Family Sponsorship for Permanent Residency (Is a Cousin Eligible?
Under Canada’s family sponsorship program, you can usually sponsor close family members (like a spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, or in some cases parents and grandparents). Cousins are not normally eligible for family class sponsorship. However, in very limited circumstances a cousin can be sponsored as a permanent resident under the “other relative” category. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), “You may sponsor 1 relative of any age, if you meet all of these conditions” – including being related by blood or adoption, and not having any closer living family members you could sponsor instead (such as a spouse, partner, child, parent, grandparent, or certain orphaned relatives) and not having “any [such] relatives… who [are] Canadian citizens or permanent residents” canada.ca. In simpler terms, this sponsorship option applies only if the sponsor has no immediate or closer family members left.
For example, IRCC notes a case where someone with no surviving immediate family in Canada was allowed to sponsor a cousin. In IRCC’s example, “Sam meets the requirements to sponsor their cousin because Sam doesn’t have a close living relative they could sponsor instead… and [no] other relative… who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident” canada.ca.
This kind of scenario – sometimes informally called the “lonely Canadian” rule – is the exception. If you do have living parents, grandparents, siblings, etc., you cannot sponsor a cousin under normal family sponsorship.
Other requirements: Even if you meet the above scenario, you must still meet the general sponsorship requirements. You must be at least 18 years old and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada (with specific rules if you’re in Quebec), and you must have sufficient financial means to support the person you sponsor. Sponsors sign an undertaking to financially support the relative for several years (up to 20 years, depending on the relationship) so that the sponsored person will not need social assistance. In summary, direct family sponsorship of a cousin for permanent residency is only possible in rare cases where the sponsor has no closer family – otherwise, cousins are not eligible under the family class.
Temporary Visits: Visitor Visas (and the Super Visa)
If sponsoring your cousin for PR isn’t possible, a more common route is to have them visit Canada temporarily. Depending on their citizenship, your cousin may need to apply for a visitor visa, also known as a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), to come for a short-term visit. A visitor visa typically allows a stay of up to 6 months in Canada per visit . Keep in mind that a visitor visa is for temporary stays only – your cousin would be expected to return home after the visit.
Invitation letter: You can support your cousin’s visitor visa application by providing a letter of invitation. According to IRCC, “If they need a visitor visa, you may provide your family member or friend with a letter of invitation in support of their visa application. A letter of invitation can help, but it does not guarantee the person will get a visa.” ircc.canada.ca
. Visa officers will look at factors like your cousin’s ties to their home country, finances, and the purpose of the visit. As IRCC notes, “A letter of invitation doesn’t guarantee that we’ll issue a visa. Visa officers assess [the applicant] to decide whether [they] meet the terms of Canada’s immigration law.” canada.ca
. In practice, this means your cousin must convince Canadian immigration that they will be a genuine visitor who will return home on time.
What about a Super Visa? You might have heard of the Super Visa, which allows longer stays. The Super Visa, however, is a special program only for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. “Parents and grandparents can visit their children or grandchildren for 5 years at a time with a super visa,” explains IRCC canada.ca
. This program is not available for cousins. So unless your cousin is also your parent or grandparent (unlikely!), they would not qualify for a Super Visa. For cousins, a regular visitor visa is the appropriate temporary option.
Important: A visitor visa does not give the right to work or study long-term in Canada. It’s purely for tourism, family visits, or short-term business or study (like a short course) purposes. If your cousin’s goal is eventually to live in Canada permanently, you’ll need to look beyond visitor visas – but a visit can be a first step for them to see Canada or meet potential employers, etc.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Family Connections
Outside of the federal family sponsorship, some Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) offer pathways where having a relative in a particular province can help an applicant immigrate. These aren’t “sponsorship” in the same sense as the family class – rather, they are economic immigration programs where family ties give an extra advantage or support.
For example, Manitoba’s PNP has a category that allows a Canadian relative in Manitoba to be a supporter for someone’s immigration application. The Manitoba government states that a “Manitoba Supporter” can be a friend or relative of the applicant, and for close relatives this includes relationships up to “first cousin” immigratemanitoba.com. The supporter must be a established resident in Manitoba (living there for at least one year) and commit to reviewing and endorsing the applicant’s settlement plan immigratemanitoba.com
. This means if you live in Manitoba, you could help your cousin by being their supporter under the MPNP, which can make their application stronger. (Note: The MPNP is not a guarantee of approval; your cousin would still need to meet other eligibility criteria like work experience, language, education, and earn enough points to be selected.)
Similarly, Saskatchewan’s Immigrant Nominee Program rewards applicants who have family in the province. According to the Government of Saskatchewan, having a close family member in Saskatchewan can add 20 points to an immigration applicant’s score saskatchewan.ca
. A “close family relative” is defined to include a range of relations such as “parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, [and] first cousin” (including step- or in-law relationships of the same types) saskatchewan.ca. In practice, this means if you are a Canadian citizen or PR living in Saskatchewan, your cousin could claim you as a close relative in their own skilled worker application, improving their chances under the SINP points system.
Other provinces may have similar provisions or informal points for family connections. For instance, having relatives in a province can sometimes show stronger ties or settlement support, which some PNPs value. It’s worth checking the specific provincial nominee program criteria for the province you live in (or where your cousin intends to settle). Key point: These PNP routes do not involve you “sponsoring” your cousin financially like a family class sponsorship, but your family connection can significantly help their immigration application if they qualify on their own merits (e.g. as a skilled worker).
Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds (Last-Resort Option)
If standard immigration programs aren’t available, there’s a very limited pathway called Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) consideration. This is a special application for permanent residence typically used in exceptional cases. According to IRCC, “People who would not normally be eligible to become permanent residents of Canada may be able to apply on humanitarian and compassionate grounds”canada.ca
. H&C applications are assessed case-by-case and are approved only for exceptional circumstances. Officers look at various factors, including “how settled the person is in Canada, general family ties to Canada, the best interests of any children involved, and what could happen to [them] if [Canada] do[es] not grant the request.”canada.ca
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In the context of bringing a cousin to Canada, an H&C application might be considered if your cousin has compelling humanitarian reasons to come that fall outside normal channels. For example, if your cousin is in a dire situation with no other means to immigrate, they could apply for a humanitarian exception. Family ties (even extended ones like cousins) can be a supporting factor – IRCC will consider the presence of family in Canada as one element of the case. However, be cautious: H&C cases are hard to get approved and typically require strong evidence of hardship or risk. They are often used by people already in Canada (such as those whose refugee claims were refused but who have grown ties in Canada) rather than as a direct sponsorship route from overseas. It’s not a program to rely on unless truly no other option fits.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Path
While sponsoring a cousin for permanent residence is only possible in rare “no other family” situations, there are other ways you might help or encourage your cousin to come to Canada:
- Visitor Visa for short-term visits – you can invite them, but they must qualify and it’s temporary.
- Provincial Programs where your family tie gives them an edge in immigrating as a worker in a particular province.
- Humanitarian grounds in extraordinary cases of need.
Always make sure to consult official Government of Canada resources for the most accurate and updated information. Immigration rules can change, and each case is unique. If in doubt, consider reaching out to a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer for personalized advice.
Bringing family together in Canada can be complex, but understanding the available pathways is the first step. With the right information and preparation, you and your cousin can figure out the best route for your situation. Good luck!
Sources:
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) – “Sponsor your relatives: Who you can sponsor”canada.ca canada.ca canada.ca
(eligibility to sponsor a cousin under the “other relative” category). - IRCC – “Sponsor your relatives: Check if you’re eligible”canada.ca (general sponsorship requirements).
- IRCC – “Letter of invitation for visitors to Canada” canada.ca and Help Centre FAQ on visiting ircc.canada.ca (visitor visa process and invitation letters).
- IRCC – “Super visa for parents and grandparents” canada.ca
(Super Visa eligibility for parents/grandparents, not cousins). - Government of Manitoba – “Eligibility – Skilled Worker Overseas (Manitoba Supporter)”
immigratemanitoba.com (cousin as close relative supporter in MPNP). - Government of Saskatchewan – “Connecting Family Members to Saskatchewan’s Labour Market (SINP)” saskatchewan.ca (cousin as close family and points for SINP).
- IRCC – “Humanitarian and compassionate grounds” canada.ca (explanation of H&C considerations).