Financial capacity for a group of 2 to 5 natural persons

You must demonstrate that you have sufficient and available financial resources to meet your commitment. You must have it at the time of submitting your request and demonstrate that you will continue to have it for the duration of your commitment.

To help you calculate the financial capacity of each member of your group, you can use the Grille d’auto-évaluation de la capacité financière pour un membre d’un groupe de 2 à 5 personnes physiques (PDF 105 Kb) (Financial Capacity Self-Assessment Grid for a member of a group of 2 to 5 individuals, in French only). This grid should be used as a guide only.

Each member of the group must demonstrate that they have the necessary income in order to:

• Provide for the needs of their own family as set out in Table A;
• Provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person as set out in Table B;

If applicable, each member of the group must also demonstrate that they have the income necessary to support the persons covered by a previous undertaking that is still in effect. This includes any family reunification undertaking (required annual amount multiplied by the number of years remaining on the undertaking) or collective sponsorship (partial amount according to the allocation established within the group).

If one of the group members does not meet these requirements, your sponsorship application may be refused.

Please note that it is possible for a group member who does not meet these requirements to withdraw from the group if the group consists of three or more members and the financial resources of the remaining members of the group are sufficient to support the person you are sponsoring, their accompanying family members, and their non-accompanying family members. However, no group member additions or substitutions can be accepted.

Table A. Basic income necessary for each member of the group to meet the basic needs of their own family.

The income and amounts required are set by regulations and are adjusted on January 1 of each year. They vary depending on the number and ages of the people you sponsor and their family members.

The tables below show the amounts in effect from January 1 to December 31, 2026. They are adjusted on January 1 of each year.

Precisions:

• Only your income is taken into consideration to demonstrate that you can provide for the basic needs of your own family.
• If you are the spouse or common-law partner of a person who is also a member of your group, both of your incomes may be included to meet the income requirement in Table A. Proof of your spousal or common-law partner status will be required.
• If you have a child between the ages of 18 and 21 with a gross annual income of at least $29,642 (basic income requirements as determined by regulation), you may choose not to count him or her as a member of your family unit when determining the income requirement. Proof that your child is financially independent will be required.

Your group, as a whole, must demonstrate that it has the amount required to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person, accompanying family members and non-accompanying family members (Table B). 

The sum of the financial resources (income or assets held in Canada) of all members of your group must be equal to or greater than the additional amount needed to support the sponsored persons required in Table B. 

Note that your contribution can be as low as $0 if the other members of the group are able to reach the minimum amount required. All members of your group are jointly and severally liable for the obligations contracted with the sponsored persons.

Table B. Amount required to meet the basic needs of sponsored persons

The amounts required to meet the basic needs of sponsored persons vary according to the number and age of the persons covered by your application.

The amounts are in effect from January 1 to December 31, 2026. They are adjusted on January 1 of each year.

The proof of your financial capacity must be based on:

• Income from Canadian sources in the case of income required to support your family (Table A);
• Income from Canadian sources or assets held in Canada for the amount required to meet the basic needs of the sponsored persons (Table B).

You must have disposed of the income during the 12 months (1 year) preceding your application and demonstrate that you will continue to dispose of it for the duration of your undertaking.