Published on: January 23rd, 2022 By: المستشار ماهر الديري
FAMILY SPONSORSHIP TO CANADA
Group of students with Canadian flags sitting near color wall
FAMILY SPONSORSHIP VISA IMMIGRATION TO CANADA
About the process
If you’re eligible, you can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children to become permanent residents of Canada.
If you do, you must be able to:
support them financially
make sure they don’t need social assistance from the government
Your relatives can live, study and work in Canada if they become permanent residents of Canada. You can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada if you’re at least 18 years old and a:
Canadian citizen or
permanent resident of Canada
Sponsor a spouse, partner from $1,080, or a child from $150
your relationship is genuine (real) and wasn’t entered into just to get permanent resident status in Canada
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying in the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada class, he or she must co-habit (live) with you in Canada.
WHO CAN BECOME A SPONSOR
You can become a sponsor if you are:
at least 18 years old
a Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident living in Canada:
if you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident
you can’t sponsor someone if you are a permanent resident living outside Canada
able to prove that you are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
have enough income to provide for basic needs of any grandchildren (dependent children of a dependent child) of the principal applicant
have failed to provide for the basic needs of a previously-sponsored relative who received social assistance
are under a removal order
are in a penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison
receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
are still going through the process of bankruptcy (undischarged bankruptcy)
were sponsored by a spouse or partner and you became a permanent resident less than five years ago
sponsored a previous spouse or partner and three years have not passed since this person became a permanent resident have already applied to sponsor your current spouse, partner or child and a decision on your application hasn’t been made yet were convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or an offence that caused bodily harm to a relative—or you attempted or threatened to commit any of these offences
WHO YOU CAN SPONSOR
You can sponsor a:
spouse
common-law partner
conjugal partner
dependent child
To be eligible for permanent residence, the principal applicant and any dependents must not be inadmissible to Canada.
your relationship is genuine (real) and wasn’t entered into just to get permanent resident status in Canada
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying in the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada class, he or she must co-habit (live) with you in Canada.
Sponsor your parents and grandparents
Any relative immigrating to Canada within the Family Class must have a sponsor. Both the person sponsoring a relative and the person wishing to immigrate to Canada must meet certain requirements.
Applicants for permanent residence must go through:
medical exams
criminal checks
background checks
An applicant with a criminal record may not be allowed to enter Canada. People who pose a risk to Canada’s security are not allowed to enter Canada. The applicant may have to provide a certificate from police authorities in the home country.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO SPONSOR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT
You can sponsor your parent or grandparent if you’re 18 years of age or older, living in Canada and a:
Canadian citizen or
person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or
permanent resident of Canada
If you live in Quebec, you must also meet Quebec’s immigration sponsorship requirements after we approve you as a sponsor.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
When you sponsor a parent or grandparent to become a permanent resident of Canada, you must:
meet certain income requirements
support that person and their dependents financially
You and the sponsored relative must sign a sponsorship agreement that:
commits you to provide financial support for your relative (and any other eligible relatives accompanying them):
for a period of three to 20 years
depending on their age and relationship to you
beginning on the date they become a permanent resident
states that the person becoming a permanent resident will make every effort to support themselves
Dependent children under age 19 do not have to sign the agreement.
Quebec residents must sign an “undertaking” with the province of Quebec. This is a contract that binds your sponsorship.
WHO ISN’T ELIGIBLE TO SPONSOR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parent or grandparent if you:
are in prison
defaulted on an immigration loan (late or missed payments)
have declared bankruptcy and haven’t been released from it yet
received government financial assistance for reasons other than a disability
didn’t pay a court-ordered support order, such as alimony or child support
didn’t provide the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor another relative in the past
were convicted of a violent criminal offense, any offense against a relative or any sexual offense, depending on circumstances, such as:
the nature of the offense
how long ago it occurred
whether a record suspension (formerly called “pardons” in Canada) was issued
Other factors not in this list might also make you ineligible to sponsor a relative.
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