Canadian Immigration Family Sponsorship
Canada is one of the best countries to immigrate to and is considered to be one of the top places to go in global surveys. Canada is a prosperous country, has one of the highest rates of safety, good quality of life, and it is immigrant-friendly.
It’s no wonder why over 400,000 people immigrate to this beautiful country every year, and it’s not a surprise why they also want to bring their family with them. If you want to live in Canada with your family, you can apply to get Canadian immigration family sponsorship for them. Here’s what you need to know about this application process
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Canadian Family Sponsorship Eligibility
Here’s what you need to know about who is eligible for Canadian family sponsorship:
- Definition of “Family Member” Under Canadian Immigration Law: Canada considers family members who are either your common-law partner or spouse, your dependent children, or your partner’s dependent children, as well as your parents or grandparents. A spouse should be someone who you married. A common-law partner should be someone with whom you lived within a spousal relationship for at least a year. You and your partner’s dependent children should be yours biologically or adopted. Dependent children should be less than 22 years old.
- Who Can Sponsor a Family Member? If you have family members you want to live with in Canada, you can sponsor them as long as you’re at least 18 years old. You also have to be a citizen of Canada, a permanent resident of Canada, or registered under the Indian Act.
- Minimum Income Requirements for Sponsors: There are certain sponsorship programs for families that require a minimum income to make sure that they’re able to support the family members when they live in Canada. To assess their income, these families undergo the Minimum Necessary Income or MNI process.
The basis for the MNI requirement is taken from the family size. The family size includes the ones living in Canada and the ones who are sponsored. For the parent and grandparent sponsorship program, the one sponsoring should be able to provide proof that their income passes the low-income cut-off for at least 3 consecutive years. They’re also asked to sign an agreement where they promise to repay any social assistance and other help received by their family members.
Annually, the MNI is updated. The MNI applies to sponsors living in Canada, not including the province of Quebec. For sponsors, they can submit their Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency as proof. They should at least pass the minimum requirement:
Family Size Unit | MNI for 2021 | MNI 2020 | MNI 2019 |
Two persons | $32,898 | $32,270 | $41,007 |
Three persons | $40,444 | $39,672 | $50,414 |
Four persons | $49,106 | $48,167 | $61,209 |
Five persons | $55,694 | $54,630 | $69,423 |
Six persons | $62,814 | $61,613 | $78,296 |
Seven persons | $69,934 | $68,595 | $87,172 |
Additional per person | $7,120 | $6,985 | $8,876 |
MNI for Quebec
Family Size Unit | Basic yearly income requirement |
One person | $25,251 |
Two person | $34,086 |
Three person | $42,083 |
Four person | $48,401 |
Five person | $53,868 |
Additional per person (more than 5 people) | $5,467 |
NOTE: These amounts are updated each year and subject to change.
- Residency Requirements for Sponsors: To apply for family sponsorship in Canada for your family member(s), one major requirement is that you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or registered as an Indian under the Indian Act of Canada.
Types of Family Sponsorship in Canada
There are different types of family sponsorships in Canada. Here’s what you need to know about them so that you can identify which type of family sponsorship you need:
Spousal Sponsorship:
- Definition of a “Spouse” Under Canadian Immigration Law: Your spouse should be someone you married legally. Depending on where you reside in Canada, the jurisdiction should be able to recognize the marriage. That’s why spouses should provide legal and credible documents to validate the marriage. In cases when someone decided to marry just to Immigrate to Canada, this is not accepted under the country’s immigration law. Divorcing and remarrying your spouse for immigration purposes is not recognized as well, and you both won’t be considered spouses anymore in regards to Canadian immigration.
- Requirements for Spousal Sponsorship: To start the spousal sponsorship process, the spouses should file the applications for spousal sponsorship and permanent residency. Submit these applications to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The sponsoring spouse must be at least 18 years of age and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or Indian according to Canada’s Indian Act. The sponsor must have the ability to provide for the needs of his or her spouse. The sponsoring spouse needs to show that he or she is not receiving social assistance except if disabled. The spouse who will be sponsored needs to be at least 18 years of age and can be of the opposite sex or the same sex.
- Common-Law Partner Sponsorship: This is sponsorship for common-law partners of the opposite sex or same sex who are at least 18 years of age and not legally-married. They should live together for at least 12 months in a row as partners, without spending any lengthy time periods apart, prior to applying for sponsorship. If not, there should be valid proof as to why they were temporarily living apart for a short time period. Adequate documentation will need to be provided to prove the common-law relationship, such as: a joint rental agreement or lease; residential property that they jointly own, bills for shared utility accounts, driver’s licenses that show both partners live at the same address, etc. The applications for common-law sponsorship and permanent residency will need to be filed with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship:
- Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship: Canadian citizens, permanent residents and Indians registered under Canada’s Indian Act can sponsor their biological parents and grandparents, or their parents and grandparents who legally adopted them for Canadian permanent residency. The sponsor must also be at least 18 years of age and have the ability to take care of their parents and/or grandparents. Other criteria must also be satisfied. The applications for sponsorship and Canadian permanent residency will need to be filed with IRCC.
- Super Visa Program for Parents and Grandparents: The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is a multi-entry visitor visa that is valid for up to 10 years and it allows several entries into Canada, including for up to 5 years at a time. This is an alternative to Canadian immigration family sponsorship for permanent residency (mentioned above) and it may be a faster way to have your parents and/or grandparents join you living in Canada. The applicant must be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Another requirement is to receive a written invitation from the child or grandchild to live in Canada which contains a copy of his or her Canadian permanent residency or citizenship document; a promise to support the parent or grandparent financially while living in Canada; and states how many people are living in the home of the Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The parent or grandparent will need to have proof of private health insurance from a Canadian health insurance company.
Child Sponsorship:
- Definition of a “Dependent Child” Under Canadian Immigration Law: A dependent child should be your biological or adopted child. They should be less than 22 years old. If they aren’t, they should have valid reasons for the dependency that meet certain criteria.
- Requirements for Child Sponsorship: The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 years of age and should show proof of the child’s birth certificate or adoption papers as valid. Additionally, the sponsor needs to have the required financial resources and meet other criteria. The sponsored child should be less than 22 years old to get this Canadian citizenship family sponsorship.
- Adopted Child Sponsorship: The same goes for adopted children. The sponsor should be able to provide proof of their adoption and the adopted child should be less than 22 years old to be eligible.
Canada Family Sponsorship Process Application:
- Required Documents for Sponsor and Sponsored Family Member: The sponsor should apply for the sponsorship program online. The sponsored family members should submit their online application as well. Check this guide for the requirements.
- Processing Times for Family Sponsorship Applications: Usually, sponsorship applications take about a year to complete. It could also go longer than a year.
- How to Submit a Family Sponsorship Application: You can apply for the Canada family sponsorship process here.
- Medical and Criminal Background Checks: You have to submit your family member’s health history and medical exam results to the IRCC. A panel of physicians approved by the IRCC will handle the medical documents.
Tips for Successful Family Sponsorship:
- Evidence of Relationship: Spouses should be able to provide valid proof of their union. Common-law partners should have evidence that they’ve lived together as well. Documents like marriage certifications and legal union papers are accepted.
- Clear and Thorough Documentation: You should be able to provide clear documentation as well. Make sure that all of your papers are organized and valid. This is one of the reasons why the application process takes longer because of document verification. So, be sure that they’re all credible.
- Meeting the Financial Requirements: The Canadian immigration process includes submitting proof of the minimum requirement for financial resources to live in Canada, so that government assistance is not required.
- Legal Representation and Support: All documents should be supported and legally represented in your country and Canada. They should be valid to ensure that your application process is fast and smooth.
Conclusion
Canada is one of the best places to go when you want to immigrate and bring your family with you to a different country. However, the immigration process takes time. That’s why you should start preparing now and see if you and your family members are eligible for this process.
The process takes around a year to complete, and you need a lot of documents to provide. However, once you’re through it, it’s all going to be worth it. In the event that you do not have family living in Canada who can sponsor you, there are many other ways to apply for Canadian immigration, especially if you are a skilled foreign worker.
Since 2012, Canadian Visa Expert has been collaborating with authorized immigration consultants who can evaluate your eligibility and guide you through each step of the process if you qualify.
Discover Frequently Asked Questions from Our Support
Can my family sponsor me to live in Canada?
Yes, your family can sponsor you as long as they are citizens or permanent residents of Canada, at least 18 years of age, pass the income requirement, meet other criteria, and you (i.e., the sponsored family member) also satisfy the eligibility requirements for a spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, parent, grandparent or other eligible family member).
How much does it cost to sponsor family in Canada?
The cost for Canadian immigration family sponsorship will depend on who is being sponsored (for example, a spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, parent or grandparent). For a spouse, common-law partner, parent or grandparent, the Sponsorship Fee is $75 CAD; the Canadian Permanent Residency Application Processing Fee is $490 CAD; the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is $515 CAD; the Biometrics Fee is $85 CAD; and the Canadian Permanent Resident Card Fee is $50 CAD. For a dependent child, the Canadian Permanent Residency Application Processing Fee is $75 CAD. In addition to the various governmental fees, the sponsor must have enough financial resources to support the family member they are sponsoring.
How long does it take to sponsor a family member to live in Canada?
The application process can generally be completed within about 12 months, but it can take longer (particularly for parent or grandparent sponsorship, due to the large number of applications pending).
What documents are required for a family sponsorship application in Canada?
The documents needed will depend on who is receiving Canadian immigration family sponsorship (for example, a spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, parent or grandparent). In general, the sponsorship programs will require that a sponsorship application and a Canadian permanent residency application be filed, along with the supporting documents, which usually include proof of identity, proof of relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored family member, proof of the required income to support the sponsored family member, medical exam results, among others.
What is a dependent child in Canadian immigration law?
According to Canadian immigration law, dependent children must be less than 22 years old, unless there is a valid reason that is permitted under Canadian immigration law that allows for them to be older. They should be your biological children or legally adopted by you.
