Bringing Your Family to Canada Through the Family Sponsorship Visa
Canada’s family reunification program is one of the most important immigration pathways for those looking to immigrate to the Great White North. The Family Sponsorship visa allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor certain family members to come and live in Canada as permanent residents.
Who Can Be Sponsored?
The Family Sponsorship program covers a range of eligible family members, including:
- Spouse or common-law partner
- Dependent children (including adopted children)
- Parents and grandparents
- Siblings, nieces/nephews, and grandchildren (in some cases)
To qualify as a sponsor, you must be at least 18 years old and demonstrate that you can provide financial support for your sponsored family member(s). This includes meeting a minimum income requirement and agreeing to repay any social assistance payments your relatives may require.
The Application Process
The Family Sponsorship application process involves several steps:
- Submitting the sponsorship application
- Submitting the application for permanent residence from the sponsored family member
- Providing supporting documents to prove your relationship and your ability to provide financial support
- Undergoing medical exams and criminal background checks
- Attending an interview (in some cases)
The entire process can take 12-16 months to be completed, so it’s important to start the application as early as possible. Processing times may also vary depending on the applicant’s home country.
Benefits of the Family Sponsorship Program
Bringing your loved ones to Canada through the Family Sponsorship visa offers several advantages:
- Faster path to permanent residence compared to other immigration programs
- Ability to live, work, and study freely in Canada
- Access to universal healthcare and other social services
- Opportunity to build a life together in Canada
Overall, the Family Sponsorship visa is a valuable immigration option for those seeking to reunite with their family in Canada. By understanding the eligibility criteria and application process, you can take the first step towards making your dream of living in Canada a reality.
Frequently Asked Questions
The sponsored person’s application for a Canada immigration visa may include any of the following individuals under family sponsorship programs:
- The sponsored person’s common-law partner, conjugal partner, or spouse
- The sponsored person’s dependent children
- The dependent children of the spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner of the sponsored person
- The dependent children of the person who sponsored them
- The dependent children of the sponsored individual’s common-law partner, conjugal partner, or spouse.
On rare cases, you and the family member you are sponsoring may need to meet with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This could occur if there is insufficient paperwork to back up the relationship or if information on the forms and documentation filed is inconsistent, citing things like age and religion differences or little to no cohabitation.
You may be ineligible for sponsorship if you:
- are in prison
- have not paid your child support payments
- have declared bankruptcy and have not yet been discharged
- has defaulted on an immigration loan, made late payments, or defaulted on payments
- have sponsored another relative in the past and have not complied with the terms of the sponsorship agreement
- were convicted of a violent crime
When you sponsor your spouse for immigration to Canada, you often won’t need to provide any documentation of your income. On the other hand, an immigration officer might invite you to an interview and inquire about your plans for providing for your spouse and yourself.
Yes, provided the sponsored individual has a valid work permit, they are able to work. Spouses or common-law partners must retain their legal status in Canada (visitor, student, or worker) while their applications are being processed.
The partner or spouse you are sponsoring may apply for an open work permit; they must receive approval before beginning employment. This application takes four to five months to process. Without initially receiving a formal job offer, an open work visa holder can work for practically any Canadian employer.
To Learn more about Canada Family Sponsorship Visa Program & want help applying to the immigration programs, Contact us today!
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Simard & Associates helps clients apply for citizenship and residence under the applicable programs. To schedule an initial free consultation, get in touch with us.
GET IN TOUCH WITH US
Simard & Associates helps clients apply for citizenship and residence under the applicable programs. To schedule an initial free consultation, get in touch with us.
