One of the three main goals of the Canadian immigration system is family reunification. Canada supports citizens and permanent residents who are interested in bringing their immediate family members to come and live in this beautiful country.
When we say immediate family members, we are referring specifically to spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children under 22 years of age. Children who are 22 years of age or older can be sponsored as long as they are financially dependent on their parents and also have a physical or mental health condition that makes them dependent on their parents.
General Sponsor Requirements
– Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
– Be 18 years of age or older
– Reside in Canada, and if you live outside of Canada, you must demonstrate your interest in returning to live permanently in the country
– Have a job or prove that you are financially stable and, therefore, can take responsibility for the family member you are sponsoring. You don’t need to prove a minimum annual or monthly salary.
– Check that you have ended previous romantic relationships
– You cannot sponsor a spouse or common-law partner if you obtained your permanent residency after being sponsored by a previous spouse or common-law partner in the last 5 years
– Not receiving financial aid from the government (except disability benefits)
– Not be bankrupt or owe money to the government
– Have not committed serious crimes or are currently in jail
-Among others.
General Requirements for Applicants for Permanent Residency
The most important thing is to show that the relationship is genuine and not merely for immigration purposes. You have to convince the immigration officer that your relationship is real and not for convenience.
The sponsorship application must tell the story of the relationship in such a way that the immigration officer sees that the applicants and the sponsor are indeed a family and need to live together in Canada. It is not enough to include marriage certificates, birth certificates, and notarized documents; you must also include evidence that proves the good faith of the relationship.
Some examples of the evidence to be presented in this application are the following: photos, proof of the trips you have made to visit each other, proof of the conversations you have had at a distance, letters from family and friends that validate the relationship, presence as a couple on social media, proof of financial collaboration between each other. If you live together, include a copy of the lease agreement that indicates your names, utility bills of the house, a joint bank account, and, in general, documents from the government and institutions that prove that you actually live together.
The applicants must also submit the police records of the countries where they have lived for more than 6 months since turning 18 years old, and must take the medical exams to prove that they are admissible to Canada. Spouses and dependent children who want to be sponsored would only be inadmissible to Canada if they have an illness or health condition that poses a danger to public safety or public health.
Dependent children who are included in the application and who are not the sponsor’s child need the authorization of the parent who is not accompanying them to Canada, if they are under 18 years of age.
What to Expect in This Immigration Program
Family sponsorship is an immigration program that can take about 12 months, counting from the day the application is submitted to Immigration Canada until the day the immigration officer makes a decision. The application costs CAN $1,080 for the spouse and CAN $155 for each dependent child, plus CAN $85 for biometrics if there is only one person on the application or CAN $170 if there is a family group.
The family sponsorship application can be submitted from within or outside Canada. If it is sent from within Canada, the spouse or common-law partner can obtain a work permit while waiting for permanent residency, as long as he or she has a legal immigration status at the time of submitting the sponsorship application. Likewise, dependent children can start studying in primary or secondary schools in Canada for free upon receipt of the permanent residency approval confirmation.
