In order to sponsor your parents you must first determine that you qualify as a sponsor, your parent(s) are known as the main applicant(s).
The Parental Sponsorship application is broken into two main parts:
- The Sponsor: Canadian permanent resident or citizen who intends to sponsor their spouse abroad and;
- The Applicant: The spouse abroad who is applying for their permanent resident status is considered to be the applicant or primary applicant
In order to qualify as a sponsor you must:
- be 18 years of age or older,
- be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident,
- be sponsoring a member of the Family Class,
- live in Canada and continue to live in Canada after the sponsored person obtains Permanent Resident status,
- sign an agreement with the person you are sponsoring confirming that each of you understands your obligations and responsibilities
- prove that you have sufficient income to provide basic requirements for your family members in Canada as well as the persons included in your Sponsorship Undertaking
You may not sponsor if you:
- receive social assistance for a reason other than disability,
- are in default of an undertaking, an immigration loan, a performance bond, or family support payments,
- are an undischarged bankrupt,
- were convicted of an offence of a sexual nature, a violent criminal offence, an offence against a relative that results in bodily harm or an attempt or threat to commit any such offences—depending on circumstances such as the nature of the offence, how long ago it occurred and whether a pardon was issued
- are under a removal order,
- are detained in a penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison,
- In undischarged bankruptcy