Family Sponsorship: Bringing Your Loved Ones to Canada

Do you live or work in Canada while your family and loved ones are far away in your home country? Do you wish to be closer to your family while staying in Canada? Well, it's possible under the Family Sponsorship Program. This program enables individuals who are 18 and above and Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents or registered Indians under the Canadian Indian Act to sponsor their family members to Canada.

Categories of Individuals who can be sponsored

Broadly, 3 categories that can be Sponsored:

1. Spouse, Partner, or Child
2. Parents & Grandparents

3. Relatives

Eligibility Criteria

Sponsor

For the one sponsoring the visa apart from the age and citizenship status, the individual must be financially stable to support the family member without requiring support or social assistance from the government.

Who can be sponsored?

Your Spouse

This is further categorized into 3 types Spouse ( by marriage), Common-Law Partner ( not legally married, 12 consecutive months), and Conjugal Partner ( in the relationship for at least a year, but cannot marry in the country of residence due to legal or immigration reasons).

Dependent Children

Children below 22 years of age who do not have a spouse or common-law partner are considered eligible dependents. Additionally, children who are 22 years old or older may still qualify as dependants if they meet two conditions. Firstly, they must be unable to financially support themselves due to a mental or physical condition. Secondly, they must have relied on their parents for financial support before turning 22.

It is important to note that, apart from the age criterion, the dependent child must continue to meet these requirements throughout the processing of the sponsorship application. This ensures that the child remains eligible as a dependent until the immigration process is complete.

Your Parents, Grandparents

A super visa is a route that allows the Parents & Grandparents, to immigrate to Canada for a stay of up to 5 years. It’s worth noting here that this route enables not only the biological parents but even adoptive parents If you wish to know more read our blog on Super Visa at Super Visa

Your Relatives

Sponsoring certain relatives like a brother, sister, aunt, or uncle is limited to specific circumstances. You can sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild under 18 years old if both their parents have passed away, and they are single. However, you cannot sponsor them if one of their parents is still alive, their parents' whereabouts are unknown, they were abandoned by their parents, or someone other than their parents is currently caring for them while one or both parents are alive.

On the other hand, you may sponsor one relative of any age, related by blood or adoption, if you do not have any living relatives you could sponsor instead, and if none of your relatives are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians under the Indian Act. This allows you to sponsor a single relative outside of the previously mentioned family members.

The Family Sponsorship program is a beacon of hope for many individuals longing to be with their loved ones in Canada. Through this initiative, families are brought together, strengthening social ties and enriching the multicultural fabric of Canada.