• Immigration & Citizenship
• Sponsorship
• Sponsorship Basics

What happens when a family sponsorship breaks down?

A family sponsorship breakdown happens when a sponsor refuses to or can no longer financially support the family member they sponsored.

What is a sponsorship breakdown?

There are many reasons why relationships don’t work out. When a relationship is ending and sponsorship is involved, it can lead to a breakdown in the financial relationship, which is referred to as a sponsorship breakdown.

A sponsorship breakdown can happen when a sponsor refuses to or is unable to provide for the sponsored person’s basic needs. For example:

• If the sponsor stops paying for the expenses for any reason
• If the sponsor can no longer provide a home
• If there is a marital separation
• If there is abuse or illegal activity

I Am Sponsored

What happens to me in a sponsorship breakdown?

If you are sponsored and your relationship with the sponsor ends, you may be eligible for social assistance if they do not continue to provide financial support, as outlined in your sponsorship agreement.

You must inform the social worker that you are under a sponsorship agreement when applying for social assistance. You will have to show proof that the relationship has ended and that there is no longer support from your sponsor.

You may also be able to apply for spousal support or child support from your spouse or common-law partner.

If you need help applying for social assistance, spousal or child support, contact a community legal clinic or Legal Aid Ontario (LAO).

Will I be deported as the sponsored person?

If you have already been granted permanent resident status, you generally cannot be deported or removed from Canada just for experiencing a breakdown in sponsorship. You will keep your permanent resident status even if you apply for and receive social assistance.

As a permanent resident, your sponsor cannot force you to leave Canada. You still have the right to stay in Canada after a sponsorship relationship ends.

However, if you lie to a court of law about your relationship, this may affect your immigration status.

If you do not have permanent resident status because your sponsorship application has not been processed, you should speak to a lawyer right away. You may be at risk of being deported. A lawyer or legal clinic can tell you what your options are.

I am a Sponsor

What are my responsibilities?

If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, you can sponsor certain family members to obtain permanent residency in Canada. These family members include your:

• Spouse, conjugal or common-law partner
• Dependent children
• Parents
• Grandparents

You and your family member must sign a Sponsorship Agreement. Under a Sponsorship Agreement, you agree to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person for a specific period of time.

Basic needs include:

• Housing and utilities
• Food
• Clothing
• Health Care not already covered by OHIP or other insurance
• Personal Care

As a sponsor, you must also sign an undertaking, which is a promise that a sponsored person will not need social assistance for the duration of the Sponsorship Agreement. If your sponsored family member receives social assistance, you, as the sponsor, accept the responsibility to repay the money they received from social assistance.

Generally, if you are a sponsor, you are responsible for the sponsored person, even if you are separated or not living together.

What if the sponsored person receives social assistance?

You may want to speak to a lawyer for more information about your obligations and options in this situation, especially if you cannot afford to repay the social assistance or want to sponsor another family member in the future.

Once the person you sponsored receives permanent resident status, you cannot withdraw your sponsorship. Generally, you are responsible for any social assistance that your sponsored family member receives, even if there is a breakdown in the sponsorship.

For More Information

• If Your Sponsorship Breaks Down - This guide explains your rights, how to stay safe, and how to access funds to cover basic needs. From the People’s Law School.
• Sponsorship Breakdown: What will happen to my immigration status? - A guide to what happens to your immigration status after a sponsorship breakdown. From the Ontario Women’s Justice Network and METRAC.
• Immigration & Refugee – Sponsorships - Information on sponsorship breakdowns, including your rights as a sponsored person in Canada. From Justice for Children and Youth.
• Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner? - A guide to your legal rights if you are being abused by your sponsor. From Steps to Justice.
• Sponsor Your Relatives - This program allows you to sponsor certain relatives to become permanent residents of Canada. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.