Other Eligible Relative Sponsorship

Other Eligible Relative Sponsorship allows certain Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act to sponsor specific relatives for permanent residence in Canada in limited circumstances.

This is a much narrower category than spousal, child or parent sponsorship. IRCC generally recognizes two situations: sponsorship of certain orphaned close relatives under 18, and sponsorship of one other relative of any age where the sponsor has no closer eligible relative to sponsor and no qualifying relative already in Canada.

Anka Canada Immigration Consulting assists families with determining whether one of these limited sponsorship categories may apply and with preparing the sponsorship and permanent residence application where the requirements are met.

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

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Which Other Relatives May Be Sponsored?

There are two main categories that may apply.

Orphaned Brother, Sister, Nephew, Niece or Grandchild

You may be able to sponsor an orphaned:

• brother or sister;

• nephew or niece; or

• grandchild

if the person:

• is related to you by blood or adoption;

• is under 18 years old;

• has lost both parents; and

• is not married or in a common-law relationship.

This category does not apply simply because the child's parents are unavailable, missing, detained or unable to care for the child. IRCC specifically requires that both parents have died.

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Can You Sponsor Another Relative of Any Age?

In very limited circumstances, a person may sponsor one relative of any age who is related to them by blood or adoption.

This may apply only where the sponsor:

• has no living spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, child, parent, grandparent or qualifying orphaned relative whom they could sponsor instead; and

• does not have another relative in Canada who is already a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act.

This provision is sometimes informally described as the “last remaining relative” rule, but the actual eligibility test is specific and should not be assumed simply because someone has few relatives in Canada.

Can an Aunt, Uncle or Cousin Be Sponsored?

Potentially, but only under the very limited “other relative” rules described above.

For example, IRCC provides examples where an aunt or cousin may be sponsored because the sponsor has no closer living relative they could sponsor and no other qualifying relative already in Canada.

The relationship must be by blood or adoption. A person generally cannot use this category to sponsor someone who is connected only through marriage, such as the spouse of a deceased uncle.

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What If the Sponsored Relative Has a Family?

If the eligible relative being sponsored has a spouse, common-law partner or dependent children who will immigrate with them, those family members must generally be included in the same permanent residence application.

Whether a child can be included as a dependant depends on whether they meet IRCC's dependent-child requirements.

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Who Can Be a Sponsor?

The 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; and

• have sufficient financial ability to support the person or persons being sponsored.

General sponsorship restrictions can also apply depending on matters such as previous sponsorship obligations, social assistance, bankruptcy, criminal history or other immigration circumstances.

Because financial requirements can depend on family composition and the type of relative being sponsored, they should be reviewed before the application is filed.

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How Does the Application Process Work?

The sponsorship and permanent residence processes are submitted together.

IRCC first assesses whether the sponsor meets the sponsorship requirements and then determines whether the sponsored relative meets the applicable permanent residence requirements.

The sponsored person must also meet Canada's admissibility requirements.

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Common Issues in Other Relative Sponsorship Applications

Applications can become more complicated when:

• one or both parents of an allegedly orphaned relative are still alive;

• the sponsored person does not fall within one of the permitted family relationships;

• the sponsor has another living relative who could be sponsored instead;

• the sponsor already has a qualifying relative in Canada;

• a relationship through marriage is incorrectly treated as a blood or adoption relationship;

• accompanying family members are not properly included;

• the sponsor does not meet the applicable financial requirements.

Because these categories are narrowly defined, eligibility should generally be confirmed before significant documentation is prepared.​​

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How Anka Canada Immigration Consulting Can Assist

Anka can review the sponsor's family structure, immigration status, relationship to the proposed applicant and financial circumstances to determine whether Other Eligible Relative Sponsorship may apply.

Where retained, we can also prepare the sponsorship and permanent residence application, review civil-status and family-relationship documents and provide representative submissions where the family structure or eligibility requires additional explanation.

The objective is to ensure that the claimed family relationship and the specific legal basis for sponsorship are clearly supported before the application is submitted.

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Important Information

Other Relative Sponsorship is available only in specific circumstances, and the existence of a family relationship alone does not create eligibility. Sponsorship requirements and procedures may also change over time.

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