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We are proud and pleased to live in a country that makes reuniting with those dear to you possible, by allowing Family Sponsorship in Canada.

Sponsors must already be established in Canada as Permanent Residents, or Canadian Citizens, be 18 years of age or older, and be living in Canada during the time of the sponsorship. All parties involved in the sponsorship agreement may be subject to medical exams, criminal and background checks.

Sponsors in Canada must guarantee the immigrating person has their living costs provided by their host family. Sponsors are responsible for supporting the relative, and their dependents, financially, providing food, shelter, clothing, travelling and settling expenses. Sponsors must be able to prove they are able to provide the financial support, and may not be receiving social assistance, except for those receiving disability support. This proof must be submitted along with the application. An agreement is signed by both parties, committing the sponsor for a period of 3 to 20 years, depending on the age of the relative, and their relationship to the sponsor, beginning as soon as they enter Canada, as a permanent resident. The sponsored person is to make every effort to support themselves as soon as they can do so, excluding dependents under 19 years of age.

Parents, Spouses/Partners, Children, and Orphans may be sponsored.

Parents: Grandparents and parents may be sponsored, as long as both parties can prove they meet the requirements listed above, with most likely more of a focus on a medical examination, than a criminal check for the aged. Parents should not arrive in Canada and expect to go on social assistance and cost Canadian citizens a great deal in medical care, right away.

Another option for parents and grandparents to visit Canada on a regular basis is the Super Visa, which allows them to visit their children and grandchildren in Canada, for up to 2 consecutive years at a time, before it has to be renewed, and allows for re-entry for up to 10 years.

Spouses and Common-law Partners: To sponsor a spouse, you must be able to prove that you are legally married. To sponsor a common-law spouse, you must be able to prove that you have been living together as a couple, in a conjugal relationship for a continuous, uninterrupted 12-month period. You may not have been sponsored yourself within the last 5 years. Immigrating spouses and partners may apply for an ‘Open Work Permit’, so they may fulfil their obligation to try and support themselves. Spouses are also eligible for a Super Visa, allowing multiple visits if sponsorship is not an option.

Children and Orphans: Sponsors of a child must commit to supporting a dependent child, up until the age of 25 years old, or for a period of 10 years, (whichever comes first), and if they are over 19 years, a 3 year commitment of support is required, (after permanent resident status is awarded), if you are a sponsor or the spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, and a 20 year commitment is required, if you are a parent or grandparent, and a 10 year commitment is required for all other family members.

Orphaned children must not currently have Canadian citizenship, be 18 years of age or under, be unmarried, and not in a common-law relationship. At the time of submitting the application, 1 or more parents must be a Canadian citizen, not be subject to the first generation limit to citizenship by descent – meaning the orphan is not eligible if the parent sponsoring them was born outside Canada, to a Canadian citizen, or the parent sponsoring them was granted Canadian citizenship under the adoption provisions regarding adopting in Subsection 5.1 of the Citizenship Act.

Family Sponsorship in Canada doesn’t cover Refugee Sponsorship. These streams are governed by the Canadian Federal Government. If a person is outside Canada at the time of applying, they may be sponsored by the government if they have a UNHCR Referral. A ‘Group of Five’ as well as ‘Sponsorship Agreement Holders’ may sponsor apply to sponsor a person if they have refugee status. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada accepts applications from people, who are already inside Canada, who feel they meet the definition of a Convention refugee. This includes a person who fears to return to their home country based on a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or their political opinion.

We are experts in Family Sponsorship in Canada and other forms of sponsorship. 123Visa is here to help! Call 778-317-4959 for your free consultation.