Family Sponsorship
Family reunification has been an important principle guiding immigration policies and programs in Canada. Changes and improvements to the current programs have demonstrated Canada’s commitment to keeping families together, improving processing, and reducing wait times.
In order to be eligible to sponsor your relative, certain requirements must be met:
Sponsor must be 18 years or older
Sponsor must be a Permanent Resident, Canadian Citizen, or registered Indian
Sponsor must sign an undertaking promising to provide for the basic requirements of the relative being sponsored (length of undertaking varies)
With the exception of sponsorship of spouse or dependent child, minimum financial requirements must be met
There are certain restrictions that can prevent a person from sponsoring (social assistance, past criminality, past undertakings)
Spouse/Common-Law Partner
There are three types of spousal relationships that are considered under this program:
Spouse - this is a marital relationship in which the marriage must be considered legal and valid in both Canada and country where marriage took place
Common-Law Partner - this is a committed relationship where a couple has been living together for at least 12 continuous months
Conjugal Partner - this is a relationship with the same level of commitment as a marriage but because of situations beyond the couple's control kept them from living together
In cases of spousal sponsorship, the length of undertaking that the sponsor will sign is 3 years from the day the applicant became a Permanent Resident.
Dependent/Adopted Child
Dependent children, biological or adopted, can be sponsored to join their parents in Canada and live as Permanent Residents.
Dependent children under the age of 22 are eligible to be sponsored. Children over the age of 22 may be sponsored only if they are mentally or physically dependent on their parents. Dependent children cannot be married or in a common-law relationship
In case of adopted children, children must be under the age of 18, not married or in common-law relationship, and genuineness of the relationship must be proven to the immigration authorities.
Parents/Grandparents
Eligible Sponsor's can sponsor their parents or grandparents for Permanent Residence in Canada:
Sponsor must meet minimum income requirements (LICO + 30%) for 3 previous taxation years
Length of undertaking for this program is 20 years
Orphaned Minor
Eligible sponsors can sponsor their orphaned sibling, half-sibling, nephew/niece, or grandchild:
child must be under the age of 18
an orphan (both parents deceased)
not married or in common-law relationship
Sponsor must meet minimum income requirements for the past 12 months (LICO)
Length of undertaking for such cases is 10 years
Lonely Canadian
Under this program, a Canadian who does not have any relatives in Canada (no spouse, children, siblings, parents) can sponsor a foreign relative.
The sponsor would need to meet the minimum income requirements and sign an undertaking committing to be financially responsible for their relative for 10 years.