Your relatives can live, study, and work in Canada if they become permanent residents of Canada. You can sponsor certain relatives to become Permanent Residents of Canada if you’re at least 18 years old and a:

• Canadian citizen or
• a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or
• permanent resident of Canada

• Parents and grandparents.
• Spouses, common- law or conjugal partners 18 or plus years of age.
• Dependent children (under 22years), including adopted children.
• Brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are orphans; under the age of 18 and neither married nor in a common-law relationship.
• If you intend to adopt a child, he should be under 18 years only.

Those who are being sponsored by a Canadian or PR family member, usually a spouse or a parent do not have to meet any selection criteria but must be medically examined and must not be inadmissible. The one who is sponsoring must sign the undertaking that he will provide full assistance to the sponsored person so as to help them in establishing in Canada. Period of undertaking varies and it depends upon the relationship.

Sponsors will have to meet the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) in certain cases as set out by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Especially in the case of Parents and Grandparents, it is LICO plus 30%.

The Sponsors are responsible for providing the essential needs for the person being sponsored and their dependents for a period of three to twenty years after the sponsored relative’s lands in Canada. If the sponsored relative receives social assistance during the period of undertaking, the Sponsor is liable to pay to the authorities any money given to the sponsored relative as social assistance. Authorities may also take legal recourse if required.