What other criteria must the sponsor satisfy?
In addition to the required financial ability, the Canadian sponsor must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident at least 18 years of age;
- Be physically residing in Canada, except for Canadian citizens sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child, as long as the sponsor can demonstrate the intention to return to Canada by the time the sponsored family members lands in Canada;
- Not be in prison;
- Not be an undischarged bankrupt;
- Not be receiving government welfare assistance, except for disability;
- Not be under a removal order, if a permanent resident;
- Not be convicted of a sexual offence, or any offence against the person being sponsored in the five years before the date of application;
- Not be in default of court-ordered support payments to an ex-spouse or child;
- Not be behind in payments on any immigration loans; and
- Not be the sponsor, where the sponsored family members received social assistance while the undertaking was in effect.