Requirements for a Sponsor under Family Class Sponsorship

Sponsors are financially responsible for family members and relatives they want to sponsor for Canadian permanent residence.  A sponsor has to sign a document called Finacial Undertaking. The length of financial responsibility depends on the age and relationship to the sponsor, and whether a sponsor resides in Quebec.  

Length of Financial Undertaking for all provinces except Quebec:

• 3 years – for spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner
• 10 years – for a dependent child under 22 years of age or until age 25, whichever comes first
• 3 years – for dependent child 22 years of age or older
• 20 years – for parents or grandparents 
• 10 years – for other relatives

Importantly to remember that a sponsor can not cancel or withdraw undertaking after the person sponsored has become a permanent resident of Canada. A sponsor can not cancel or withdraw financial undertaking even if the sponsored person becomes a Canadian citizen, the sponsor lost a job or has a debt.

For example, if you had sponsored a wife and divorced 1 year after she became a permanent resident of Canada, as a sponsor you will still be financially responsible for the ex-wife for 2 more years. This is because the period of undertaking for a spouse is 3 years.