Can my child be sponsored from outside Canada, or do they need to be in Canada?

There is no requirement for the child to already be in Canada. Many dependent children are sponsored while living abroad, and they immigrate once the permanent residence application is approved.

The sponsor, however, generally needs to be living in Canada (or show they will return to live in Canada once the child becomes a permanent resident, if the sponsor is a citizen living abroad). The child's location affects logistics such as medical exams and biometrics, but it does not by itself determine eligibility.