Canadian family sponsorship

Promote the Immigration of Your Family to Canada

Over 100,000 immigrants are granted entry into the country each year by the IRCC, with 80% coming under the partners, spouses, and children programme. The remaining 20% of immigrants enter Canada through the parents and grandparents programme. Learn how to sponsor your family in Canada using these programmes by continuing to read.

Overview of Canadian Immigration Family Sponsorship

Since the post-covid era, the Canadian government has made it a priority to annually welcome more than 400,000 immigrants. About 100,000 people are taken into consideration for the family programme, and the remaining people are covered by other programmes. Along with boosting the Canadian economy, this movement will encourage family reunification.

Previously known as Citizenship Immigration Canada (CIC), the department in charge of these immigration-related tasks is now known as Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The administration of family sponsorship programmes and all related applications fall under the purview of the IRCC.

WHAT IS CANADIAN FAMILY SPONSORSHIP?

When you use the family sponsorship program, it comes in two different aspects

The family member sponsored can migrate to Canada and be eligible for a permanent residence

You will be required to show proof that you can financially support the family member

HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED FAMILY SPONSORSHIP?

The pandemic has impacted Immigration into Canada, yet the government has taken innovative steps that have helped manage the interruptions.

STEP 1

To properly attend to the massive number of applicants, the IRCC has hired more staff to help with the application processes

STEP 2

The IRCC is also formulating a project to convert the paper application to a digitalized one to reduce processing time.

STEP 3

The biometrics and interview procedure are also under review to enable applicants to get it done virtually.

STEP 4

Through an employment insurance and Canada emergency Response Benefit (CERB) that you have received, it can be useful to sponsor any family member.

STEP 5

The sponsorship will still stand even if the sponsored person gets a CERB during the application process.

CAN I BE A SPONSOR?

If you are at least 18 years old, a citizen of Canada or a permanent resident, and you can support the person financially for a considerable amount of time, then you may be a sponsor.

WHO CAN I SPONSOR?

Your dependent children, a spouse, common-law partners, parents, and grandparents may all be sponsored.

If you follow these guidelines, you can add more extended family members to the list:

  • Dependent children are legally adopted
  • If you follow these guidelines, you can add more extended family members to the list: • Dependent children are legally adopted

WHAT IS THE LEAST INCOME REQUIREMENT NEEDED TO SPONSOR?

You must sign an agreement form stating that you will be sponsoring the selected family member before you can be regarded as a sponsor. You are required to take care of the person's needs, including medical care, once that is signed.

Not all sponsorships are created equal; for some, you need more money in your account than the low-income cut-off to qualify as a sponsor. This applies to you if the situation listed below occurs after the sponsorship:

  • The sponsored person is a parent or grandparent
  • The sponsored person is a parent or grandparent
  • The sponsored person has more than one dependent children
  • The sponsored person has a dependent child who also has a dependent child they must bring along.

WHAT IS A SPONSORSHIP UNDERTAKING?

This means an undertaking binds you to the sponsored family member and makes you responsible for every payment they need to make in the country. This undertaking remains valid and doesn’t change even if the family member becomes a Canadian citizen. However, there is a length for the undertaking to remain valid, and it depends on the sponsored person, the age, and many other factors. The general rule for the years of validity of any undertaking is as follows:

If it is a spouse or a joint law partner, the undertaking remains intact for three years

For dependent children, the undertaking will be valid until age 25 or after ten years.

If the dependent child is 22 years before the undertaking, then it lasts only three years

For parents or grandparents, the undertaking remains valid for 20 years.

Any other relative has about ten years validity period for the undertaking

This length of undertaking differs a bit for Quebec residents. The following is the variation for different categories.

Spouse and common partner have about three years before the undertaking expires

If the dependent child is below 16 years, the undertaking will last for ten years or until the child is 18 years.

If the dependent child is 16 years or above, they have just three years before the undertaking expires or until they are 25 years old.

For other relatives, they maintain a ten-year- validity period also.

HOW TO APPLY FOR FAMILY SPONSORSHIP

STEP 1

Make sure you check through the sponsorship eligibility and meet them.

STEP 2

Confirm that the proposed sponsored relative meets the eligibility conditions.

STEP 3

If you are going to any region outside Quebec, apply at the federal level of the IRCC. But if you are in Quebec, going through the provincial level is the best way to submit both your sponsorship application and the PR application of your family member. When the review is done, you can proceed to sponsor.

STEP 4

Pay the family sponsorship application fee to the correct quarters.

STEP 5

Check through the government website for the right application address and send your application.

HOW TO APPLY FOR FAMILY SPONSORSHIP

THE SPOUSE OR COMMON LAW-PARTNER SPONSORSHIP

Any Canadian citizen or permanent resident that wishes to sponsor can do it for

  • A legally married spouse
  • A common-law partner that has lived with you for the last 12 months, even if you aren’t legally married
  • A conjugal partner that is not legally married to you but doesn’t stay in Canada

Some of the eligibility criteria include:

  • The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent citizen living in Canada and 18 years or above.
  • Has proof of financial capability to cater to the spouse and themselves.
  • Show using valid documents that your spouse is genuine.

Before a spousal sponsorship can be declared valid, the sponsored person must not be closely related to the sponsor and should be at least 18 years

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