Family Reunification
Family Reunification Program
Family reunification is one of the core pillars of Canada’s immigration system, designed to bring families together and strengthen the economy. Under Canada's Immigration Levels Plan, the family class is the second-largest category of newcomers.
Through family sponsorship programs, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their relatives to live, study, and work in Canada as permanent residents. However, as a sponsor, you must commit to supporting your relatives financially and ensuring their basic needs are met.
Who Can I Sponsor?
- Spouses and Common-Law Partners
- Dependent Children
- Parents and Grandparents
- Exceptions: In some cases, you may be able to sponsor non-immediate family members (such as a sibling, niece, or uncle) if you have no other immediate family members in Canada and they meet the definition of a dependent child.
Can I Be a Sponsor?
You are eligible to sponsor family members if you meet the following criteria:
- You are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- You are 18 years of age or older.
- You can financially support the sponsored person for the required duration.
Income Requirements
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As a sponsor, you must sign a Sponsorship Agreement, committing to financially support your sponsored family member’s basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and health needs not covered by public services. For certain sponsorship categories, you must meet or exceed the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), such as:
- Sponsoring a spouse/partner with a dependent child who has children of their own.
- Sponsoring a dependent child who has their own dependents.
- Sponsoring parents or grandparents.
In Quebec, additional sponsorship income requirements apply, assessed by the Quebec immigration ministry.
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As a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may sponsor:
- Spouse: You are legally married.
- Common-Law Partner: You have lived together in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 months.
- Conjugal Partner: You are not legally married or in a common-law relationship, and your partner is living outside of Canada.
To qualify:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- Demonstrate that you can provide for your spouse or partner’s basic needs.
- Prove your relationship is genuine with supporting documentation.
Types of Applications:
- Inland Sponsorship: For applicants already in Canada. The sponsored person may apply for an open work permit while their sponsorship application is processed.
- Outland Sponsorship: For applicants outside Canada. They may apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to visit while their application is processed.
You can sponsor your dependent children (biological or adopted) to live as permanent residents in Canada.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The child must be under 22 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship.
- If over 22, they must have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from supporting themselves.
- You must provide proof of your relationship with the child, such as a birth or adoption certificate.
Canada offers the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program (PGP), which allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residency.
Eligibility Criteria:
- You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- You must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) and provide proof via Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) notices of assessment.
- Sign a sponsorship agreement to provide financial support for 20 years.
- In Quebec, additional agreements are required, and your spouse or partner may co-sign to help meet the income requirement.
Super Visa Program: Alternatively, the Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to 10 years on extended, multiple-entry visas.
Tips for a Successful Family Sponsorship Application
- Comprehensive Assessment: Contact us for a full evaluation. With over 60 legal pathways to immigrate to Canada, we will help you find the best option.
- Language Scores: Don’t be discouraged by lower language scores. There are plenty of free online resources, such as YouTube tutorials, to help improve your language proficiency.
- Be Proactive: Ensure that all required documents are submitted on time to avoid delays or potential negative impacts on your application.
- Thorough Review: Carefully review your application before submission. Mistakes could result in a 5-year ban for misrepresentation, so double-check everything.
- Inland Spousal Application: Typically processed within 12 months.
- Outland Application: Processing times vary depending on the applicant's country of origin.
Processing Times
- Inland Spousal Application: Typically processed within 12 months.
- Outland Application: Processing times vary depending on the applicant's country of origin.
