Immigrate Family sponsorship Effective December22, 2014, eligible spouses or common-law partners have the opportunity to work in Canada while they wait for their application for permanent residence to be processed . Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC ) will issue open work permits to certain spouses or common-law partners who are applying for permanent residence from inside Canada , before the approval in principle decision on their application is made. For more information and instructions on this pilot program, please see CICs program delivery update . If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada and at least 18years old, you can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada under the Family Class . These can be: your spouse, your conjugal or common-law partner , your dependent child (this includes an adopted child ) or other eligible relatives . If your family member can become a permanent resident , they can live, study and work in Canada . Sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada , you may be able to sponsor your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children to come to Canada as permanent residents . Sponsor your parents and grandparents If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada , you may be able to sponsor your parents or grandparents to become permanent residents under the Family Class . Your parents and grandparents may also be eligible to visit Canada for up to two years at a time under the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa . Sponsor your adopted children and other eligible relatives If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada , you may be able to sponsor a relative to become a permanent resident under the Family Class . Need Help ? We may have the perfect answer for you Top questions