When a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsors a family member for permanent residence in Canada under the family class, they must sign a sponsorship undertaking — a legally binding promise to financially support the sponsored person and ensure they do not need to rely on government social assistance. The undertaking is a core requirement of the family sponsorship program.

The undertaking begins from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident and continues for the duration set by the relationship category. It cannot be cancelled or shortened once the sponsored person becomes a PR, regardless of changes in the sponsor's circumstances or the relationship between sponsor and sponsored person.

• IRPA s 132 — the family class sponsor must give an undertaking to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person and their family members
• IRPA s 133 — a sponsor is not eligible to give a new undertaking if a previous undertaking is in default
• IRPR regs 132–137 — the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations set out the undertaking requirements, duration, default rules, and the income thresholds that sponsors must meet
• Quebec — the province of Quebec has its own undertaking rules and duration periods under a federal–provincial agreement; the Quebec undertaking for parents/grandparents is 10 years (not 20)

Duration of the undertaking

The length of the undertaking depends on who is being sponsored:

• Parents and grandparents: 20 years from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. In Quebec, the undertaking period is 10 years. This is the longest undertaking period and reflects the long-term support relationship.
• Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner: 3 years from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.
• Dependent children under 22 years of age: 10 years from the date the child becomes a permanent resident, or until the child reaches age 25 — whichever comes first.
• Dependent children 22 years of age or older: 3 years from the date the child becomes a permanent resident.
• Other relatives (adopted children, orphaned relatives): refer to the applicable guide (Guide 5196) for the applicable duration.

Current undertaking durations are confirmed at the IRCC sponsor obligations page.

What the undertaking covers

By signing the undertaking, the sponsor commits to ensuring that the sponsored person has their basic needs met — food, clothing, shelter, dental care, optical care, and other basic necessities. The sponsor must ensure the sponsored person does not apply for or receive social assistance (welfare) from any federal, provincial, or municipal government during the undertaking period.

Default on the undertaking

A sponsor defaults on their undertaking if the sponsored person receives social assistance during the undertaking period. The consequences of default are:

• The sponsor must repay the social assistance received by the sponsored person to the government that provided it
• A sponsor who is in default on a previous undertaking is ineligible to sponsor a new family member until the default is cleared — this is one of the sponsorship bars under IRPA s 133

Cannot be cancelled

Once the sponsored family member becomes a permanent resident, there is no mechanism to cancel or reduce the undertaking period. The sponsor's financial responsibility continues even if:

• The sponsor's financial situation changes significantly
• The relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person breaks down (for example, marital breakdown after sponsoring a spouse)
• The sponsor or the sponsored person moves to a different province or country
• The sponsored person subsequently becomes a Canadian citizen

Income requirements

To be eligible to sponsor, the sponsor must meet a minimum income threshold (the Low Income Cut-Off, or LICO). The income requirement varies by family size and is updated periodically. Current income requirements are published on the IRCC eligibility page.

The undertaking is a significant long-term financial commitment, particularly for the parents/grandparents category where the 20-year period means the sponsor may be responsible well into their own retirement. Sponsors should carefully assess their financial capacity before committing to an undertaking of this duration.

Quebec's separate undertaking rules apply to persons who are sponsoring from within Quebec or sponsoring a person who intends to settle in Quebec. In all other provinces and territories, the federal undertaking rules and durations apply. Sponsors in Quebec should refer to the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) for the applicable Quebec requirements.