Family sponsorship program raffle begins soon
Canada will invite a record number of parents and grandparents in 2021.
On September 20, a two-week lottery opens for the sponsoring parents and grandparents to move to Canada. The Ministry of Immigration will randomly select 30,000 people and send them invitations. The lucky people will have 60 days to send in their completed sponsorship application.
Important: This year, only those who applied for sponsorship in 2020 will participate in the lottery.
Parents and grandparents sponsored under the program will receive permanent resident status in Canada and related benefits, such as free health care. They will be able to obtain Canadian citizenship at a later date.
Requirements
Permanent residents or citizens over the age of 18 can sponsor their relatives to move to Canada. You must have sufficient income to support both your family and your relatives who plan to immigrate. The Ministry of Immigration has the following income requirements for the past 3 years:
| Number of people in the family (including sponsored persons) | Required income in Canadian dollars | ||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| 2 | $32 270 | $41 007 | $40 379 |
| 3 | $39 672 | $50 414 | $49 641 |
| 4 | $48 167 | $61 209 | $60 271 |
| 5 | $54 630 | $69 423 | $68 358 |
| 6 | $61 613 | $78 296 | $77 095 |
| 7 | $68 598 | $87 172 | $85 835 |
| Each additional family member | +$6 985 | +$8 876 | +$8 740 |
If you live in the province of Quebec, you must show income for the previous year only:
| Number of people in the family and sponsored relatives | Required income in Canadian dollars |
| 1 | $24 602 |
| 2 | $33 209 |
| 3 | $41 001 |
| 4 | $47 156 |
| 5 | $52 482 |
| Each additional family member | +$5 326 |
| 1 sponsored relative | +$17 994 |
| 2 sponsored relatives | +$26 388 |
| Each additional sponsored relative | +$2 342 |
By applying for sponsorship, you undertake to support a relative for 20 years from the date they became a permanent resident of Canada (for 10 years if you live in Quebec). You would be financially responsible for your parents and grandparents and pay for any social assistance, if any.
Filing
If you have declared an interest in the sponsorship program, you do not need to do anything: you will automatically be included in the participant pool. This year, the expression of interest form is closed. If you are selected in the lottery, you will receive an invitation letter from Immigration Canada.
If you did not receive an invitation
Those who do not fall within the 30,000 selected sponsors may consider obtaining supervisa as an alternative. It allows relatives of Canadian citizens and residents to enter the country for 10 years and stay for up to 2 years continuously.
