Family sponsorship lets a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Surrey bring a spouse, partner, dependent child, or parent to Canada. Which category fits, and which one is open right now, decides your next step. Many Surrey sponsors have family in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and elsewhere, and each visa office works differently. Our Surrey office helps you find both, then prepares the file with you in English, Punjabi, Urdu, or Hindi.
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Family Sponsorship
Family sponsorship is the IRCC program that lets a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor an eligible relative for permanent residence. As the sponsor, you sign an undertaking to support that person financially for a set time after they arrive: three years for a spouse or partner, up to ten years for a dependent child, and twenty years for a parent or grandparent.
Three categories sit under the family class. Spouse or partner sponsorship covers married, common-law, and conjugal relationships. Dependent child sponsorship covers your biological or adopted children. Parent and grandparent sponsorship covers bringing parents or grandparents here permanently, but that program works very differently right now.
To sponsor anyone, you must be at least 18, a citizen or permanent resident, and not receiving social assistance for reasons other than disability. Some past convictions and unpaid debt from an earlier sponsorship can also stop you. Our full guide to family sponsorship in Canada covers the national rules in more depth.
Find Your Situation
| Category | Who it covers | Status in 2026 | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | Married, common-law, or conjugal partners | Open, no minimum income | See the section below |
| Dependent child | Biological or adopted children under 22 | Open | See the section below |
| Parent and Grandparent Program | Parents or grandparents seeking PR | New intake paused; 2025 invitations still processing | See the section below |
| Super Visa | Parents or grandparents visiting for long stays | Open, the main option for now | See the section below |
Find your row, then read that section before you gather documents.
Spouse or Partner
You can sponsor a spouse you are legally married to, a common-law partner you have lived with for at least 12 months in a row, or a conjugal partner where living together has not been possible. There is no minimum income for this category. The government fees total $1,260, or $660 if you pay the $600 right of permanent residence fee later in the process.
Many Surrey couples married abroad and are now apart while one partner waits overseas. Others married here while one partner held a permit, which changes the route. Our spousal sponsorship guide walks through the evidence and the fee timing in detail.
Dependent Children
Your biological or adopted child qualifies if they are under 22 and not married or in a common-law relationship. A child 22 or older can still qualify if they have depended on you financially since before turning 22 and cannot support themselves because of a physical or mental condition. Adopted children need extra documents about the adoption.
The government fee is $180 per child. No right of permanent residence fee applies to a dependent child.
Parents and Grandparents
This is the category Surrey families ask about most, and the one with the most confusion. IRCC is not taking new Parent and Grandparent Program applications in 2026 and has not said when intake will reopen. It is still processing applications from sponsors invited in 2025, and the current levels plan targets up to 15,000 admissions this year.
Waiting for the next intake is not your only option, and it is unlikely to be the fastest.
Sponsors with an active file must meet the Minimum Necessary Income. It is based on Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off plus 30 percent for your family size, and it is assessed over the three tax years before IRCC received the application. This is the one family category where income decides eligibility.
Super Visa
The Super Visa is a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years. Your parent or grandparent can stay up to five years at a time.
You provide a signed letter of invitation and proof that your income meets the Super Visa income test. Since March 31, 2026, IRCC can look at either of the two tax years before the application, and a parent’s own income can top up yours in some cases. Your parent needs private medical insurance of at least $100,000, valid for one year from entry, from a Canadian insurer or an approved foreign insurer.
For now, the Super Visa is how most Surrey families bring a parent here. For shorter trips, our visitor visa options may fit better.
We check your income against the Super Visa test and review any past refusal before your parents apply.
Eligibility
Our family sponsorship guide explains each requirement step by step.
Fees
| Category | Government fee |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner, including the right of permanent residence fee | $1,260 |
| Spouse or partner, paying that fee later | $660 now, $600 later |
| Dependent child | $180 per child |
| Parent or grandparent | $1,260 when intake reopens |
| Biometrics | $85 per person, $170 per family |
These figures follow IRCC’s April 30, 2026 fee increase. Confirm each amount before you pay. Our professional fee is separate and put in writing first.
Documents
Surrey Situations
A Surrey resident assumes the parent program is the only way to bring her mother here, and that she must wait for an intake with no date. The first question is whether her income meets the Super Visa test, which could let her mother visit for long stays while permanent residence stays a later goal.
A permanent resident in Surrey wants to sponsor his wife and their two children together. The questions are which children count as dependants, what each costs, and whether his wife can work while the file is processed.
Your situation may be different. Our immigration consultant in Surrey at our Surrey office will tell you honestly what your options are.
Real Client Stories
These are real client files prepared by our Surrey team and reviewed by Loveneet Paneswar, RCIC. Slide through to find the situation closest to yours.
Your situation may be different. Our immigration consultant in Surrey will tell you honestly what your options are.
Why Brightlight
Many people offer sponsorship help in Surrey. This is how they compare.
| What matters | Brightlight | Unregulated agent | DIY |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCIC licensed and CICC regulated | ✓ | ✕ | — |
| Current on the parent program pause | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| Finds the category and route that fit | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| Named RCIC reviews your file | ✓ | Unlikely | — |
Meet Your Immigration Consultants
When you bring a family file to our Surrey office, the founders review it themselves.
Founder & RCIC Consultant
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with 14+ years of experience. Loveneet reviews every relationship document, income record, and IRCC response before it goes out.
Co-Founder · Chief Client Officer
Your first call and your ongoing contact. Sumir keeps the file moving from the first review to the day your family member lands, and answers the phone when you have questions. Our team works in English, Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi, so parents can join the call. Book a consultation to start.
Testimonials
Join 10,000+ clients who trusted Brightlight with their Canadian immigration.
These reflect individual experiences. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
Ready to bring your family to Surrey?
FAQ
Straight answers from our licensed RCIC to the family sponsorship questions Surrey families ask most.
No. IRCC is not taking new parent program applications in 2026 and has not set a reopening date. It is processing files from sponsors invited in 2025. If you were not invited, the Super Visa is the main way to bring a parent here for now, and we can check your eligibility.
It depends on who you sponsor. Spouses, partners, and dependent children have no income test. Parent and grandparent sponsorship needs the Minimum Necessary Income over three tax years. The Super Visa has its own, separate income test, which changed in March 2026.
A spouse or partner costs $1,260, or $660 if you pay the $600 right of permanent residence fee later. Each dependent child costs $180. Biometrics add $85 per person or $170 per family. Confirm current amounts before paying. Our professional fee is listed separately, in writing.
Parent sponsorship leads to permanent residence, but new intake is paused. The Super Visa is a temporary, multiple-entry visa for stays of up to five years at a time. Read IRCC’s Super Visa page for the current rules on insurance and income.
Yes. Spouse sponsorship covers married, common-law, and conjugal partners, each with its own proof. Common-law usually needs 12 months living together. Conjugal applies when living together has not been possible because of legal or immigration barriers. Most couples apply as spouses or common-law partners.
Yes, a past refusal does not bar a new application. The new file should answer the concern in the refusal letter and the officer’s notes, usually ties, funds, or purpose. We review the old refusal first, then rebuild the evidence around that concern before anything is filed.
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