Individuals and families seeking a higher standard of living and access to world-class services and infrastructure have long been attracted to Canada. Canada is the world's best immigration destination for families because of its small population and vast geography, mild climate, minimal pollution, world-class academic institutions, low crime rate and abundant recreational activities. Canada is one of those countries that puts the well-being of newcomers and their families first. In recent years, it has made significant improvements to the family reunification process by modifying immigration regulations and requirements for the federal Express Entry system and other immigration programs. Express Entry includes economic immigration programs, and has the most popular and expedited processing in Canada for permanent residence. Express Entry programs allow you to add family members to your PR visa application, such as parents and children, so they can join you in Canada.
What is family sponsorship in Canada?
The Canadian government's family sponsorship program is designed to reunite Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their families. By agreeing to support sponsored members of the family class, the sponsor commits to providing basic needs for family members for a period of time, thereby eliminating the need for government assistance. Family sponsorship applications, including spouses, common-law or conjugal partners and dependent children, are processed first. They are processed within 10 to 12 months on average. These applications are often determined on the basis of the sponsor's financial capacity to support the members he or she wishes to sponsor, as well as the formation of a genuine family bond between the applicant and the sponsor.
What are the requirements for sponsorship?
If you meet the following four conditions, you can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child to Canada:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian.
- Unless you are disabled, you are not eligible for social assistance.
- You are able to help the person you wish to sponsor with their basic needs.
- If you have sponsored before, you must have fulfilled all your financial and legal commitments...
- Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible for sponsorship. You won't be able to sponsor if you :
- You do not meet the requirements listed above.
- You are a visitor to Canada.
- Your application for permanent residence is being processed.
Can I sponsor someone to come to Canada?
Your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, parents or dependent children can all be sponsored to come to Canada. Your brother or sister cannot be sponsored directly, but may accompany a sponsored relative if he or she is under 22. You may also be able to sponsor more distant relatives, as explained below. In particular, the relative you wish to sponsor must meet specific qualification requirements. As you go through each category, you'll see that some loved ones have stricter standards than others.
Your spouse
To show that someone is your spouse, the Canadian government requires only two criteria. Simply establish that you are legally married and that they are at least 18 years of age to qualify.
Your de facto spouse
If a person is at least 18 years old, is not legally married to you and has been living with you for at least 12 months, he or she can be considered your common-law partner. This suggests that you have been sharing your principal residence for some time. Looking for a way to prove that you and your common-law partner have been together for at least a year? Don't worry - immigration officers will accept a variety of documents, including proof of joint ownership, joint leases or rental agreements, utility bills or other crucial documents proving that you and your common-law partner share the same location.
Your marriage partner
If you are in a conjugal relationship, you may need to show additional documents to immigration officers to prove your relationship. Spouses are distinguished from other groups by the requirement that they live outside Canada. For legal and immigration reasons, officers may also require proof that they cannot live with you or marry you in their own country. Perhaps you are in a relationship considered illegal in their home country. Perhaps legal or religious persecution in their own country threatens your relationship. These are two viable scenarios that IRCC can consider when determining eligibility for conjugal partner sponsorship.
Your dependent children
Children (natural or adopted) under age 22 who do not have a spouse or common-law partner are considered dependents. If your child is over 22, however, he or she may still be considered a dependant. They should demonstrate that they are unable to support themselves financially due to a mental or physical illness to qualify. They must also show that they have been financially dependent on you since they were under 22.
Is it possible to sponsor non-immediate family members to come to Canada?
Non-immediate family members are subject to more restrictions from the Canadian government, although this is not impossible. If you meet specific eligibility requirements, you may be allowed to sponsor a relative, such as a brother, cousin, aunt or uncle. Only one non-immediate family member may be sponsored, and only if:
- You have a blood or adoptive relationship with the parent you wish to sponsor.
- You do not have a close relative to sponsor (such as a spouse, common-law spouse, conjugal partner, dependent child, parent, grandparent or orphaned sibling);
- You have no family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
You can also sponsor an orphaned sibling, nephew, niece or grandchild through the government, provided they meet certain requirements. They must also be orphans, having lost both mother and father, and unmarried, with no de facto or conjugal ties. Unfortunately, immigration officials will not recognize a child as an orphan if he or she has been abandoned and cannot identify his or her parents.
What is the minimum income required to sponsor my family's immigration to Canada?
In many circumstances, the government does not require the sponsor to have a certain level of income. Sponsoring your spouse, partner or dependent child, for example, has no financial requirements. If the person you are sponsoring has a child of his or her own, you need only demonstrate that you meet a low-income cut-off criterion based on the number of people who will be in your household after the immigration process. If you fall into a category where you must justify your financial situation (for example, if you are sponsoring your parents), you must demonstrate that your annual income is at least equivalent to the minimum required to support your sponsored person(s). Are you worried about meeting your financial obligations? If you don't think you have enough money to sponsor someone on your own, you can enlist the support of your spouse or common-law partner as a co-signer. Your spouse or common-law partner, as co-signer, will share your responsibility for meeting the basic needs of the person(s) you wish to sponsor. This also indicates that if the agreements are not respected, the co-signer is equally responsible.
For how long are you financially responsible and committed to the sponsored person?
If you apply to sponsor someone, you must sign an undertaking. This is essentially a promise to the government that you will be financially responsible for the person and provide them with the basic necessities of life in Canada, such as food, clothing and shelter. But don't worry, it's only temporary. The obligation begins the day the person you're sponsoring becomes a permanent resident. When it begins, the length of the commitment depends on many factors, including the age of the people you're sponsoring, your relationship with them and where you live. If you live in Quebec, the length of your commitment will vary slightly. If the person you are helping applies for government social assistance during the period indicated in these tables, you will have to repay the social assistance applied for.
Commitment is an unavoidable legal obligation. Therefore, make sure you are prepared to financially support the person you wish to sponsor. You will assume responsibility even if the relationship with the other party changes, for example when the economic situation deteriorates or when you change your mind (e.g. due to divorce or separation). Even if the person you are sponsoring becomes a Canadian citizen, you may still be financially liable to them.
Here are five simple steps to applying for a family sponsorship:
- Step 1: Check your eligibility to sponsor your family and make sure your family meets the sponsorship eligibility criteria.
- Step 2: Review the application kit, which includes instructions, forms to fill out and a list of documents to collect.
- Step 3: Pay application fees online, including permanent residence and biometrics.
- Step 4: Collect related documents. During this period, sponsored persons will be asked to provide biometric data, a police certificate and, if necessary, a medical examination.
- Step 5: Submit the completed application to the designated Case Processing Center (CPC) for processing.
How to sponsor a husband, wife or common-law partner
If you wish to sponsor a spouse or partner, you must first ensure that both meet the required eligibility criteria. To prove a conjugal relationship, the spouse must prove that :
- That you are legally married.
- They must be over 18 years of age.
- Your common-law partner must demonstrate the following to establish a common-law relationship:
- That they are over 18.
- They are not legally married to you.
- They have been living with you for at least 12 months, with no significant periods of separation.
When it comes to submitting an application, there are two steps to follow. To become a sponsor, you must first apply. Your spouse or partner must also apply for permanent residence at the same time.
Sponsorship of spouses and common-law partners in Canada and abroad
IRCC currently has two types of in-Canada and out-of-Canada spousal and common-law sponsorship applications. If the relatives you wish to sponsor are currently in Canada, you can apply to sponsor them from within Canada. This type of sponsorship should allow the sponsored persons to remain in Canada while the application is being processed, and to work freely during this period. Internal sponsorship offers the added advantage of allowing your relatives to apply for an open work permit that allows them to work anywhere in Canada. This can give couples financial peace of mind, as processing a domestic sponsorship can take up to a year. To apply for sponsorship from within Canada, provide proof that your spouse or partner is living with you in Canada, and that the person applying for sponsorship has valid temporary status in Canada. Conjugal partnerships are not eligible for domestic sponsorship. But what if the person you want to sponsor lives and/or works outside Canada? In this case, apply to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner outside Canada. This application is completed from abroad via the Canadian embassy or consulate. The advantage of out-of-country sponsorship is that your spouse or partner can easily enter and leave the country while your application is being processed. It's also the best option for those who cannot legally reside in Canada.
How to sponsor a dependent child
A child can be considered a dependant if he or she is under 22, unmarried or not in a common-law relationship. The Canadian government does not distinguish between natural and adopted children, but you may need to fill out additional forms if your child is adopted. If your child is 22 years of age or older, you must prove that he or she is financially dependent on you due to mental or physical illness. If you are applying, you must complete two applications at the same time. As a sponsor, you must submit a sponsorship application, and your child (or his or her representative) must apply for permanent residence in Canada. If your child needs help with the application, you or your family have the right to act on his or her behalf and prepare the application on his or her behalf.
How to sponsor your parents and grandparents
The sponsorship process for parents and grandparents is a little different from the other categories. First, you must submit a sponsor interest form. The application period for this is once a year and is only open for a short time. After submitting the interest form, the government will select potential sponsors and invite them to apply to sponsor parents and grandparents. If you are applying as a sponsor, you will need to submit two applications at the same time. As a sponsor, you must apply to become a sponsor. Your parents or grandparents will need to apply for permanent residence at the same time. When you apply, you'll need to show a minimum income that meets the low-income cut-off, and that proves you have enough money to support your parents or grandparents. This is important, given the very long duration of the commitment. Parents and grandparents are allowed to stay for 20 years from the date the application is approved. During these 20 years, they cannot claim any money from the Canadian government - if they do, you'll have to pay it back.
If you are eligible for sponsorship in Canada, you may submit a sponsorship application for your parents or grandparents who are related by blood or adoption. Siblings or stepchildren can only be included if they are considered dependent children. You cannot sponsor your spouse's parents or grandparents, but you can co-sign their application. If you have not been invited to apply to sponsor your parents or grandparents, you should consider applying for a Super Visa. A Super Visa allows a parent or grandparent to enter Canada for up to five years each, with a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years.
Super visa
Super visas can be more interesting than you might think. This travel document allows you to visit Canadian children and grandchildren at the same time for up to two years. A Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to enter Canada multiple times for up to 10 years.
To be eligible for this visa, you must proceed as follows:
- Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Have a signed letter from your child or grandchild inviting you to Canada, as well as a commitment of financial support for the duration of your stay.
- Take out health insurance with a Canadian insurance company valid for at least one year and with coverage of at least 100,000 $.
Ultimately, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) wants to ensure that you will leave voluntarily at the end of your stay. To assess this, they may also take into account other aspects of your life, such as the purpose of your visit, your finances and the instability of your home country.
Restrictions
If any of the following circumstances apply, you may not be authorized to sponsor your parents or grandparents:
- You have already violated the financial support conditions of another parent you have sponsored.
- You've already missed a court-ordered alimony payment, such as child support.
- Have you ever received government benefits or financial assistance in Canada? (except disability support)
- Have you ever been convicted of a violent or sexual crime, or a crime against a family member?
- Have you ever defaulted on an immigrant loan due to missing payments, late payments or non-payment?
- You are now in prison or under detention.
- You have already been declared bankrupt.
Immigration to Canada with children
Statistically, 20 % of the immigrants who enter Canada each year are children under the age of 15. Approximately 15% of all migrant children and teenagers are considered refugees. In addition, tens of thousands of international students have been studying in Canada since 2011. In Canada, accepting immigrant children and welcoming them with open arms is highly valued.
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