Individuals are not eligible to sponsor a parent and/or grandparent if they:

• Are less than 18 years old;
• Will not live in Canada when applying to sponsor the parent and/or grandparent and/or when the sponsored parent and/or grandparent becomes a permanent resident
  • As a potential sponsor, an applicant's primary residential address must be in Canada at the time of applying and until a decision is made on the application.
• Are not Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, or a registered Indian in Canada
• Are a temporary resident who is visiting, studying, or working in Canada on a visa or permit
• Have a permanent residence application that is still in process
  • A potential sponsor must have permanent resident status at the time of submitting the sponsorship application.
• Cannot show proof of income that demonstrates they has the required Minimum Necessary Income (MNI).

In addition, individuals may not be eligible to sponsor a parent and grandparent if they:

• Are in jail, prison, or penitentiary
• Did not pay back:
  • an immigration loan
  • a performance bond
  • court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support
• Did not give the financial support they agreed to when signing a sponsorship agreement to sponsor a relative in the past
• Declared bankruptcy and are not discharged
• Receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
• Were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada
• Cannot legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because they received a Removal Order.

IRCC may have additional reasons for considering a person ineligible to sponsor a parent and/or grandparent.

What Is The Minimum Necessary Income (MNI)?

Sponsors must exceed the Minimum Necessary Income requirement set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for each of the past 3 taxation years before the date that you submit your application. Your MNI is assessed based on your Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment.

The following table shows Minimum Necessary Income requirements if you live outside of Quebec. For the 2020 PGP, please ensure you meet the MNI requirements for 2020, 2019, and 2018.

Minimum Necessary Income tables for 2020