The new Immigration Regulations provide that Canadian permanent residents and citizens are eligible to sponsor family class members to immigrate to Canada. The process has two steps.

First, you must apply to sponsor your relative. To qualify, you must:

1. be at least 19 years old, live in Canada, and prove you are a Canadian permanent resident or citizen;
   
   
2. guarantee you will take care of your relative's essential needs for 3 years and not seek welfare assistance during that time; and
   
   
3. have sufficient family income, for the 12 months before the sponsorship date, to support the family unit. This amount is set out in the Low Income Cut Off Table published by Canada Immigration.

Second, after your application is approved, your relative must submit an immigration application to a Canadian immigration office. In most cases, this must be done outside Canada. Your relative must prove his or her relationship to you, and that he or she is not criminally or medically inadmissible.

Upon meeting all these requirements, your relative should receive an immigrant visa.