Dependent Child Sponsorship

Dependent Child Sponsorship allows an eligible Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act to sponsor a qualifying dependent child for permanent residence in Canada.

The first question is whether the child meets IRCC’s definition of a dependant. Age, marital or common-law status and, for older children, financial dependency and medical circumstances can all affect eligibility. In some cases, it is also important to confirm whether a child of a Canadian citizen may already be a Canadian citizen and therefore does not need permanent residence sponsorship.

Anka Canada Immigration Consulting assists families with assessing dependent-child eligibility, reviewing custody and parental-consent issues, and preparing the sponsorship and permanent residence application.

Services are provided by Volkan Sacilik, RCIC-IRB, CICC Licence No. R1042981.

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Who Qualifies as a Dependent Child?

Under the current definition, a child generally qualifies as a dependant if they:

• are under 22 years old; and

• do not have a spouse or common-law partner.

A child who is 22 or older may still qualify if they:

• have depended substantially on their parents for financial support since before turning 22; and

• are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition.

For permanent immigration applications, the child’s age is generally assessed using an age lock-in date, meaning their age may be fixed at a particular stage of the application even if they become older during processing

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Who Can Sponsor a Dependent Child?

A sponsor must generally:

• be at least 18 years old;

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act;

• live in Canada, subject to the applicable exception for Canadian citizens living abroad;

• meet the general sponsorship eligibility requirements; and

• agree to provide for the child’s basic needs during the undertaking period.

A Canadian citizen living outside Canada may be able to sponsor a dependent child if they demonstrate an intention to live in Canada when the child becomes a permanent resident.

A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor from abroad.

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Is There a Minimum Income Requirement?

In most cases, there is no minimum necessary income requirement when sponsoring a dependent child.

However, additional financial requirements may arise where the child being sponsored has a dependent child of their own. The family composition should therefore be reviewed before filing.

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Is Your Child Already a Canadian Citizen?

Before submitting a sponsorship application, it can be important to confirm the child’s citizenship status.

If the sponsor is a Canadian citizen, a child born outside Canada may already be a Canadian citizen, depending on the circumstances. A Canadian citizen cannot be sponsored for permanent residence. IRCC therefore recommends confirming citizenship status where this issue may arise.

Where the child is already a citizen, the appropriate process may instead involve obtaining proof of citizenship and a Canadian passport.

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What If the Other Parent Is Not Immigrating?

If only the child is being sponsored, the child is generally listed as the principal applicant.

Where another parent or legal guardian has custody or parental rights and is not accompanying the child to Canada, IRCC may require evidence that the other parent agrees to the child immigrating. Custody documents, consent documentation or an explanation may be required depending on the circumstances.

This can be particularly important where:

• the parents are separated or divorced;

• custody is shared;

• the child lives primarily with the other parent; or

• the other parent’s location or consent cannot easily be obtained.

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How Long Is the Sponsorship Undertaking?

Outside Quebec, the undertaking period depends on the child’s age when they become a permanent resident.

For a dependent child under 22, the undertaking generally lasts:

• 10 years from the date they become a permanent resident, or

• until the child turns 25,

whichever comes first.

For a dependent child who is 22 or older, the undertaking generally lasts 3 years after they become a permanent resident.

The undertaking cannot simply be cancelled after the child becomes a permanent resident.

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Dependent Child or Adopted Child Sponsorship?

A dependent child sponsorship and an intercountry adoption case should not automatically be treated as the same process.

Adopted children, or children who will be adopted as part of the immigration process, can involve additional provincial, territorial and international adoption requirements.

Learn more: Adopted Child Sponsorship →

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Common Issues in Dependent Child Sponsorship Applications

Applications can become more complicated when:

• the child is close to or over the dependent-child age limit;

• the child is married or in a common-law relationship;

• dependency after age 22 is being claimed;

• custody or parental consent is unclear;

• the child may already be a Canadian citizen;

• the child or another family member was not properly declared in an earlier immigration application;

• family relationships or custody documents contain inconsistent information;

• the child has a dependent child of their own.

IRCC requires family members to be properly declared and, where applicable, examined as part of Canadian immigration processing.

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How Anka Canada Immigration Consulting Can Assist

Anka can review the sponsor’s eligibility, the child’s age and dependency status, citizenship considerations, custody arrangements and immigration history to determine whether dependent-child sponsorship is the appropriate process.

Where retained, we can also prepare the sponsorship and permanent residence application, review supporting family and custody documentation and provide representative submissions where the circumstances require additional explanation.

The objective is to ensure that the child’s eligibility, family relationship and supporting documentation are presented accurately and consistently throughout the application.

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Important Information

Dependent-child definitions, sponsorship requirements and application procedures can change. Eligibility depends on the sponsor’s circumstances, the child’s age and family situation, and the rules in force when the application is submitted.

This page provides general information only and does not guarantee sponsorship eligibility or permanent residence approval.