Family Sponsorship in Canada

Bring your loved ones through the Canadian family class sponsorship program.

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Sponsor your Family to Immigrate to Canada

If you have family members residing outside of Canada, you may be eligible to sponsor them as permanent residents. Determine your eligibility and explore sponsorship options by contacting our team. We will provide a comprehensive evaluation of your situation.

Canada’s Family Class Sponsorship program offers a comprehensive approach to family reunification. Renowned globally for its generosity, the program facilitates the immigration of spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, parents, and grandparents. Additionally, the Super Visa provides a flexible option for eligible parents and grandparents to visit Canada for extended periods.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is responsible for the administration of Canada’s family sponsorship program. This includes establishing program eligibility criteria, processing sponsorship applications, and issuing permanent and temporary resident visas to qualifying family members.

What’s the Canada Family Sponsorship in 2024?

Canadian Family Sponsorship is a government program that allows eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents to bring certain family members to live in Canada as permanent residents. There is two key components: 

  • It allows one your family member to be eligible for permanent residency in Canada.
  • The sponsor (you) assumes responsibility for providing financial support to the sponsored individual for a specified period.

Can I sponsor a family member?

You can sponsor a family member if you are: 

  • A Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada
  • 18 years old or older
  • Able to financially support the sponsored family member.

 

Who can I sponsor?

  • Spouses (legally married) or common-law partners
  • Parents & grandparents
  • Dependent children

How to apply for Family Sponsorship?

The process for applying for family sponsorship can vary depending on the category (spouse, child, parent, etc.) but here are the main steps: 

  • STEP 1: Make sure the sponsor and the sponsored family member meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
  • STEP 2: Fill out the necessary application forms for both the sponsor and the sponsored person (the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application). Once both applications are approved, you’ll sign an undertaking agreement.
  • STEP 3: Submit the required fees for both applications.
  • STEP 4: Send the completed applications and supporting documents to the address given in the application guide.

Sponsor your parents or grandparents

The Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP) allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to become permanent residents of Canada.

What you need to know:

  1. Due to the high number of interested applicants, the government uses a lottery system to select potential sponsors.
  2. Sponsors must meet specific income requirements to demonstrate their ability to support the sponsored parents or grandparents.
  3. The process involves submitting an interest to sponsor form, followed by an invitation to apply if selected in the lottery.
  4. Processing times can be lengthy due to the program’s popularity.

Sponsor Eligibility
You can sponsor your parents and grandparents if you meet these criteria:

  • You are at least 18 years old.
  • You live in Canada.
  • You are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
  • You can prove that you have the financial means to support the individuals you want to sponsor(commit to financially supporting them for 20 years, starting from their date of becoming permanent residents. This commitment also involves repaying any provincial social assistance they may receive during this period).

If you have not received an invitation to sponsor your parents and grandparents, there’s another way to have them visit Canada. They may be eligible to apply for a Super Visa allowing them to stay in Canada for extended periods, up to 5 years at a time.

Check your eligibilty

Sponsor your wife, husband or common-law partner

Spouse or Common Law-Partner Sponsorship

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouses or common-law partners to immigrate to Canada. There are two distinct application paths available for spousal sponsorship.

1. Inland Spousal Sponsorship

This option applies if your spouse or common-law partner is already residing in Canada. To be eligible, you must:

  1. Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  2. You are at least 18 years old.
  3. Currently reside in Canada or plan to return after your partner obtains permanent residence.

If a spousal sponsorship application is submitted from within Canada, the sponsored partner may be eligible for an open work permit. This permit authorizes employment with any Canadian employer during the processing of the sponsorship application.

2. Outland Spousal Sponsorship

This option is for spouses or common-law partners living outside of Canada. The eligibility requirements are:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Be unable to apply from within Canada or not lawfully residing in Canada during the application process.

Income Requirement

In most cases, there isn’t an income requirement to sponsor your spouse, partner, or dependent child. However, you may need to demonstrate sufficient financial means if you are sponsoring a dependent child with one or more dependent children of their own or a spouse or partner with a dependent child who has one or more children.

You can sponsor your spouse or partner. Here are the specific requirements for each category:

  • Your spouse can be of either sex and must be legally married to you and at least 18 years old.
  • Your common-law partner, of either sex, must have lived with you for at least 12 consecutive months.
  • Your conjugal partner, of either sex, must have been in a relationship with you for at least 1 year and is unable to live with you in their country of residence due to legal and immigration reasons.
Check your eligibilty

Sponsor your dependent child

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their dependent children to live in Canada as permanent residents.

To be eligible for sponsorship, a child must be:

  • Unmarried.
  • Under the age of 22 (or children over the age of 22 may be eligible for sponsorship if they have a physical or mental condition that precludes self-sufficiency).
  • A biological or adopted child of the sponsor.
  • Not have dependent children of their own.

 

To be eligible, you must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Live in Canada.
  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Provide documentary evidence of the relationship with the child, such as a birth or adoption certificate.

 

Intercountry Adoption: This process hinges on the child’s home country laws, with adoption either completed outside or within Canada. The key is to ensure the child’s best interests are met, not just their Canadian permanent resident status.

Sponsoring More Than One Child: Each adopted child requires a separate sponsorship application.

Sponsoring Specific Relatives to Canada

While most people think of spousal and parental sponsorships, there’s another lesser-known class: sponsoring specific relatives.

Orphaned Siblings, Nephews, Nieces, or Grandchildren: If you aim to sponsor an orphaned sibling, nephew, niece, or grandchild, Segue Immigration and Tours Ltd . will ensure you meet the required conditions:

  • They must be related to you by blood or adoption.
  • Both of their parents should have passed away.
  • They must be under 18 years of age.
  • They must be single, not in a common-law or conjugal relationship.

Other Relatives: You can also sponsor other relatives related by blood or adoption, regardless of their age. Segue Immigration and Tours Ltd . will assist you through the following conditions:

  • You must not have any other living relative who fits into categories such as a spouse, common-law partner, parent, or grandparent that you could sponsor.
  • The relative you wish to sponsor shouldn’t have any other Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian relative in the same categories as mentioned above.

Super Visa for Parents or Grandparents

The Super Visa is a unique Canadian visa designed for parents and grandparents, ensuring they can spend extended periods with their families in Canada. It offers the flexibility of staying for up to 5 years, providing a remarkable opportunity for family bonding and creating cherished memories.

Eligibility
To be eligible for a Super Visa, you must have a host who meets the following criteria:

  • Your host must be your child or grandchild.
  • They should be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or registered Indian. Proof of their citizenship or permanent residency is required.
  • The host must be at least 18 years old and residing in Canada.
  • They need to meet or exceed the minimum necessary income to support your visit.
  • Your host must sign an invitation letter, committing to provide financial support for the duration of your stay.
  • In some cases, your child or grandchild’s spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the invitation letter if they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
  • must provide proof of a health insurance policy from either a Canadian insurance company or an insurance company outside Canada that is approved by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

As a Super Visa holder, it’s your responsibility to:

  • Renew or maintain your health insurance while in Canada and on re-entry.
  • Ensure your passport is valid throughout your stay in Canada.
  • If your intended visit is for 6 months or less, you should apply for a regular visitor visa.

 

Your health insurance policy should:

  • Be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry.
  • Be fully paid or paid in installments with a deposit (quotes aren’t accepted).
  • Cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation.
  • Provide a minimum of $100,000 of emergency coverage.
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FAQs: Canada Family Sponsorship

  • Spouse or partner: CAD$1,150
  • Parent or grandparent: CAD$1,050
  • Dependent children: CAD$150

Generally, you can’t directly sponsor your brother or sister for permanent residency in Canada.

Canada’s family sponsorship program primarily focuses on immediate family members such as spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, and in specific cases, parents and grandparents. There are exceptions to this rule but it is extremely restricted.

The Canadian Sponsorship program does not offer a program to sponsor a boyfriend or girlfriend. You must become common-law partners or married to sponsor them.

Applications for sponsorship may take approximately 12 months and can take longer depending on the nature of the case.

No, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can’t sponsor a friend. 

To qualify for sponsoring a relative outside the immediate family category, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident must demonstrate a lack of closer family members eligible for sponsorship. This includes spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, parents, and grandparents.

A Super Visa allows you to stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time. This means you can experience the joys of family gatherings and celebrations over an extended period.

Your Spouse Visa got Rejected?

Find out why

Discover the common pitfalls that can lead to sponsorship rejection. Learn how to navigate the complexities of the sponsorship process and increase your chances of success.

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