Canada’s family sponsorship programs allow permanent residents and citizens to bring their loved ones to Canada quickly and easily. These programs are popular because they allow families to stay together. Canada understands that family is important, and it wants to make it easy for families to reunite.
To be eligible for family sponsorship, you must be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada. You can sponsor your spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, parents, and grandparents.
How to apply for family sponsorship?
To apply for family sponsorship to Canada, you must first meet the eligibility requirements. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and you must be able to support yourself and your family members financially. You must also meet the criminal and medical requirements.
Once you have met the eligibility requirements, you can start the sponsorship process by submitting an application to the Canadian government. You can find the application forms and instructions on the Canada.ca website.
The sponsorship application process can be complex, so it is important to carefully follow the instructions and provide all of the required documentation. You may also want to consider getting help from a lawyer or immigration consultant.
Once you have submitted your application, it will be processed by the Canadian government. The processing time can vary, but it is typically several months.
If your application is approved, your family members will be able to immigrate to Canada and become permanent residents.
You can sponsor certain family members to immigrate to Canada if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This allows your family members to live and work in Canada permanently.
Who can I sponsor to come to Canada?
You can sponsor certain family members to immigrate to Canada if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This allows your family members to live and work in Canada permanently.
You may be eligible to sponsor the following family members to immigrate to Canada:
- Spouse or common-law partner
- Dependent children (under the age of 22 and unmarried)
- Parents and grandparents
- Orphaned siblings, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren (under the age of 18 and unmarried)
- Other relatives (in exceptional circumstances)
To be eligible to sponsor a family member, you must meet certain requirements, such as:
- You must be able to financially support yourself and your family members
- You must meet the criminal and medical requirements
Spouse or common-law partner
You may be able to sponsor your spouse or common-law partner to come to Canada, regardless of their nationality. However, you must be able to prove that you have a genuine relationship.
Dependent children
You may be able to sponsor your dependent children to come to Canada if they are under the age of 22 and unmarried. They must also be financially dependent on you.
Parents and grandparents
You may be able to sponsor your parents and grandparents to come to Canada if they are at least 65 years old and unable to support themselves financially.
Orphaned siblings, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren
You may be able to sponsor your orphaned siblings, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren to come to Canada if they are under the age of 18 and unmarried. They must also be financially dependent on you and have no other living relatives in Canada who can sponsor them.
Other relatives
In exceptional circumstances, you may be able to sponsor other relatives to come to Canada. For example, if you are a “Lonely Canadian” (meaning you have no spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, or grandparent), you may be able to sponsor one extended relative.
Who can’t sponsor a relative to Canada?
Who isn’t eligible to sponsor a relative to Canada?
You may not be eligible to sponsor a relative to Canada if they:
- Are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Are under the age of 18
- Are unable to financially support yourself and your family members
- Have not met the criminal and medical requirements
- Have previously sponsored a family member and failed to meet the terms of the sponsorship agreement
- Are in prison
- Have not paid alimony or child support payments
- Have declared bankruptcy and are not yet released
- Have received social assistance for reasons other than a disability
- Have failed to pay back an immigration loan, made late payments, or missed payments
Canadian family sponsorship income requirements
Sponsoring a family member to immigrate to Canada is a rewarding experience, but it can also be a complex process. One of the most important requirements is the income requirement. The income requirement ensures that you have the financial means to support yourself and your family members after they arrive in Canada.
How to calculate the income requirement?
The income requirement for Canadian family sponsorship is calculated based on the size of your family unit. The minimum necessary income (MNI) is the amount of money you need to earn to support yourself and your family members financially.
To calculate the MNI, you need to add up the following:
- The MNI for a family unit of one
- The MNI for each additional adult
- The MNI for each additional child
You can find the current MNI rates on the Canadian government’s website.
Here are some examples of MNI requirements for different family sizes:
- Family of two: $32,898
- Family of three: $40,444
- Family of four: $49,106
- Family of five: $55,694
If you are sponsoring a parent or grandparent, you must also meet an additional income requirement. This requirement is equal to 30% of the MNI for your family unit.
For example, if you are sponsoring one parent or grandparent, your income must be at least $42,517 (30% of $32,898 + $32,898).
Meeting the Income Requirement
If you are unable to meet the MNI requirement on your own, you may be able to get help from a co-signer. A co-signer is someone who is willing to combine their income with yours to meet the requirement.
If you are sponsoring a parent or grandparent, you may also be eligible for the Super Visa program. The Super Visa is a long-term, multiple-entry visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. It allows parents and grandparents to visit Canada for up to two years at a time, and they are eligible for medical benefits.
Do I need a job to sponsor a family member?
You do not need a job to sponsor a family member to Canada. However, you must be able to meet the income requirement for family sponsorship. The income requirement is based on the size of your family unit and the number of family members you are sponsoring. You can find the current income requirement rates on the Canadian government’s website.
How much does it cost to sponsor a family member in Canada?
The cost to sponsor a family member in Canada varies depending on the type of sponsorship program and the number of family members you are sponsoring. The following are the government fees for the most common family sponsorship programs:
- Spouse or common-law partner sponsorship: $75 sponsorship fee + $490 principal applicant processing fee
- Parent or grandparent sponsorship: $75 sponsorship fee + $490 principal applicant processing fee + $515 right of permanent residence fee
- Dependent child sponsorship: $150 per dependent child
You may also need to pay additional fees, such as visa application fees, medical exam fees, and police clearance fees.
In addition to the government fees, you will also need to be able to financially support yourself and your family members after they arrive in Canada. This means that you will need to have a job or other source of income that is sufficient to meet your family’s needs.
How long does sponsorship take?
The processing time for family sponsorship applications varies depending on the type of sponsorship program and the country where your family member is living. However, you can expect the process to take several months, and sometimes even longer.
Here is a general overview of the processing times for the most common family sponsorship programs:
- Spouse or common-law partner sponsorship: 12-15 months
- Parent or grandparent sponsorship: 18-24 months
- Dependent child sponsorship: 6-12 months
It is important to note that these are just estimates, and the actual processing time may vary. There are a number of factors that can affect the processing time, such as the complexity of your application, the number of applications the government is processing, and the country where your family member is living.
How many family members can I sponsor in Canada?
There is no limit to the number of eligible family members a Canadian permanent resident or citizen can sponsor to Canada. However, you must submit separate applications for each eligible family member sponsored.
Canadian sponsorship background check
As part of the Canadian immigration process, all applicants, including sponsored family members, must undergo a background check. The purpose of the background check is to ensure that applicants do not pose a security risk to Canada.
The background check will include a review of the applicant’s criminal record, immigration history, and travel history. The Canadian government may also contact the applicant’s references and interview them as part of the background check process.
How to check the progress of your sponsorship application?
There are two ways to check the status of your sponsorship application:
Online: You can check the status of your application online through the Canadian government’s website. To do this, you will need to create an account and log in. Once you are logged in, you will be able to see the status of all of your applications.
By phone: You can also check the status of your application by calling the Canadian government’s immigration call center. The number is 1-888-242-2100.
Can I sponsor my brother or sister to come to come to Canada?
Yes, you can sponsor your brother or sister to come to Canada, but only in certain circumstances. The Canadian government has specific requirements for sponsorship programs, and sponsoring a sibling is more difficult than sponsoring a spouse, child, or parent.
There are two main ways to sponsor your brother or sister to come to Canada:
1. As a dependent child
You can sponsor your brother or sister as a dependent child if they are:
- Under the age of 18
- Single (not married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship)
- Not supporting themselves financially
- Related to you by blood or adoption
2. Under the “lonely Canadian” program
You can sponsor your brother or sister under the “lonely Canadian” program if you meet all of the following criteria:
- You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 years old.
- You have no spouse or common-law partner.
- You have no dependent children living with you.
- You have lived in Canada for at least one of the last ten years.
- You meet the income requirements for sponsoring a family member.
- You are willing to provide a home for your brother or sister if they are not able to find one of their own.
To sponsor your brother or sister as a dependent child, you will need to submit a sponsorship application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You will also need to provide proof of your relationship to your brother or sister, proof that they are under the age of 18 and single, and proof that they are not supporting themselves financially.
Is there an age limit for sponsorship in Canada?
Yes, there is an age limit for family sponsorship in Canada. The sponsor must be at least 18 years old. There is no maximum age limit for a sponsor.
There is also an age limit for dependent children who can be sponsored in Canada. Dependent children must be under the age of 22 and unmarried. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, children with a disability may be sponsored even if they are over the age of 22.
