Dependent Child Sponsorship
Overview
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor a dependent child for permanent residence in Canada. A dependent child is a biological or adopted child who is under 22 years of age and does not have a spouse or common-law partner, or who is 22 or older but has been financially dependent on the sponsor due to a physical or mental condition since before age 22. There is no minimum income requirement to sponsor a dependent child. The sponsor must sign a 10-year undertaking (or until the child turns 25, whichever is sooner).
Dependent children who are included in a parent's permanent residence application as co-applicants are processed together with the principal applicant — they do not require a separate sponsorship. A separate child sponsorship is required only when the parent is already a PR or citizen and wishes to bring the child to Canada later.
Eligibility
Who qualifies as a dependent child?
See the dependent child age calculation concept page for the full rules. Key points:
- Under 22 years old and without a spouse or common-law partner (the general rule)
- 22 or older and continuously financially dependent on the parent due to a physical or mental condition (the exception)
- Biological or legally adopted children qualify
- Age is locked in at the date IRCC receives the sponsorship application
Adopted children
International adoption for immigration purposes is a separate process from domestic adoption. For a child to qualify as a dependent child by adoption for immigration purposes, the adoption must be:
- Legal in the jurisdiction where it took place
- In the best interests of the child
- Not undertaken primarily for immigration purposes
- A genuine adoption (not a temporary legal arrangement)
Children adopted by a Canadian citizen may be eligible to become Canadian citizens by descent (s 5.1 of the Citizenship Act), in which case a sponsorship may not be necessary.
Sponsor requirements
- Canadian citizen or PR, at least 18 years old
- No minimum income requirement for child sponsorship
- Not subject to a sponsorship bar related to previous undertaking default
Selection criteria
Application process
Application process
- Confirm the child's eligibility (age, no spouse, biological or adopted status)
- Submit the sponsorship application (paper-based or online, depending on the child's location)
- The sponsorship approval is assessed (sponsor eligibility, no bars)
- The child's permanent residence application is processed; the child undergoes an immigration medical examination and security/criminality checks
- If approved, the child is issued an immigrant visa and lands as a PR
The 10-year undertaking
The sponsor undertakes to financially support the child for 10 years from the date the child becomes a PR, or until the child turns 25 — whichever comes first. For a child who is, for example, 14 at landing, the undertaking runs until age 25 (11 years, but capped at the 10-year maximum). For a child who is 16 at landing, the undertaking runs to age 25 (9 years). For children who qualify under the 22+ physical/mental condition exception, the undertaking period is 3 years.