Two narrow routes, and one clear no
These are the routes people reach for when nothing else fits, and both are narrower than their names suggest. It is worth being direct about that, because a sponsorship that the class does not permit costs a fee and produces an appeal that cannot succeed.
- Orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild. Related to you by blood or adoption, under 18, single, and with both parents deceased. An income requirement applies, at the low income cut off for your household size.
- What does not count as orphaned. Nobody knowing where the parents are, the parents having abandoned the child, someone else caring for the child while a parent lives, or the parents being in prison or otherwise detained. One living parent ends this route.
- The last remaining relative. One relative of any age and any relationship, but only where you have no spouse, partner, child, parent, grandparent, sibling, niece, nephew, aunt or uncle who is either already Canadian, a permanent resident or a registered Indian, or whom you could otherwise sponsor. A grandchild is not on that list, so a Canadian grandchild does not defeat the route, though an orphaned grandchild whom you could sponsor does.
- An aunt or uncle in Canada defeats it. Even though an aunt or uncle cannot themselves be sponsored, having one who is already Canadian empties the route. That asymmetry surprises people.
- The family class list is closed. There is no residual discretion to add a relationship, so a cousin, an aunt or a self supporting adult child cannot be sponsored except through the last remaining relative provision.
- A medical condition statement applies to orphaned relatives. As it does to adopted children, meaning you must show you obtained information about their medical condition.
The two routes side by side
| Orphaned relative | Last remaining relative | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Your brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild | One relative of any relationship and any age |
| Their age | Under 18 | Any |
| Marital status | Not a spouse or common law partner | No requirement |
| Core condition | Both parents deceased | You have no listed relative who is Canadian or sponsorable, on both limbs |
| Income test | Applies, at the low income cut off | Applies, at the low income cut off |
| Undertaking | 10 years | 10 years |
| Also required | A statement that you obtained information on their medical condition | The ordinary sponsor eligibility requirements |
Both routes are genuinely available and both are genuinely rare. Establishing which one, if either, applies is a factual exercise about your own family rather than about the person you want to bring.
Which route, if either
The first three questions test the orphaned relative route and the fourth tests the last remaining relative route. They are alternatives, so satisfying one is enough.
Your situation
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An indication only, not an eligibility decision and not legal advice. These routes are alternatives rather than cumulative requirements, so a result showing unmet items may still mean one route is open to you. Sponsor eligibility is tested separately on the family overview. Verified 19 August 2026 against the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.