Your Child Belongs With You
Some families are separated by circumstance. A parent becomes a Canadian permanent resident and must leave their child behind temporarily. A Canadian citizen lives abroad for years and comes home with a family that immigrated law has not yet caught up with. A marriage ends and a child is caught between two jurisdictions. A person becomes Canadian and wants their young sibling, left behind in the family home, to have the same future.
The dependent child and other dependent relative sponsorship program is Canada’s answer to these situations. Unlike the Parents and Grandparents Program — which is currently closed and operates through a lottery — the child sponsorship program is open year-round, accepts applications continuously, and processes most files in 8 to 12 months. For parents separated from their children, it is one of the most accessible and consistently available pathways in Canadian family immigration.
The sponsorship program also covers other dependants: Beyond biological and adopted children, the program covers orphaned siblings, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren under 18 who are not married. There is also a “lonely Canadian” provision that allows a Canadian citizen or PR to sponsor one relative of any blood relationship when they have no other eligible family member in Canada or abroad. These cases are handled individually and require specific assessment.
Who Qualifies as a Dependent Child
Canadian immigration law defines “dependent child” with precision. Meeting this definition is the threshold requirement. Not every child of a Canadian citizen or PR qualifies automatically.
The Primary Definition — Under 22, Unmarried
A child qualifies as a dependent if they are under 22 years of age and are not married and not in a common-law relationship. This applies to biological children, legally adopted children, and step-children (through a legally recognised marriage or common-law relationship between the sponsor and the child’s parent). There is no minimum age — a newborn can be sponsored.
The Exception — Children 22 and Older
A child over 22 may still qualify as a dependant — but only if both of the following conditions are met simultaneously and continuously from before the age of 22:
Condition 1
The child has a physical or mental condition that prevents them from financially supporting themselves
Condition 2
The child has been substantially financially dependent on their parents for support since before turning 22
Both required
Meeting one condition without the other does not qualify. The dependency must be genuine, documented, and rooted in the condition — not circumstantial.
Ongoing through processing
Both conditions must continue to be met throughout the entire period that IRCC is processing the application. A change in circumstances during processing can affect eligibility.
The over-22 exception is genuinely difficult and frequently refused: This provision exists for children with serious, ongoing disabilities or medical conditions — not for children who are simply students, unemployed, or living at home by choice. IRCC requires substantial medical evidence of the condition and clear documentation of financial dependency. Files that assert dependency without strong medical and financial evidence are refused regularly. We assess these cases individually before recommending the application.
Types of Children Who Can Be Sponsored
Biological children
Natural children of the sponsor, whether born in or out of wedlock
Adopted children
Children legally adopted by the sponsor, where the adoption is recognised under the laws of the country where it took place and under Canadian law
Step-children
Children of the sponsor’s current spouse or common-law partner, where the relationship to the sponsor is through a legally recognised marriage or common-law partnership
Children born through surrogacy
Where the sponsor is the legal parent under the laws of the jurisdiction where the child was born
Children of children
If the dependent child has their own children, those family members must be declared in the application. Additional eligibility and fee considerations apply.
NOT included
Children of previous relationships who were not legally adopted or who are not step-children through a current recognised relationship
Who Can Sponsor a Child
Status required
Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
Age
Minimum 18 years old
Residency (PRs)
Permanent residents must reside in Canada. If a PR is living outside Canada, they are generally not eligible to sponsor.
Canadian citizens abroad
A Canadian citizen living outside Canada can sponsor, provided they intend to return to Canada when the child becomes a permanent resident.
No social assistance
Cannot currently receive social assistance for reasons other than disability
No prior default
Cannot be in default on a previous sponsorship undertaking
Criminal admissibility
Convictions related to violence, sexual offences, or offences against family members may disqualify the sponsor. Convictions involving children are a specific and serious disqualifier.
No active removal order
Cannot sponsor while under a removal order from Canada
The Undertaking — Long-Term Financial Commitment
When you sponsor a child, you commit legally to providing for their basic needs for a defined period. For child sponsorship, the undertaking period is longer than for spouses — and it begins from the date the child becomes a permanent resident.
Children under 22 at time of PR
10 years from the date of becoming a PR, or until the child turns 25 — whichever comes first
Children 22 or older at time of PR (over-22 exception)
3 years from the date of becoming a PR
What it covers
Basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, and basic healthcare and dental care, without the child needing social assistance
If social assistance is collected
The sponsor may be required to repay those amounts to the government during the undertaking period
Survives changed circumstances
The undertaking continues even if the sponsor’s financial situation changes or the relationship breaks down
Cannot be cancelled
Once the child is a PR, the undertaking is legally binding and cannot be withdrawn
For children sponsored near age 22, calculate carefully: A child sponsored at age 21 who becomes a PR at age 22 will have an undertaking of 10 years or until age 25 — whichever comes first. In this case, the undertaking ends when the child turns 25, which is 3 years after they became a PR. For a child who becomes a PR at age 15, the undertaking runs for 10 years, ending at age 25. The formula is consistent; the outcome depends on when in the child’s life PR is granted.
Cases That Require Extra Attention
Most child sponsorship applications are straightforward. Some are not. These are the scenarios that consistently require more careful preparation and, in some cases, pre-application legal advice.
Separated or Divorced Parents
When the parents of a child are separated or divorced, and only one parent is sponsoring the child for immigration to Canada, IRCC requires additional documentation to confirm that the child can legally immigrate. This typically includes a copy of the custody order or separation agreement, and a written consent document from the non-sponsoring parent authorising the child to immigrate permanently to Canada.
The specific requirements depend on the jurisdiction, the nature of the custody arrangement, and whether the child’s other parent has parental rights. In some cases, where the other parent cannot be located or refuses consent, there are legal mechanisms to address the gap — but these add significant complexity and time. We assess custody document requirements at the outset of every single-parent application.
Missing consent documents are the most common single-parent refusal: An application submitted without the required consent or custody documentation will be refused or returned incomplete. The consent must come from the child’s other legal parent or guardian. It cannot be replaced by a statutory declaration unless there is documented evidence that the other parent cannot be located or has no parental rights under the applicable legal system.
Adopted Children
Adopted children can be sponsored as dependants if the adoption is legally complete and recognised both in the country where it took place and under Canadian law. IRCC requires the original adoption decree or court order, translated into English or French by a certified translator. International adoptions that were finalised through Canadian provincial courts carry additional weight and are generally less complex to process than adoptions finalised only abroad.
A child being brought to Canada for the purpose of adoption — where the adoption has not yet been legally completed — is a different process and must be carefully distinguished from sponsoring a child who has already been legally adopted. The two processes have different requirements and different processing streams. Mixing them up creates serious problems that delay files significantly.
Step-Children
A step-child can be sponsored if the relationship to the sponsor flows through a legally recognised marriage or common-law partnership with the child’s parent. The marriage or common-law relationship must be genuine. The step-child must meet the usual dependent child eligibility criteria — under 22, unmarried, not in a common-law relationship. If the sponsor is sponsoring the step-child’s biological parent at the same time, both applications can be linked and submitted together.
Step-children from previous relationships of the sponsored spouse — not the current sponsor’s relationship — do not qualify for sponsorship through the sponsor. The child must be the step-child of the sponsor specifically.
Declared vs Undeclared Dependants
A critical rule in Canadian immigration: every dependent family member must be declared on a PR application, even if they are not being sponsored at the same time. A child who is not declared on a PR application cannot be sponsored as a dependent after the fact in most circumstances. This is the “one chance” rule — if you become a PR and had an undeclared child, that child loses the right to be sponsored as a dependent.
Undeclared dependants lose the right to be sponsored later: This is one of the most consequential mistakes in Canadian immigration. If you applied for PR and did not declare a biological child on your application — whether intentionally or by oversight — that child is typically permanently excluded from being sponsored as your dependent. The only remedies are narrow and depend on specific circumstances. Always disclose every family member at the time of any immigration application, even if they will not be accompanying you immediately.
How to Apply
- Confirm the child’s eligibility. — Verify the child’s age, marital status, and relationship type. If the child is near 22, calculate the lock-in date carefully. Confirm that all required relationship documents — birth certificate, adoption order, marriage certificate linking step-child to sponsor — are available and current.
- Assess custody and consent requirements. — For single-parent sponsors, identify whether a custody order, separation agreement, or written consent from the other parent is required. Obtain these documents before the application is submitted — not during processing.
- Gather relationship and identity documents. — Birth certificate, passport, adoption decree (if applicable), custody order (if applicable), marriage certificate (for step-children). All documents in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation.
- Complete medical examination. — The child must complete an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) with an IRCC-approved panel physician. Results are valid for 12 months. Book early to avoid delays close to submission.
- Prepare and submit the application online. — All forms submitted through the IRCC online portal. The application cannot be submitted on paper. Pay the government fee ($180 per child) and biometrics if applicable. Ensure the application is complete at first submission — the lock-in date is the date IRCC receives the complete application.
- Respond promptly to IRCC requests. — Police certificates may be required for children 18 or older (from every country they have lived in for 6 or more months since turning 18). Biometrics are typically required. Any request for additional information must be responded to within the specified deadline.
Government Fees (Updated April 30, 2026)
| Fee | $CAD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor a dependent child (per child) | $180.00 | Includes sponsorship fee + processing fee; RPRF does not apply to dependent children |
| Independently sponsor a dependent child (per child) | $180.00 | All-in; RPRF does not apply |
| Biometrics per person (if required) | $85.00 | $170 family maximum |
| Medical examination | Varies | Third-party fee — varies by panel physician and country; typically CAD $200–$350 per person |
| Police certificates (18+) | Varies | Third-party fee — varies by country; request early as some take months |
| Certified translations | Varies | Third-party cost — required for all documents not in English or French |
The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) of $600 does not apply to dependent children sponsored by a parent. This makes child sponsorship one of the least expensive PR application categories in the Canadian immigration system.
Source: IRCC Fee List — last updated April 30, 2026. Fees may change without notice. Always verify with IRCC before submitting your application.
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Disclaimer: The information on this page is intended as a general guide and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change frequently. Final decisions on all immigration applications are made solely by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other Canadian immigration authorities. No outcome can be promised. For advice specific to your situation, please book a consultation with our RCIC-licensed team.