Family Sponsorships: “Lonely Canadian” / Other Relatives

In the previous articles, we discussed that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offers a robust family sponsorship program that allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, common law partner, conjugal partner, dependents, parents, and grandparents to come to Canada as permanent residents.

But what if a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living alone in Canada has none of these core family members to sponsor at all?

In limited situations, the IRCC allows that certain individual to sponsor any of their extended family members to come to Canada as permanent residents, whether they be related by blood or adoption and regardless of age. This is called the “Other Relative Program,” or – as it’s more loosely referred to – the “Lonely Canadian Program.”

This article will give you a brief overview on the “Lonely Canadian Program” and its unique eligibility requirements.

The Objective: Family Reunification

The IRCC acknowledges that in some cases, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living alone in Canada may not have any core or immediate family members to sponsor. This could be because those family members passed away or simply because that certain individual never married or took a partner.

In its commitment to the reunification of families in Canada, the IRCC allows these individuals to sponsor any extended family member to come to Canada as permanent residents.

Who Can Sponsor?

Because the “Lonely Canadian Program” offers a wide range for family members to sponsor, the IRCC must tightly regulate who can sponsor under this program. This is to prevent individuals from “gaming the system.”

First, the usual requirements to being a sponsor applies. The sponsor must:

-          be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;

-          be at least 18 years old;

-          reside in Canada, and;

-          not be subject to bars against sponsorship.  

In addition, the sponsor must prove that he/she does not have any core family members (i.e., spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependents, parents & grandparents) who are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents; or are foreign nationals that can be sponsored.

Remember: this program is reserved for those rare cases of “lonely Canadians” – for those who have no one else in Canada or no one else to sponsor to come to Canada. If you have core family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, you are immediately disqualified from being a “lonely Canadian.” On the other hand, if you have core family members who are foreign nationals and can be sponsored, IRCC would just have you sponsor them instead.

Lastly, to be a sponsor, you must have the minimum necessary income (MNI) appropriate to your family size.

Who Can You Sponsor?

If the conditions to be a sponsor under this program are fulfilled, then – as stated earlier – you can sponsor any extended family member related by blood or adoption and regardless of age.

There are even limited situations where a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor their extended family member together with that family member’s core family. For example: if you qualify as a “lonely Canadian” and you would like to sponsor your uncle, your uncle’s spouse and children may be included in your uncle’s application as his dependents. His children, however, must qualify as dependent children. Otherwise, they will have to apply on their own.

Take note that you can only sponsor extended family members related by blood or adoption. You cannot, for example, sponsor your in-laws by designating them as the principal applicant. Your in-laws can only come to Canada as permanent residents through this program if they are included as a dependent in the application of the extended family member you are sponsoring.

While this program is generous, it can be very tricky to navigate. It’s best to seek legal advice only from a licensed Canadian lawyer.