Family unification is one of the three pillars of immigration in Canada. Canadian government offers several ways to bring family members together.

Relationships that qualify under family sponsorship are:

• Parents and Grandparents
• Spouse (legally married)/Common-law (living together for at least 12 months)/Conjugal partner(same level of commitment and permanence as marriage, but situations beyond their control kept them from living together)
• Dependent children (under 22 years old unless mentally or physically dependent, not married or in common law relationship)
• Other eligible relatives (Sibling, nephew, niece, or grandchildren if they are under 18 years, orphan, not married or in common-law)

Sponsorship requirements:

• 18 years of age or older
• Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Sign an undertaking with the minister of IRCC
• Sign a sponsorship agreement with the sponsored person
• Not be subject to any sponsorship bars
• Meet the minimum necessary income (LICO) required to support themselves and their family members as well as all sponsored persons and their family members, including any already sponsored under undertakings still in effect.
  

  Exceptions to meet the minimum necessary income (LICO): sponsoring a spouse, common law partner, conjugal partner, or a dependent child where the child has no dependent children of their own. This exception also applies to persons under the age of 18 whom the sponsor intends to adopt in Canada.

Length of undertaking:

• Parent, Grandparent and accompanying dependants: 20 years
• Spouse, common-law, conjugal partner: 3 years
• Dependent child under 22 years: 10 years or the day the child becomes 25, whichever comes first
• Dependent child over 22 years: 3 years
• Other eligible relatives: 10 years