Family Sponsorship Canada
Here at Immigration Pros we pride ourselves on being trustworthy, humane and experienced immigration consultants. We help reunify families through the family sponsorship program.
- Over 15 years of experience helping families stay together in Canada.
- We are diligent and experienced immigration consultants - family sponsorship is one of our specialties!
Our highly experienced team will work diligently to avoid delays and maximize your chances of a successful application.
More than 15 years of experience
Our consultants are licensed by CICC in all provinces
Dedicated quality assurance team
Hundreds of successful cases per year
Services available in English, Spanish and French
Specialty in Family Sponsorship
What is Canadian Family Sponsorship?
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can bring their loved ones to live in Canada through Family Sponsorship as a means of family reunification. This means that certain relatives may join their Canadian family members to live in Canada as permanent residents due to family ties.
Familial sponsorship normally involves vouching for your family member and undertaking financial responsibilities for them. While a variety of programs are available depending on the sponsor’s relationship to the sponsoree, the process is similar. You will need to submit an application with all the appropriate documentation and prove to the government that your relationship is legitimate, whether that be through blood ties, marriage documents, codependency and mutual finances, adoption papers, etc.
Spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents may come to Canada to live, work or study. Depending on the path you choose to apply through, your family member may become a permanent resident after some time.
Who Can be Sponsored for Family Sponsorship?
Being the relative of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is not enough. See who qualifies for family sponsorship under the Family Class.
Relationship to Sponsor:
- Spouses
- Common-law Partners
- Conjugal Partners
- Same-sex Partners
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Dependent Biological or Adopted Children
Family Sponsorship Eligibility
Canadian citizens and permanent residents must meet certain requirements to qualify as a sponsor for family sponsorship. Take a look at the main factors considered throughout the application
Age
A sponsor must be at least 18 years old.
Place of Residence
The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident actively living in Canada. A citizen living outside of Canada but planning to return shortly after the sponsorship process has been completed is also considered.
Status
The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who did not receive their permanent residence via means of sponsorship within the last 5 years. Other conditions may apply in the case of Spousal Sponsorship.
Positive Financial Standing
The sponsor must not receive or have received any social assistance during the previous 12 months to the application. A sponsor must prove they can provide financial stability for their sponsored family member(s) and themselves.
Criminal Offenses
Certain Canadian citizens and permanent residents are ineligible from sponsoring family members. Family members who have a criminal record may also fall under criminal inadmissibility for crimes committed outside of Canada and may not be sponsored.
Who doesn’t qualify for Family Sponsorship?
- Siblings
- Friends
- Aunts & Uncles
- Cousins
- Other Relatives
Others who may qualify under certain conditions are:
- Fiancée(s)
- Boyfriends/Girlfriends
Family Sponsorship Requirements
In order to sponsor a family member, some things will be required from applicants:
- Fee: Applicants will need to pay a fee. For a spousal sponsorship, the fee is around $570, with an additional $515 for the right of permanent residence fee. For dependent children, the fee is around $150. If the government requires biometric data, there will be an additional $85 per person fee for the processing of biometrics.
- Agreement of Sponsorship: When sponsoring a family member, the sponsor will agree to undertake the financial support for the basic needs of the people being sponsored and any of their dependent children.
- Medical Exam: If a medical exam is required from the person being sponsored, there may be additional fees associated.
- Income Requirement: The sponsor (and co-signer if applicable) will be required to prove financial capacity to support all of the people being sponsored as well as themselves. This typically means that the sponsor must meet the income requirements for each of the 3 tax years prior to the date of the application.
Who Doesn’t Qualify as a Sponsor for Family Sponsorship?
In some cases, sponsors are not eligible for sponsorship. Here are some examples:
- They are currently in prison
- They have unpaid alimony or child support payments
- They have declared bankruptcy or are undergoing bankruptcy proceedings
- They have an outstanding financial commitment due to an immigration loan
- They receive social assistance for reasons other than a disability
- They have previously failed to meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement
- They have been convicted of an offence against a relative or a violent or sexual crime (depending on the details of the case)
We'll get back to you within a few hours.
Sponsoring a Family Member in Quebec
If the sponsor lives in Quebec, some additional rules apply. First, an additional undertaking will have to be signed. Upon the issuance of permanent residence, an additional fee of $289 will apply on top of the other federal fees. The application will also be processed through Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) as Quebec has more autonomy as a French-speaking province to select who is allowed to enter and stay.
Service fees for this process: $2,970 – $4,880
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Family Sponsorship Process
01
Outreach
Call or fill out our contact form for a free assessment. Our team of professionals will evaluate your case and provide you with professional feedback on your chances of success along with a quote.
02
Strategy Creation
Our team of professionals will work with you to create a tailor-made strategy that will likely result in a successful Family Sponsoship process.
03
Case Revision
We will review your supporting documents thoroughly and work towards building a strong case.
04
Representation
In order to make this an easy and stress-free process, we will handle all communication with the government on your behalf while we await for a decision, keeping you informed every step of the way.
05
Decision
Once a decision has been made, our team will advise you on the next necessary steps to prepare for your arrival to Canada.
Let the Pros take care of your application
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FAQs
No! A job is not a requirement, but you must prove that you can support the people you are sponsoring whether that be through employment income, savings, or other assets.
As long as the sponsor is over the age of 18, has the financial capacity to support their family, and does not receive assistance from the government for anything other than a disability, they can be a sponsor.
There is no maximum age limit for family members to be sponsored. If you are sponsoring a spouse or partner, they must be above the age of 18.
There is no limit on the number of family members you can sponsor, but you must be able to support all of them and you will need to submit separate applications for each person.
Your family can be eligible for other visa streams such as work visas or visitor visas. However, with some visas, they may not be able to stay.
To check on the status of your application, go to the online application portal, sign in, go to ‘view my submitted applications’ click on ‘check status and messages’.
There are no deadlines for the application submission.
Beware of ghost immigration consultants. Only Certified Canadian Immigration and Citizenship Consultant members in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) can offer consultation services for immigration, refugees and Canadian citizenship applications.
