Many people in Canada hope to bring a brother, sister, cousin or niece here. Canada’s family sponsorship program is built around close family. That means spouses and partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents. Other relatives fit only in the two cases this guide explains. Read the rules below before you plan around sponsorship. An IRCC officer decides every application.
Who is in the family class
IRPR s.117(1) lists who a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor as a member of the family class. The list is short.
- Your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner (paragraph a)
- Your dependent child (paragraph b)
- Your mother or father (paragraph c)
- Your grandparents (paragraph d)
- An orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild under 18 (paragraph f)
- A child under 18 you intend to adopt in Canada (paragraph g)
- One other relative, under the one-relative rule (paragraph h)
An adult brother or sister is missing from the main list. The law reaches siblings only through paragraphs (f) and (h). Both are narrow. IRCC says that “in very specific situations, you may be able to sponsor certain relatives.”
Sponsoring an orphaned brother or sister
Paragraph 117(1)(f) covers “a person whose parents are deceased, who is under 18 years of age, who is not a spouse or common-law partner”. That person must be a child of your mother or father, which means your brother or sister. The same paragraph covers a child of your brother or sister and a child of your own child. So it also reaches orphaned nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
IRCC lists four conditions. All of them must be met.
- They are related to you by blood or adoption
- They are under 18 years old
- Both of their parents have died
- They are single, meaning not married and not in a common-law relationship
IRCC also lists cases that do not count. You can’t sponsor the child if one or both parents are still alive. The same applies if no one knows where the parents are, or if the parents abandoned the child. It also applies when someone other than the parents cares for the child while a parent is alive. It applies when the parents are in jail or detained, too.
The rule
An orphaned brother or sister can be sponsored only if both parents have died and the child is under 18 and single.
The one-relative rule
Paragraph 117(1)(h) lets a sponsor bring “a relative of the sponsor, regardless of age”. It applies only to a sponsor with no close family that blocks it. IRPR s.2 defines a relative as “a person who is related to another person by blood or adoption.”
IRCC sets out the conditions this way. You may sponsor one relative of any age if all of these are true.
- You are related to them by blood or adoption
- You have no living relative you could sponsor instead, such as a spouse, partner, son or daughter, parent, grandparent, or orphaned sibling, niece, nephew or grandchild
- You have no relative, including an aunt or uncle, who is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a registered Indian under the Indian Act
IRCC gives a worked example. Sam is an only child whose parents and grandparents have died. Sam is a single permanent resident with no relatives in Canada who are citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. IRCC says Sam meets the requirements to sponsor an American cousin.
Can the rule cover a brother or sister? The law names siblings among the relatives that block it. A sibling blocks it when they are a citizen, a permanent resident or a registered Indian, or when you could sponsor them another way. Read on its face, a sponsor whose only living relatives are adult siblings abroad could name one sibling under this rule. An officer applies the rule to your whole family picture.
If the relative has a spouse, partner or dependent children who will come to Canada, IRCC says they must be on the same sponsorship application.
Who can be a sponsor
IRCC lists four basic requirements for a person who sponsors a relative.
- You are at least 18 years old
- You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada under the Indian Act
- You live in Canada
- You meet set income guidelines
When you sponsor a relative, you promise to support them and the family members who come with them. This promise is called an undertaking. Under IRPR s.132(1)(b)(v), the undertaking for an orphaned sibling or a relative under the one-relative rule ends 10 years after they become a permanent resident. Quebec requires its own undertaking. IRCC says to wait for its confirmation before you send the Quebec application.
IRCC also lists reasons a person may not be able to sponsor. They include being in prison, an undischarged bankruptcy, or social assistance received for reasons other than disability. Being behind on an immigration loan, a performance bond or court-ordered support also counts. So does a past sponsorship whose terms you did not meet. Certain convictions count too, including a violent crime, an offence against a relative or a sexual offence. Our complete family sponsorship guide covers these rules in more depth.
Can I sponsor a cousin, niece or friend?
A cousin fits only the one-relative rule, as in IRCC’s example of Sam. A niece or nephew fits the orphan rule when they are under 18, single and orphaned. Otherwise they fit only the one-relative rule.
A friend can’t be sponsored as family. The law and IRCC both require a relative by blood or adoption. IRCC’s own example makes the point. A Canadian named Aba can’t sponsor an uncle’s spouse, because the two are not related by blood or adoption.
Other routes a brother or sister can look at
A brother or sister who falls outside s.117 can still apply to come to Canada in their own name. Each route is a separate application with its own rules, and an officer decides it. Common routes include work with a job offer, study at a designated learning institution, and economic programs such as Express Entry.
Your parents have their own route. The Parents and Grandparents Program covers mothers, fathers and grandparents only. It does not cover siblings. To visit you, a brother or sister applies for a visitor visa or an eTA, depending on their passport.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sponsor my brother to Canada?
Only in two cases. IRPR s.117(1)(f) covers a brother under 18 whose parents have both died and who is single. IRPR s.117(1)(h) covers one relative of any age. That rule is for a sponsor with no closer relative to sponsor and no relative who is a citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. An officer decides. The one-relative rule section above explains the second case.
Which other relatives can I sponsor to Canada?
Beyond spouses, partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents, IRPR s.117(1) allows two more cases. One is an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild who is under 18 and single. The other is one relative of any age under the one-relative rule. That rule needs a sponsor with no closer family to sponsor and no relatives in Canada with status. Our complete family sponsorship guide covers every category.
Can I sponsor my cousin to Canada?
Only under the one-relative rule in IRPR s.117(1)(h). IRCC’s own example is Sam, an only child whose parents and grandparents have died. Sam has no relatives in Canada who are citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. IRCC says Sam meets the requirements to sponsor a cousin. If you have a living parent, child or partner you could sponsor, the rule does not apply. The one-relative rule section lists the conditions.
Can you sponsor a friend to Canada?
No. Family sponsorship covers relatives only, and IRPR s.2 defines a relative as a person related to another person by blood or adoption. IRCC’s example says a Canadian can’t sponsor an uncle’s spouse, because the two are not related by blood or adoption. A friend can apply in their own name through work, study or another program. The section on other routes names them.
Can I sponsor my niece to Canada?
Yes, in two cases. IRPR s.117(1)(f) covers a niece under 18 whose parents have both died and who is single. IRCC excludes a child whose parent is alive, missing or in jail. The one-relative rule in s.117(1)(h) is the other case, and it has strict conditions about your other family. An officer decides. The orphan section above lists IRCC’s conditions.
How long is the undertaking for an orphaned sibling or other relative?
Outside Quebec, it ends 10 years after the person becomes a permanent resident. IRPR s.132(1)(b)(v) sets that period for family class members outside the spouse, child, parent and grandparent categories. The undertaking also covers the family members who come with them. Quebec requires its own undertaking. Our guide to sponsorship undertaking length compares every category.
Can my brother bring his wife and children?
Under the one-relative rule, yes. IRCC says a spouse, partner or dependent children who will come to Canada must be on the same sponsorship application. A child can be added only if they meet the dependent child definition. IRCC notes that an older child who does not meet it would have to immigrate on their own. Our dependent children sponsorship guide explains the age rule.
Related guides
Family Class Sponsorship
Every family class category in one guide
Sponsorship Undertaking Length
How long the promise lasts, by relationship
Family Sponsorship Income
The income guidelines a sponsor must meet
Dependent Children Sponsorship
Who counts as a dependent child
Study in Canada
The study permit route, start to finish
Invitation Letter for Canada
Inviting a relative to visit you
Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.