Family Sponsorship – Exploring the ‘Other Relative’ Categories
*Note: This information is current to May 28, 2024
In Canadian Immigration Law, the types of relatives a person can sponsor to become a Canadian Permanent Resident are set out in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
The term ‘family sponsorship’ or ‘sponsorship of a family member’ is normally limited to the Permanent Residence application of a person’s spouse or partner, single child under age 22 (dependent child), and grandchild of a single child under age 22 (dependent child of a dependent child).
Parent and grandparents are not considered to fall under the ‘family member’ definition, but can be sponsored under a separate and specific Permanent Residence Pathway. You can find information about the 2024 Parent/Grandparent Sponsorship Program in our recent article here.
Other relatives (adult children, siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc.) are not eligible to be sponsored for Permanent Residence, unless they fall under the exceptional circumstances of the ‘Other Relative’ options, described below.
A) Orphaned Relative Category
- Eligible Relations: brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild
- Requirements:
- Applicant related to sponsor by blood or legal adoption
- Both of the applicant’s parents are dead
- The Applicant is under 18
- The applicant is single – not married or in a common-law relationship
B) Lonely Canadian Category
- Eligible Relations: Any one relative, related by blood or legal adoption, of any age (e.g. adult sibling, aunt/uncle, cousin)
- Requirements:
- Sponsor (person in Canada) cannot have a living ‘family member’ or ‘other relative’ that they could normally Sponsor
- i.e. Cannot have a living spouse/partner, child, parent, grandparent, orphaned relative
- Sponsor (person in Canada) cannot have any relative who is a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or registered Indian under the Indian Act
- Sponsor (person in Canada) cannot have a living ‘family member’ or ‘other relative’ that they could normally Sponsor
The requirements above are only related to determining if the person in Canada and their overseas relative have a relationship type that make them eligible to apply under the listed categories.
All Sponsorship applications – Spouse/Partner, Children, Parents/Grandparents, and Other Relative – have other eligibility criteria that may affect whether an application can be made. For more information on all eligibility requirements, please visit the IRCC website or contact your local legal clinic.
***This is legal information and not legal advice. If you need further information or need legal advice, please call our Intake Line at 416-441-1764 ext. 1 or complete our online Intake Form.***