Family immigration
Family Sponsorship
If you are already a permanent resident in Canada, you can help your family members living abroad in gaining permanent resident status as well. With the Family reunification program, you can sponsor your family come to Canada.
Who can you sponsor?
You can sponsor your
- •Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner
- Dependent child
- •Parent
- Grandparent
- Sibling, nephew, niece, or grandchild who is under18 years of age, is unmarried and their parents have passed away
Who can become a Sponsor?
You can be a sponsor in the case you are:
- 18 years or older
- a Canadian citizen
As a Canadian citizen who is currently living outside Canada, you should be able to prove you plan on living in Canada when your sponsored relative(s) become(s) a permanent resident.
If you are a permanent resident of Canada yet live outside the country, you cannot become a sponsor.
Who is eligible to be a Spouse or Partner in Canadian immigration system?
Following people can act as sponsors:
- The Spouse
- Common-law partner: At least 1 year of continuous cohabitation in a relationship
- Conjugal partner: Conjugal relationship for a minimum of 12 months where couple is unable to live together due to immigration barriers, religious reasons, sexual orientation or marital status
- Same-sex relationships: considered for immigration purposes under these categories
Who is considered as a Dependent Child?
A child of the sponsor, or the sponsor’s spouse or common-law partner, can be a dependent child if they are under 22 years of age and do not have a spouse or common-law partner of their own.
Children who are above 22 years can be considered as dependents only in the case that they rely on their parents for financial support and cannot financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition.
In the instance you successfully sponsor a relative to come to Canada as a permanent resident, you must:
- support them financially upon arrival
- Be financially state enough to afford basic needs for yourself and your relative, for example:
- food
- shelter
- clothing
- Ensure your relative does not require social assistance