The Quebec sponsorship undertaking: what the sponsor is agreeing to

A Quebec sponsorship undertaking is a formal commitment to support the sponsored person’s essential needs for the period set out in the undertaking. It is a serious obligation, separate from the federal sponsorship process, so sponsors should understand who is covered, when the commitment applies, and what repayment may be required before signing.

Key points to understand

• The Quebec undertaking is a binding commitment to provide defined support, not simply an offer to help when convenient.
• Quebec’s undertaking and the federal sponsorship documents are handled by different governments and are not interchangeable.
• The commitment may include the principal applicant and eligible accompanying family members.
• For a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, it lasts three years from the day they become a permanent resident; for accompanying dependent children, the length depends on their age.
• Social assistance received during the undertaking can lead to a repayment obligation.
• A separation, a divorce, citizenship, financial hardship, or a move out of Quebec does not end an undertaking already in effect.

What the Quebec undertaking commits you to

A sponsorship undertaking is a formal commitment to provide a sponsored person with the support required under the applicable rules, for the period specified in the document. It is more than a statement of intent: the sponsor accepts obligations that may continue even if circumstances change after the person becomes a permanent resident.

Quebec’s undertaking is submitted to the provincial government, through the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), after IRCC confirms the sponsor is eligible. The federal sponsorship process is administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and its sponsorship forms and commitments are related to, but distinct from, Quebec’s provincial undertaking.

That distinction matters because the applications involve separate documents, authorities, and decisions. Permanent residence approval and the sponsor’s undertaking are connected parts of the process, but federal approval does not make the Quebec undertaking unnecessary, and the provincial undertaking does not replace the federal sponsorship requirements.

For an overview of how the provincial and federal steps fit together, see our guide on how the undertaking fits the federal process and our page on spousal sponsorship in Quebec. Before signing, compare the current Quebec undertaking and its instructions for your sponsorship category: Quebec’s guidance on the responsibilities and obligations related to the undertaking is the provincial reference for spouses and partners. Other categories have their own pages, so confirm the applicable MIFI form and terms for each person.

What support and basic needs the undertaking covers

The undertaking requires support for basic needs. Quebec lists the costs included, without limiting it to them: housing, furniture, travel, food, clothing, health care and prescription drugs not covered by public insurance, and employment integration costs not covered by a government program.

Plan around the person’s actual living needs, including housing, food, clothing, and day-to-day necessities. Signing a form does not itself provide those things, and occasional assistance may not meet the commitment if the person lacks essential support.

The undertaking does not mean that the sponsor automatically takes responsibility for every private debt or optional expense the sponsored person chooses to incur. The obligation is defined by the applicable rules and the terms of the undertaking, so read those terms rather than relying on informal assumptions between family members.

Consider how the commitment would work in practice if the sponsored person’s circumstances change or they need more support than expected. A realistic plan should account for the sponsor’s own household obligations while keeping the sponsored person’s essential needs in view.

Your role in settlement and integration

The commitment is practical as well as financial. Quebec expects the sponsor to help the people sponsored settle in: learn French or enrol in French courses, look for work or seek recognition of studies done abroad, and register children for school. Discuss who will help with each task and how the person can reach that support.

If the people sponsored are aged 18 to 55, the sponsor also completes a welcome and integration plan in the undertaking form. Treat it as an action plan rather than paperwork alone, and use it to identify support needs that may change after arrival.

The person you sponsor has obligations too: to tell you how their basic needs are being met, any change of address if they do not live with you, and any step they take to obtain financial assistance, particularly from the government.

Who is covered, and what a co-signer accepts

The undertaking may cover the principal applicant and eligible accompanying family members. Review the application and undertaking together to identify every person included, because a family member covered by the documents may have obligations attached to them even if the sponsor is focused mainly on the principal applicant.

Check each person’s name and role against the application before signing. If a family member is included in the sponsorship, make sure the undertaking reflects that person and that everyone understands how the commitment applies to them.

Where the Quebec process permits a co-signer, signing makes that person responsible under the undertaking for the sponsored people named in it. It is not just evidence of income or a private agreement to contribute a set share: each signer should read the form to understand the scope of the responsibility and any conditions that apply.

Before submitting the documents, sponsors and co-signers should review the covered family members and the role of each signer together. Discussing the arrangement in advance helps prevent one signer from believing that the other has accepted all responsibility.

When the commitment begins and how its duration is set

The undertaking takes effect when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. Use the effective date stated in the undertaking and the current government instructions to identify when the obligation begins for each person covered.

There is no single term to apply across a family file: a spouse or partner’s undertaking lasts three years, while a dependent child’s follows a different rule, and the child’s age affects the applicable term. Another relative may fall under a different category. Check the term and end date stated for each person in the Quebec undertaking and compare them with the current MIFI instructions; do not infer the Quebec term from a federal form or another family member’s terms.

Before signing, confirm the start date, the person covered, and the end point for each family member. Those details determine how long the sponsor’s obligations last, so do not rely on a general description if the signed documents set out different terms for different people.

Social assistance and possible repayment

If a sponsored person receives social assistance while the undertaking is in effect, the sponsor will be asked to repay the assistance provided. This does not mean every public benefit automatically creates a repayment obligation; the type of assistance and the rules that apply to it matter.

Use the current Quebec guidance to check whether a particular program is covered. If you are unsure how a benefit is classified, ask the responsible authority rather than assuming that all public payments are treated the same way.

Take a repayment notice seriously. Read it carefully, identify the assistance and period it refers to, and contact the responsible authority promptly if you have questions about the basis or amount. Ignoring it does not make it go away.

If you dispute the request or cannot afford the amount, seek qualified advice about your options and communicate with the authority handling the file. Unpaid repayment obligations may be pursued under the applicable rules, but the consequences depend on the circumstances and the rules in force.

For people considering support for a spouse, child, or parent, our services for individuals address the federal application and the additional provincial undertaking required in Quebec. That connection is important when reviewing a potential repayment obligation, because Quebec’s commitment is part of the overall sponsorship process.

Can the undertaking be withdrawn or changed?

A request to withdraw an application before an undertaking takes effect is different from trying to end obligations after the sponsored person has become a permanent resident. Quebec states that you cannot terminate an undertaking once a permanent resident visa or confirmation of permanent residence has been issued.

Ending a relationship, experiencing financial hardship, obtaining citizenship, or moving away from Quebec does not shorten or cancel an undertaking already in force. Sponsors should not assume that a personal change alters the commitment they signed.

If you want to withdraw or amend a pending file, contact the relevant authority promptly and ask what steps apply to that application. Do not treat a request as accepted until the authority confirms how it affects the file.

Quebec sponsorship involves a provincial stage after IRCC considers the sponsor eligible, and Quebec applies its own requirements to the undertaking. Our page on immigration to Québec explains how the provincial and federal stages fit together. The sponsor remains responsible for reviewing the documents and accepting the terms that apply.

Common mistakes to avoid before signing

• Combining the provincial and federal commitments in your mind. Identify which forms and responsibilities belong to Quebec and which belong to IRCC, then review each set of terms.
• Overlooking a family member. Compare the undertaking with the application and make sure each covered accompanying family member is accounted for.
• Treating a co-signer’s signature as paperwork only. Every signer should understand the responsibility they accept under the document.
• Assuming a change in circumstances ends the commitment. A breakup, financial difficulty, citizenship, or a move does not cancel an undertaking already in force.
• Ignoring possible repayment. Check the current Quebec guidance if the sponsored person receives social assistance, because covered programs and rules can change.
• Relying on an unconfirmed withdrawal. Ask the responsible authority how a pending application is affected, and wait for its response before treating the obligation as ended.

Before signing, read the undertaking alongside the federal documents and make sure you can explain who is covered, when the commitment begins, how long it lasts, and what support it requires. What the sponsor is agreeing to is defined by the documents and current rules, not by informal expectations between the people involved.

See also: spousal sponsorship in Quebec, who can sponsor a spouse in Quebec, immigration to Québec, tell us about your situation, visitor visa, complex cases.

Frequently asked questions

We divorced a year after my spouse arrived. Am I still responsible?

Yes. The undertaking continues for the full three years, regardless of the relationship.

Does signing an undertaking make the sponsor responsible for the sponsored person’s private debts?

No. Check the separate loan, lease, or other contract to see whether you signed it; the undertaking alone does not make you a party to that agreement.

Can the sponsor provide support directly instead of giving the sponsored person money?

Yes, providing housing, meals or other necessities directly can meet the commitment when it satisfies the undertaking’s requirements.

What records should a sponsor keep while the undertaking is in effect?

Keep copies of the signed undertaking, relevant government notices, and correspondence with the sponsored person or authorities. Receipts, payment records, and notes about significant support arrangements can also help you reconstruct what happened if questions arise later.

Can the sponsor and sponsored person make a private agreement that changes the undertaking?

No; if circumstances change, contact the responsible authority about the undertaking instead of relying on a private arrangement.

If you would like help reviewing your circumstances and the documents before you sign, book a consultation.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 11, 2026:

• Québec — Understanding the responsibilities and obligations related to the undertaking
• Québec — Sponsor a family member (French)