If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada and at least 18 years old, you can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada and become Canadian Permanent Residents. Your relatives can live, study and work in Canada once they become permanent residents. Basic requirements for family sponsorship:

• You must be 18 years of age or older.
• You and the sponsored relative must sign a sponsorship agreement that commits you to provide financial support for your relative, if necessary. This agreement also says the person becoming a permanent resident will make every effort to support her or himself.
• You must provide financial support for a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner for three years from the date they become a permanent resident.
• You must provide financial support for a dependent child for 10 years, or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first.