Sponsor Your Family Members

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One of the cornerstones of Canadian immigration is family reunification. Canada offers programs that allow citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their family members to come and live permanently in Canada. This comprehensive guide will take you through the entire process of sponsoring your family, from eligibility requirements to the steps involved in bringing your loved ones to Canada. We’ll cover all aspects, from sponsoring your spouse and dependent children to sponsoring parents, grandparents, and other relatives.

Table of Contents:

1. What is Family Sponsorship?
2. Who Can Be Sponsored?
3. General Eligibility to Be a Sponsor
4. Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
5. Sponsoring Your Spouse, Common-Law Partner, or Dependent Children
6. Sponsoring Your Adopted Child
7. Sponsoring Your Parents and Grandparents
8. Sponsoring Other Relatives
9. Step 2: How to Apply to Sponsor a Family Member
10. Step 3: Gather Required Documents
11. Step 4: Submit the Application
12. Step 5: After Submitting the Application
13. Step 6: After Your Family Member Arrives in Canada
14. Additional Information and Tips for Success

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1. What is Family Sponsorship?

Family sponsorship is a program that allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to bring their close family members to Canada to live, study, and work as permanent residents. The sponsor must take financial responsibility for the family members they sponsor, ensuring that their basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare (not covered by public health services) are met for a specific period.

Why Choose Family Sponsorship?

• Reunite with Loved Ones: Canada places great value on keeping families together.
• Live Permanently in Canada: Family members who are sponsored can become permanent residents.
• Work and Study Opportunities: Sponsored family members can work or study once they are in Canada.
• Path to Citizenship: Permanent residents can eventually apply for Canadian citizenship.

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2. Who Can Be Sponsored?

The family sponsorship program covers several categories of family members. Here’s a detailed breakdown of who can be sponsored:

Spouse, Common-Law Partner, or Conjugal Partner

• Your legally married spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner can be sponsored if they are at least 18 years old. They can be sponsored whether they are living in Canada or abroad.

Dependent Children

• You can sponsor your biological or adopted children. Dependent children must be under 22 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship. Exceptions may apply for dependent children over 22 who are unable to support themselves due to physical or mental conditions.

Parents and Grandparents

• Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). However, this program is subject to quotas, and you must be selected through an invitation process.

Adopted Children

• If you’ve adopted a child from another country, you can sponsor them to become a permanent resident of Canada.

Other Relatives

• In specific cases, you may be able to sponsor other relatives such as siblings, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren, but only under very particular conditions.

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3. General Eligibility to Be a Sponsor

Before applying to sponsor a family member, you must ensure you meet the requirements to become a sponsor. Here are the general eligibility requirements:

Eligibility Criteria:

• Status: You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada.
• Age: You must be at least 18 years old.
• Financial Stability: You must demonstrate that you can provide for the basic needs of the family member(s) you sponsor. In most cases, this involves proving your income is sufficient by providing tax returns and other financial documents.
• No Criminal Record: You cannot sponsor someone if you have been convicted of a serious crime or are currently imprisoned.
• Not Receiving Social Assistance: You must not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
• Repayment of Past Sponsorship: If you have previously sponsored someone and defaulted on that agreement, you may not be eligible to sponsor again until the amount has been repaid.

Legal Obligations of Sponsorship:

• You must sign a sponsorship agreement stating you’ll provide financial support for your sponsored family member(s) for a period of time, usually between 3 to 20 years, depending on the relationship.
• You are responsible for repaying any social assistance your family members may receive after they arrive in Canada.

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4. Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Before you proceed, it’s crucial to confirm your eligibility to sponsor and to ensure that your family member(s) qualify under one of the sponsorship categories.

Use the IRCC Sponsorship Eligibility Tool

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website offers a helpful tool to check your eligibility. By answering a series of questions, you can quickly find out whether you qualify to sponsor someone.

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5. Sponsoring Your Spouse, Common-Law Partner, or Dependent Children

Eligibility Criteria for Your Spouse or Partner:

• Spouse: Must be legally married to you and at least 18 years old.
• Common-Law Partner: Must have lived with you for at least 12 consecutive months in a marriage-like relationship.
• Conjugal Partner: Must have been in a relationship with you for at least 12 months and face significant legal or immigration barriers preventing you from living together (this is less common and harder to prove).

Sponsoring Dependent Children:

• Children under 22: You can sponsor your biological or adopted children under the age of 22 if they are not married or in a common-law relationship.
• Children over 22: They may qualify as dependents if they are unable to support themselves financially due to a physical or mental condition and have depended on you for financial support since before the age of 22.

Steps to Sponsor Your Spouse, Partner, or Child:

1. Submit the Sponsorship Application: Start by submitting the required forms to IRCC.
2. Complete the Permanent Residence Application: Your family member will also need to submit an application for permanent residence.
3. Processing Time: Typically, it takes about 12 months to process spousal and dependent child sponsorship applications.

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6. Sponsoring Your Adopted Child

If you have adopted a child from abroad or are in the process of doing so, you may sponsor them for permanent residence. However, adoption can be a complex process, involving both Canadian and foreign authorities.

Requirements for Sponsoring an Adopted Child:

• The adoption must comply with the laws of both Canada and the child’s home country.
• The adoption must create a genuine parent-child relationship.
• The adoptive parents must undergo a home study to confirm that they are suitable to adopt the child.

Steps to Sponsor an Adopted Child:

1. Complete the Adoption Process: Ensure the adoption has been legally finalized in the child’s country of origin.
2. Apply for Sponsorship: Submit the necessary sponsorship application forms to IRCC.
3. Apply for Permanent Residence for the Child: Submit an application for the child to become a permanent resident.

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7. Sponsoring Your Parents and Grandparents

Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to live in Canada. However, this program is competitive and has a limited number of spots each year.

Eligibility to Sponsor Parents and Grandparents:

• You must meet income requirements to show that you can financially support your parents or grandparents once they arrive in Canada.
• You must sign a sponsorship agreement stating that you will provide financial support for them for 20 years.
• You must first submit an Interest to Sponsor form and be invited by IRCC to apply.

Steps to Sponsor Parents or Grandparents:

1. Submit an Interest to Sponsor: The first step is submitting an interest to sponsor form when the program opens.
2. Receive an Invitation to Apply: If selected, you’ll receive an invitation from IRCC to submit the full sponsorship application.
3. Submit Sponsorship and PR Applications: Once invited, you’ll submit both the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application for your parents or grandparents.
4. Processing Time: The process can take up to 24 months.

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8. Sponsoring Other Relatives

In rare cases, you may be able to sponsor other relatives, such as siblings, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren. This is possible if:

• You don’t have a spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, or grandparent who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• The relative is related to you by blood or adoption.

The process for sponsoring other relatives follows the same general steps as sponsoring a spouse, child, or parent, but the eligibility criteria are stricter.

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9. Step 2: How to Apply to Sponsor a Family Member

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility and determined who you can sponsor, you can begin the application process.

Steps to Apply:

1. Create an IRCC Account: Create an account on the IRCC website to access the sponsorship forms and instructions.
2. Complete the Sponsorship Forms: Fill out the sponsorship forms, including financial details and declarations.
3. Submit the Sponsorship Forms: Submit your completed forms online or by mail, along with the required application fees.

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10. Step 3: Gather Required Documents

For every sponsorship application, you’ll need to provide specific documents to prove your identity, your relationship to the person you’re sponsoring, and your financial capacity to support them.

Documents You’ll Need:

• Proof of Citizenship or Permanent Residency: Your Canadian passport, citizenship certificate, or permanent resident card.
• Proof of Relationship: Marriage certificate (for spouses), birth certificates (for children), or adoption documents.
• Financial Documents: Tax returns, pay stubs, or bank statements to prove you meet the income requirements.
• Police Certificates: From every country where you or your family member have lived for 6 months or more since turning 18.
• Medical Exam: Your family member will need to undergo a medical examination by an IRCC-approved doctor.

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11. Step 4: Submit the Application

Once you’ve completed the application forms and gathered all the necessary documents, it’s time to submit the application.

Application Fees:

• Sponsorship fee: CAD $75
• Processing fee for spouse or partner: CAD $475
• Right of permanent residence fee: CAD $500
• Fees for dependent children vary.

Where to Submit:

• You can submit your application online through the IRCC portal or mail a paper application to the appropriate processing center.

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12. Step 5: After Submitting the Application

After submitting your application, IRCC will process the application in several stages.

Processing Times:

• Spousal sponsorships typically take about 12 months.
• Parent and grandparent sponsorships can take up to 24 months.
• Other relatives may take longer, depending on the case.

Application Status:

• You can check the status of your application using the IRCC account or by visiting the IRCC website.

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13. Step 6: After Your Family Member Arrives in Canada

Once your family member’s application is approved, they can travel to Canada. Upon arrival, they will become a permanent resident of Canada.

Steps After Arrival:

• Permanent Resident Card: They will receive their PR card, which they can use as proof of their status.
• Healthcare: They may need to apply for provincial healthcare coverage, as the waiting period for eligibility varies by province.
• Social Insurance Number (SIN): They should apply for a SIN, which is necessary for employment and access to government services.
• Education and Work: They can now study and work in Canada without restrictions.

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14. Additional Information and Tips for Success

Tips for a Smooth Sponsorship Process:

• Complete All Forms Accurately: Mistakes or incomplete forms can cause delays.
• Submit All Required Documents: Missing documents can lead to a returned application.
• Check Processing Times: Keep track of IRCC processing times to know when to expect updates.
• Maintain Financial Stability: Ensure you meet income requirements, as this is critical for sponsoring parents, grandparents, and other relatives.

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By following the steps in this guide, you can successfully sponsor your family members to live, study, and work in Canada as permanent residents. Canada values family reunification, and with careful preparation, you can bring your loved ones to join you in building a new life in this country. Good luck!

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