Sponsor your spouse, partner or child to come to Canada
If you are already in Canada, you may have the ability to sponsor your spouse, partner or child to become permanent residents and come study, work, or live in the country from overseas. There are other forms of family sponsorship for certain types of relationships available as well.
Stay tuned to Sawubona Canada for more guides about family sponsorship.
Sponsorship for family members
You can sponsor your partner, spouse, or dependent children to become permanent residents of Canada if you meet the requirements outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
If you are aiming to sponsor your family, you should be able to:
- Provide for them financially
- Verify if they don’t require government social assistance
Am I eligible to sponsor my spouse, partner or child?
Eligibility is determined based on a range of factors, which include:
- You are 18 or older.
- You are a permanent resident of Canada, a citizen of Canada, or an individual who is registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- If you are a Canadian citizen residing abroad, you must demonstrate that you intend to return to Canada once the individuals you wish to sponsor obtain permanent residency status.
- If you are a permanent resident living outside of Canada, you are not eligible to sponsor someone.
- You can demonstrate that you don’t require social assistance for any reason other than a disability.
- You are able to meet the basic needs of the individual you choose to sponsor.
There are different rules for those residing in Quebec and outside of Quebec when it comes to sponsorship. They are as follows:
Outside Quebec |
In Quebec |
You must commit to: – Providing for the financial needs of the people you are sponsoring for a set amount of time in order to become a sponsor. – This commitment is known as an undertaking.
This project binds you to:
– Provide your sponsored family members financial support, beginning when they become permanent residents. – Repaying any provincial social assistance that they get within that period.
Additionally, during the undertaking period, you and the members of your sponsored family must consent to a number of obligations. This has been referred to as the sponsorship contract.
Requirement for income Most of the time, you can sponsor your partner, spouse, or dependent child without having to meet any financial requirements.
However,
You have to demonstrate income if:
– You are either supporting a spouse or partner who has a dependent kid and whose dependent child has one or more children of their own or – You are sponsoring a dependent child who has one or more dependent children of their own.
The Financial Evaluation form instructions walk you through how to fill it out and how much money you’ll need. |
First, submit a sponsorship application to IRCC.
Then, IRCC will send a letter inviting you to continue the steps to sponsorship with the government of Québec.
Meet the requirements outlined by the government of Québec, which include:
– Whether the person sponsoring the individual has permanent residence or Canadian citizenship. – Whether the potential sponsor lives in Québec. – Sponsor must be at least 18 years old. – There must be no previous undertaking still active. – Demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources to suit the undertaking. – You must not have received last resort financial assistance unless it was for disability or age. – Not convicted for an offence in Canada.
For a full list of Quebec-based factors, visit the government of Quebec website here. |
Who can I sponsor for permanent residency under this scheme?
Spouse:
- Either sex, at least 18 years old.
- Not legally married to you,
- Can be either sex,
- At least 18 years old
- Lived with you for 12 consecutive months, with any gaps being short and temporary
Conjugal partner:
- Can be either sex
- Has been in a relationship with you for over a year.
- Can’t live with you in the original country of residence because of persecution or other major immigration or legal reasons.
Dependent children:
- Qualify if 22 years old and do not have a spouse or common law partner.
If the individual is over 22 years old, they meet the requirement if:
- They are unable to financially support themselves due to a physical or mental condition.
- They depend on their parents for financial support and have done so since before they turned 22.
Sawubona Canada is equipped to guide you through the Family Sponsorship process. Get in touch with us today for more details.