Family organization is one key important pillar of the Canadian immigration system. If you are a Canadian citizen or a canada permanent resident with a family member looking to immigrate to Canada, you can help them become a PR.

Through the Family Class Sponsorship Program, Canadian citizens or adult permanent residents can sponsor their relative or a family member and help them immigrate to Canada. To become eligible, the person applying for sponsorship should be:

1. A spouse, conjugal partner or a common-law partner
2. Parent
3. Dependent child
4. Grandparent
5. A nephew, niece, sibling or a grandchild below 18 years of age, who is unmarried and whose parents are dead.
6. The person sponsored should live outside Canada, unless they live temporarily in Canada, as in with a study or work permit.

Who is a spouse or Partner?

Individuals who fall under these categories can be eligible for the family sponsorship:

Spouse – legally wedded partner in the origin country and under the Canadian Law
 Common-law partner – minimum one year of uninterrupted live-in together in a conjugal relationship.
 Conjugal partner – conjugal relationship for a minimum of one year where the couple is unable to live-in together due to sexual orientation, immigration barriers, religious reasons or marital status.
 Same-sex relationship – considered legal for immigration purposes

Dependent child

A dependent child is the one who is the child of a sponsor or the child of the sponsor’s spouse or the common-law partner. They can be considered as dependent if they are below 22 years of age and is not married. Children above 22 years of age can also be dependents if they depend on on their parents for financial help before they were 22 or are not able to support themselves due to any
mental or medical condition.

A child in sole custody of a previous spouse will still be considered as dependent and should be declared on the sponsorship application form. If the dependent child who is sponsored has over one or more dependent children of their own, then it is important for the sponsor to prove their financial capacity by meeting a minimum income margin. Eligibility of a sponsor:

To be eligible to sponsor, one should be an adult, over 18 years of age and must be a PR or a Canadian citizen. They must physically live in Canada, unless they are a citizen living in another country and are planning to come back to Canada once the sponsored candidate arrives in Canada.

A person cannot sponsor if:
 They may receive a removal order They are in prison
 They avail social assistance from the Canadian government (except for disability)
 They can become bankrupt
 They have been accused of any offense (violent or sexual nature or bodily harm any of their relative)
 They have sponsored someone and were not able to meet the terms
 They are unable to pay for the child support

What is a sponsorship agreement?

the sponsor should agree to take care of all the financial needs of the person they are sponsoring in case if the relative is unable to meet their own needs. This is done to ensure that the new PR will not require any government assistance.

The duration of this financial support is based on the individual being sponsored:
 Grandparent or parent: 20 years
 Dependent child: 10 years or until the child reaches 22 years and 3 years for a dependent child who is over 22
 Spouse, conjugal or common-law partner: 3 years

This financial support will not disappear if the sponsored person divorces or separates from the
sponsor, becomes a citizen or lives outside Canada.