a member of the family class unless the sponsor has provided a statement in writing confirming that they have obtained information about the medical condition of the child or of the foreign national.
Plain English
Regulation 118 requires a sponsor to sign an undertaking — a legally binding promise to provide financial support — for a prescribed period. The undertaking period varies: 3 years for a spouse or partner (measured from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident); 10 years for a child under 22; and 20 years for a parent or grandparent.
The undertaking must be signed before the sponsorship application is assessed.
Practical effect
The undertaking has real financial consequences. If the sponsored person receives social assistance from a provincial or territorial government during the undertaking period, the province may recover those amounts from the sponsor — a process known as "sponsorship debt." Sponsors who default on their undertakings may be barred from sponsoring other family members until the debt is repaid. The 20-year undertaking for parents and grandparents means sponsors are committed to supporting them until the PR turns up to 20 years after landing.