Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship
Canada
Residency
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See if you're a match →Canadian dependent child sponsorship is for a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian sponsoring a dependent child for permanent residence.
- Type
- Family sponsorship
- Sponsor
- Canadian parent or qualifying sponsor
- Core requirements
- Dependent-child status, sponsor eligibility, and admissibility
- What to know
- The child may already be Canadian if born abroad to a Canadian parent
- Duration
- Permanent residence from approval.
- Renewal / path
- Can support Canadian citizenship after physical-presence rules are met.
Summary
Canadian dependent child sponsorship lets an eligible Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian sponsor a dependent child for permanent residence.
It is most relevant when the child is under 22 and unmarried, or when an older child remains financially dependent because of a physical or mental condition that began before age 22.
Eligibility
The sponsored child generally must:
- Be the biological or adopted child of the sponsor or the sponsor's spouse or partner.
- Be under 22 and not have a spouse or common-law partner, or meet the disability-related dependency rule for older children.
- Be admissible to Canada.
- Continue to meet the dependent-child requirements until processing is complete.
The sponsor must have qualifying Canadian status and meet sponsorship responsibilities. Canadian citizens abroad generally need to show they will live in Canada when the child becomes a permanent resident; permanent residents generally must be in Canada to sponsor.
Duration, Renewal, and Long-Term Path
Approval grants Canadian permanent residence. The child may later become eligible for Canadian citizenship after meeting the ordinary requirements.
What This Route Allows
This route can reunite dependent children with a Canadian parent or sponsoring family unit.
What This Route Is Not
This is not needed if the child is already a Canadian citizen. Children born abroad to a Canadian parent may need a citizenship analysis before a sponsorship filing.
Next Steps
- Confirm the child is not already Canadian.
- Confirm the child meets the dependent-child definition.
- Confirm sponsor eligibility and residence rules.
- Gather birth, adoption, custody, consent, identity, and status records.
- Prepare any medical, police, and admissibility documents required.
- File the sponsorship and permanent-residence application.