Bringing your children to Canada — or reuniting with the children of your spouse or common-law partner — is one of the most meaningful parts of building a life here. The rules around dependent child sponsorship can feel technical, but in most cases, families are in a much better position than they realize. A short assessment with our team can clarify exactly where you stand and what your best path forward looks like.

Who Can Be Sponsored

A sponsored dependent child must be either the biological child of the parent (and not adopted by someone other than the parent's spouse or common-law partner), or the adopted child of the parent.

Age and Dependency Requirements

To qualify as a dependent child, the child generally must meet one of the following:

  • Be under 19 years of age and not a spouse or common-law partner; or

  • Be 19 or older, but have been a full-time student continuously since before turning 19, and have depended substantially on the parent's financial support since that time; or

  • Be 19 or older and have become a spouse or partner before turning 19, while having depended substantially on the parent's financial support since that point; or

  • Be 19 or older and unable to be financially self-supporting due to a physical or mental condition, having depended substantially on the parent's financial support since before turning 19.

If your child's situation doesn't fit neatly into one of these categories — for example, they're a student close to 22, or there have been gaps in financial dependency — it's worth having a professional review the timeline with you. Small details in dates and documentation can make a real difference here.

What If You Don't Have Full Custody?

Not having full or sole custody does not automatically prevent you from sponsoring your child. What matters is being able to show that you have the legal right to remove the child from their country of residence and bring them to Canada — this can include a custody order, a written agreement with the other parent or guardian, or another form of legal authorization, depending on your situation. If custody is shared, contested, or informal, this is an area where guidance is especially valuable, since IRCC will want clear evidence that everyone with legal rights over the child has consented or that you hold the appropriate authority.

Income Requirements

In most cases, there is no income requirement to sponsor a dependent child (or a spouse or partner). You only need to meet a minimum income requirement if:

  • You're sponsoring a dependent child who has one or more dependent children of their own, or

  • You're sponsoring a spouse or partner whose dependent child has one or more children of their own.

If neither of these applies to your situation, income generally isn't a barrier — though we can confirm this for your specific family structure during an assessment.

What If You Didn't Include Them in Your Original PR Application?

This is one of the most common — and most stressful — situations families face, and it's important to address it carefully. If a child (or spouse) wasn't declared and examined as part of your own permanent residence application, immigration rules can normally create a permanent bar on sponsoring that person later under the family class.

However, this isn't always the end of the road. IRCC has an ongoing public policy that allows certain sponsors — particularly those who came to Canada through the refugee class or as a sponsored spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child — to apply for an exemption from this bar, if the non-declaration happened due to fear, error, or lack of understanding at the time, and the family member wouldn't have made the original application ineligible had they been declared.

This is a complex area with strict conditions, and getting it wrong can have serious, long-term consequences for your family. If you're in this situation, please don't try to navigate it alone — book an assessment so we can review your history and determine whether this exemption, or another option such as humanitarian and compassionate grounds, may apply to you.

Let's Talk About Your Family's Situation

Children are the heart of a family, and every family's story is different — different ages, different custody arrangements, different histories with past applications. Rather than guessing how the rules apply to your case, contact us for a personalized assessment. We'll walk through your specific situation together, answer your questions, and help you understand exactly what's needed to bring your family together.