Family Sponsorship
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95% of refugees report a strong sense of belonging in Canada, with many quickly achieving employment and homeownership.
🤝 What is Family Class Sponsorship?
Canada offers sponsorship programs for permanent residents or citizens who wish to bring their loved ones to Canada. These programs enable certain family members to become permanent residents, making it easier for families to reunite. One of the most popular streams of Canadian immigration, family sponsorship programs allow citizens and permanent residents to bring their spouses and immediate family members to Canada with reduced processing times. After all, Canada understands that family should never be put on hold!
- Spouse, Common-law, or Conjugal Partner
You may be eligible to sponsor your spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner for Canadian permanent residence, whether they are living in Canada with a valid temporary visa or residing abroad. Applicants living in Canada may also qualify for an open work permit, helping to relieve some financial burdens.A spousal open work permit allows sponsored individuals to work in Canada while their application is processed. Canada recognizes common-law partnerships, so you may be eligible for spousal sponsorship if you and your partner have been living together for at least one year.
- Parent or Grandparent Sponsorship
Canada’s commitment to family reunification extends to parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents through the parent and grandparent sponsorship program. To sponsor a parent or grandparent, sponsors must demonstrate the ability to financially support their family by meeting the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for their family size. They must also agree to support their sponsored family members financially if needed. If sponsors cannot provide permanent support, they may be eligible for a Super Visa, a long-term, multiple-entry visa for parents and grandparents.
- Child or Other Dependant Sponsorship
If you are immigrating to Canada, you can include your children as accompanying dependents on your permanent residence application. If you choose not to include them, they may still be able to join you later. Canada’s child sponsorship program allows citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their biological or adopted children under the age of 22 for permanent residence, as long as they are unmarried and have no children of their own. A child over 22 may be considered a dependent if they have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from supporting themselves.
- Orphaned Brother, Sister, Nephew, Niece, or Grandchild
In specific instances, Canadian citizens or permanent residents may be eligible to sponsor their orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild. To sponsor your orphaned relative, they must be unmarried, under 18 years old, and related to you by blood or adoption.
- Other Relatives (Under Exceptional Circumstances as a “Lonely Canadian”)
In rare circumstances, Canadian citizens or permanent residents may sponsor one extended relative to come to Canada. To sponsor a relative outside of Canada’s Family Class definition, sponsors must be considered a “Lonely Canadian,” meaning they have no spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, or grandparent
💰 What is the Income Requirement for Canadian Family Sponsorship?
Minimum income requirements apply to some sponsorship applications, including parents, grandparents, eligible orphaned relatives, or those eligible under the “lonely Canadian” policy.
These sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) required for the size of their family unit and provide Canada Revenue Agency-issued Notices of Assessment (NOA) as proof that they have met the required MNI for at least three consecutive years.
Unlike most other forms of Canadian sponsorship, you do not need to demonstrate a minimum amount of income to sponsor a spouse. However, whenever you sponsor a family member to Canada, you must sign an undertaking promising to provide financial support for the basic needs of your sponsored family member. This undertaking is required for all sponsorship applications and acknowledges the sponsor’s promise to repay any social assistance benefits paid to them and their family member(s) for a period of 20 years. A supplementary undertaking must be signed if the sponsor lives in Quebec.
The length of the undertaking depends on the category of sponsorship. For spousal sponsorship (including spouses and common-law or conjugal partners), the length of the undertaking is three years from the day the sponsored individual becomes a Canadian permanent resident.
Canadian citizens or permanent residents sponsoring their dependent children are not required to meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI), provided that their dependent child does not have any children of their own. If the dependent child being sponsored has dependent children, the sponsor must meet the MNI required for their family unit size.
🏠 How Can I Be Eligible to Sponsor a Family Member?
There are many ways that Canadians, their communities, and organizations can sponsor refugees and help them to resettle into their new life in Canada. These sponsorship programs assist refugees in finding housing, providing financial, social, and emotional support, and donating essential items like food and clothing as they adjust to life in Canada.
- Groups of Five: This program allows five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor a refugee, ensuring that newcomers have a supportive community to rely on.
- Sponsorship Agreement Holders: Organizations with agreements with the government can sponsor refugees, providing additional resources and support for successful resettlement.
❌ Who Isn’t Eligible to Sponsor a Relative?
There are some cases in which a permanent resident or citizen is not eligible to sponsor. A sponsor may be ineligible if they:
- are currently in prison.
- have not paid alimony or child support payments.
- have declared bankruptcy and are not yet released.
- received social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
- failed to pay back an immigration loan, made late payments, or missed payments.
- have previously sponsored another relative and failed to meet the terms of the sponsorship agreement.
- have been convicted of a violent crime, any offence against a relative, or any sexual offence, depending on the details of the case.
📑Application Process
The sponsorship application process for Canadian permanent residence involves several key steps. Here’s a simplified overview of what to expect:
- Step 1: Check Eligibility
Before starting the application, both the sponsor and the family member being sponsored must meet specific eligibility criteria. The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, at least 18 years old, and able to financially support the applicant. The applicant must be a close family member (spouse, child, parent, grandparent, etc.) and meet health and security requirements.
- Step 2: Gather Required Documents
Both the sponsor and the applicant must provide various documents, such as: Proof of relationship (e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate).Identification (e.g., passport, birth certificate). Police clearance certificates (for applicants over 18). Medical exam results (after submission).Proof of financial support (for the sponsor).Make sure to gather all necessary documents to avoid delays.
- have declared bankruptcy and are not yet released.
- received social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
- failed to pay back an immigration loan, made late payments, or missed payments.
- have previously sponsored another relative and failed to meet the terms of the sponsorship agreement.
- have been convicted of a violent crime, any offence against a relative, or any sexual offence, depending on the details of the case.
