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How do I calculate my family size to sponsor my parents and grandparents?

You, the sponsor (and your co-signer, if this applies), must have enough money to support all the people you’ll be financially responsible for once you become a sponsor, including yourself. We call this your “family size.”

You count your family size on a yearly basis.

If you live outside of Quebec, you must meet the income requirement for each of the 3 tax years before you apply. For example, if you submit an application for the 2024 intake, you must meet the income requirements for the 2023, 2022 and 2021 tax years.

If you live in Quebec, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration will assess your income.

To count your family size, include

  • the people in your family (including people you sponsored before), which includes
    • yourself (the sponsor)
    • your spouse (even if you’re separated, in most cases) or common-law partner
      • If your spouse or common-law partner is co-signing, include them and their dependent children in all 3 years.
      • If they aren’t co-signing, only include them starting the year they met the definition of a spouse or common-law partner.
    • your dependent children, the dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner and any dependent children of the dependent children (if you have any)
      • Only include children for the years they meet the definition of a dependent child.
    • any other person you (and your co-signer, if you have one) sponsored or co-signed, for whom undertaking is still in effect
      • Include the family members (for example, spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children) of the person you sponsored or co-signed for, whether or not they were included in the undertaking.
  • the people you want to sponsor and their family, which includes
    • the principal applicant
    • the principal applicant’s spouse or common-law partner
      • Include their separated spouse unless either the principal applicant or their spouse is in a common-law relationship with another person.
    • the principal applicant’s dependent children, the dependent children of their spouse or common-law partner and any dependent children of the dependent children (if they have any)

You must include all the principal applicant’s family members, even if they

  • aren’t coming to Canada
  • are permanent residents of Canada or Canadian citizens

You can also review our summary sheet for more information about how to count family size.

Here are examples to help you calculate your family size.

Examples of how to calculate your family size

Example 1 — Sponsor with a co-signing spouse

Angel is sponsoring her father (who has no dependants) and will submit her application in 2024. Her husband Diego will co-sign the application to help her meet the income requirement. They married in 2022 and have no children.

Angel must calculate her family size on a yearly basis. Since co-signers must be included in all years, she must include Diego in the family size for all 3 years even though they married in 2022. This means that for 2023, 2022, and 2021, Angel’s family size is 3:

  • Angel
  • Angel’s husband, Diego
  • Angel’s father

For all 3 years (2023, 2022 and 2021), Angel and Diego must check if they meet the income requirement for 3 persons.

Example 2 — Sponsor with a newborn child

Julie is sponsoring her 2 parents and will submit her application in 2024. Julie’s wife, Sarah, will co-sign the application to help her meet the income requirement. Julie and Sarah have a young child who was born in 2022.

Julie must calculate her family size on a yearly basis.

For 2023 and 2022, Julie’s family size is 5:

  • Julie
  • Julie’s wife, Sarah
  • Julie and Sarah’s child
  • Julie’s 2 parents

For 2021, Julie’s family size is 4:

  • Julie
  • Julie’s wife, Sarah
  • Julie’s 2 parents

Because Julie and Sarah’s child was born in 2022, they only count the child in the family size starting the year the child was born.

For 2 years (2023 and 2022), Julie and Sarah must check if they meet the income requirement for 5 persons.

For 1 year (2021), they must check if they meet the income requirement for 4 persons.

Example 3 — Sponsor with a non-dependent child

Amir is sponsoring his 2 parents and will submit his application in 2024. Amir’s wife, Mariam, will co-sign the application to help him meet the income requirement. Amir and Mariam have a son, Ali, who turned 22 years old in 2022.

Amir must calculate his family size on a yearly basis.

For 2023, Amir’s family size is 4:

  • Amir
  • Amir’s wife, Mariam
  • Amir’s 2 parents

For 2022 and 2021, Amir’s family size is 5:

  • Amir
  • Amir’s wife, Mariam
  • Amir’s and Mariam’s son, Ali
  • Amir’s 2 parents

Because Amir and Mariam’s son met the definition of a dependent child (under 22 years old) in 2022 and 2021, they must count Ali in the family size for those years.

For 1 year (2023), Amir and Mariam must check if they meet the income requirement for 4 persons.

For 2 years (2022 and 2021), Amir and Mariam must check if they meet the income requirement for 5 persons.

Example 4 — Non-accompanying dependants

Maria is sponsoring her mother, Irina, and will submit her application in 2024. Maria is single and has no children. Her mother has been married to Oleg (Maria’s stepfather) since 2009. Oleg has a 15-year-old son, Alexei (Maria’s stepbrother). Maria’s stepfather and stepbrother will not come to Canada with Irina.

Maria must calculate her family size on a yearly basis. She must include all family members, even those not coming to Canada.

For 2023, 2022 and 2021, Maria’s family size is 4:

  • Maria
  • Maria’s mother, Irina
  • Maria’s stepfather, Oleg
  • Maria’s stepbrother, Alexei

Maria includes her stepfather and stepbrother because they are Irina’s dependants (her spouse and dependent childeven though they’re not coming to Canada.

For all 3 years (2023, 2022 and 2021), Maria must check if she meets the income requirement for 4 persons.

Example 5 — Sponsor with a separated spouse

Juan and Lise, who are both permanent residents, are married and had a child in 2021. Juan and Lise separated in 2023. Juan is sponsoring his mother and will submit his application in 2024. Lise won’t co-sign the application. Juan’s mother doesn’t have any dependants.

For 2023, 2022 and 2021, Juan’s family size is 4:

  • Juan
  • Juan’s spouse, Lise (even though they’re separated)
  • Juan and Lise’s child
  • Juan’s mother

Even though Juan and Lise separated in 2023, they’re still legally married. Lise counts toward the family size until they’re divorced.

For all 3 years (2023, 2022 and 2021), Juan must check if he meets the income requirement for 4 persons.

Example 6 — Principal applicant with a separated spouse

Kabir is sponsoring his mother, Naya, and will submit his application in 2024. He has no dependants. Naya separated from her husband, Jai, in 1995. Neither Naya nor Jai are in a common-law relationship with another person.

For 2023, 2022 and 2021, Kabir’s family size is 3:

  • Kabir
  • Kabir’s mother, Naya
  • Naya’s spouse, Jai (even though they’re separated)

Even though Naya and Jai separated in 1995, they’re still legally married. Jai counts toward the family size until:

  • they’re divorced or
  • one of them enters a common-law relationship with another person

For all 3 years (2023, 2022 and 2021), Kabir must check if he meets the income requirement for 3 persons.

Example 7 — Principal applicant with a separated spouse and a common-law partner

Fatima is sponsoring her father Yusuf and will be submitting an application in 2024. Fatima has no dependants. Yusuf separated from his wife in 2010 and has been in a common-law relationship with Zainab since 2018.

For 2023, 2022 and 2021, Fatima’s family size is 3:

  • Fatima
  • Fatima’s father, Yusuf
  • Yusuf’s common-law partner, Zainab

While Yusuf and his wife are still legally married, Yusuf isn’t a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and has a common-law partner, Zainab. This means that Zainab counts toward the family size instead of his wife.

For all 3 years (2023, 2022 and 2021), Fatima must check if she meets the income requirement for 3 persons.

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