Canada places a high priority on family reunification immigration. The Family Class Sponsorship Application is a way for a permanent resident or citizen of Canada to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner (including same-sex partner) or conjugal partner, dependent children, parents or grandparents to immigrate to Canada.
Sponsor Your Family To Move To Canada
Are you a Canadian permanent resident or citizen with a family member who wants to live and work in Canada? You may be able to help them become a permanent resident in Canada. Family reunification is one of the key priorities of the Canadian immigration system. Family sponsorship applicants must agree to financially support their family members if their relative cannot provide for their own needs.
What Is Family Class Sponsorship to Move To Canada?
Under Canada’s family sponsorship immigration programs, your relatives can live, study and work in Canada if they become permanent residents of Canada. Family Class sponsorship allows you to sponsor your spouse or partner, parents or grandparents and dependent children to move to Canada. You can only sponsor relatives like a brother, sister, aunt or uncle in very specific situations.
How Do I Sponsor My Spouse or Common-Law Partner to Move to Canada?
To be eligible to sponsor a family member to immigrate to Canada, the sponsor must be:
- at least 18 years old
- a Canadian citizen, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident
- living in Canada:
- if you’re 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’re a permanent resident living outside of Canada.
- able to prove that you can meet the basic financial needs of your spouse or dependent child and are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
You can apply to sponsor your spouse through the Case Processing Centre (CPC). Your spouse or partner must also submit an application for permanent residence status.
There is a spousal sponsorship application for spouses already living in Canada as well as a separate application for spouses living outside of the country.
How Do I Sponsor My Same-Sex Spouse or Partner to Move to Canada?
Under Canada's same-sex marriage immigration rules, you can sponsor your same-sex married spouse or common-law partner under Canada’s Spousal Sponsorship immigration program.
How Do I Sponsor My Parents or Grandparents to Immigrate to Canada?
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption, to move to Canada. If your parents or grandparents are divorced or separated, you can sponsor your parents’ and your grandparents’ spouses, or conjugal or common-law partners.
Parent Grandparent Program PGP
Eligible Canadians and permanent residents can submit an ‘interest to sponsor’ PGP form online to sponsor their foreign national parents and/or grandparents for Permanent Residence in Canada.
Canada's updated Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) sponsorship program launched in October 2020. There are 30,000 available PGP spots in the 2021 online lottery program. Sponsors must declare that they have the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) to support their parent or grandparent. Selected applicants have 60 days to complete their applications.
What If I Didn’t Qualify or Win The PGP Lottery?
Individuals who have a child or grandchild in Canada, and who wish to spend an extended period of time with their families in Canada, also have the option to apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. While they will not have access to health insurance or be eligible for employment, a Super Visa will permit them to stay in Canada for up to two years.
A Super Visa is only available to someone who is either the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. The parent and grandparent super visa is a temporary resident permit that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit Canada for up to 2 years per visit, and visit multiple times over 10 years without renewing their status.
FREE CHECKLIST: ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CANADA
Parents and Grandparents Super Visa
To apply for a Super Visa you must be able to:
- demonstrate the relationship claimed
- have a letter of invitation
- meet other criteria, including income, medical coverage and more
How Do I Sponsor My Dependent Children to More To Canada?
A parent member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor their dependent child to immigrate to Canada.
A child of the sponsor, or a child of the sponsor’s spouse or common-law partner, can be considered a dependent child if they are under age 22 and they don’t have a spouse or common-law partner of their own.
- Children over age 22 can be dependents if they relied on their parents for financial support before age 22, and are unable to financially support themselves due to a mental or physical condition.
- Children in the sole custody of a previous spouse are still considered dependent children and must be declared on the sponsorship application.
- If a dependent child being sponsored has one or more dependent children of their own, then the sponsor must prove their financial capacity by meeting a low-income cut-off.
How Do I Sponsor An Adopted Child or Other Relative Minor to Move to Canada?
To be eligible to sponsor an adopted child or dependent minor child to immigrate to Canada, the dependent child must be:
- the sponsor’s:
- child adopted outside Canada OR
- child who will be adopted in Canada OR
- brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild who is
- Orphaned
- under 18 years old and
- not married or in a common-law relationship
Things to Know
- The 2021 PGP lottery dates, process and eligibility criteria have not yet been released.
- To sponsor a family member to move to Canada, the sponsor must be financially able to support that family member and their dependents.
- Canada launched a 2-year pilot project in 2019 where some undeclared family members can be sponsored. Family members may be eligible if they were not declared or examined when their sponsor became a permanent resident. The IRCC Help Centre has detailed eligibility criteria.
- You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act to sponsor a family member to move to Canada.
Talk To A Canada Family Class Immigration Lawyer
Canada’s family class immigration laws can be confusing, and a missed deadline or missing supporting documents can result in delays or even denial of your immigration application. A Family Class or Spousal Sponsorship application completed with the help of a knowledgeable and experienced immigration professional can prevent many mistakes, save time and reduce stress. An experienced Canada family class immigration lawyer or legal professional can help you to understand any points of confusion or overcome any issues that may pose a challenge to the application process.
Contact Ackah Law today at (403) 452‑9515 Ext. 100 or 1-800-932-1190 or email us directly.
Learn More About Family Sponsorship
Family Class Sponsorship Immigration Programs
- Super Visa
- Parent Grandparent Program PGP
- Spousal Open Work Permit - OWPPP
- Spousal Sponsorship Applications
