Family sponsorship is one of the largest categories of immigrants set forth by IRCC in the annual Immigration Levels Plan. This form of sponsorship enables PRs & Canadian citizens to sponsor their loved ones to move to Canada & settle permanently. However, it doesn’t allow these people to sponsor their siblings – except for rare circumstances. Read on to know how you can sponsor your sibling for Canadian PR, what are the eligibility requirements, & what alternatives you have. 

Who Can Act As A Sponsor? 

In order to sponsor your sibling for Canadian PR, you must: 

  • Be 18 years old
  • Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person who registers in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
  • Reside in Canada
  • Agree to provide for the basic needs of the person being sponsored for a certain time period
  • Lastly, have enough income to support relatives they are sponsoring 

Under What Circumstances Can You Sponsor Your Sibling For Canadian PR? 

While you generally cannot sponsor your sibling for PR, there is an exception to this rule. The rule is called the ‘Lonely Canadian Rule.’ Under this exception, you may sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, niece, or grandchild if they meet the following conditions:  

  • They are related by blood/ adoption
  • Both their mother & father have passed away
  • They are under 18 years of age
  • They are single 

However, even under these provisions, you cannot sponsor your sibling for PR if: 

  • One of them is still alive
  • No one knows where their parents are
  • Their parents abandoned them
  • Their parents are in jail or detained
  • Someone else other than their parents is taking care of them while one/ both of their parents are alive 

What Alternatives Do You Have If You Cannot Sponsor Your Siblings? 

Since siblings often do not qualify for sponsorship, the most available route to many Canadian PRs & citizens is to help their sibling build their eligibility for PR, usually through one of Canada’s economic immigration programs. 

  • The Educational Route 

One of the easiest & most straightforward ways to do this is to help your sibling find an educational course or program from a DLI. DLIs are the only schools in Canada that accept international students, which makes them eligible for a PGWP upon graduation. From here, your sibling can work in Canada & build eligibility for one of the nation’s economic immigration programs. Moreover, substantial data suggests that newcomers with Canadian education & work experience tend to see better long-term outcomes in the nation. 

  • LMIA-Based Work Permits 

Suppose you do not want to pursue an educational route for your sibling. In that case, you can also look into helping your sibling obtain an LMIA-supported job offer. This would deliver them an LMIA-based work permit if successful. 

An LMIA is the Canadian government’s mechanism to determine what impact the hiring of a foreign worker will have on the Canadian labor market. If an LMIA yields a positive/ neutral outcome, the application is usually successful & allows the recipient the ability to build eligibility for Canadian PR, again via one of Canada’s economic immigration programs. 

Note: LMIA-based work permits are usually for a single employer & job. Moreover, disruptions in employment might impact your sibling’s immigration opportunities. 

  • International Experience Canada 

Lastly, if you are from a nation with a bilateral youth mobility agreement with Canada, you might be eligible for an open work permit under this program. These programs offer OWPs to individuals from nations that Canada has trade agreements with & allow foreign nationals from these countries to obtain an OPW & work in Canada. Unlike LMIA-based work permits, OWPs allow holders to work for most employers in most industries & aren’t tied to a single employer/ position, thus allowing holders much more freedom. This is again another way to help your sibling build eligibility for one of the nation’s economic immigration programs & eventually obtain PR.