Family reunification is one of the main objectives of the Canadian immigration system.
Canada makes it possible for its citizens and permanent residents to reunite with their close relatives by sponsoring them. Currently, sponsorship application may be submitted on behalf of the following family members:
- Spouses/common-law partners/conjugal partners
- Dependent children
- Parents and grandparents
- Other relatives if the Canadian sponsor has no family in Canada and no relatives, mentioned above, who could be sponsored from overseas
Sponsor has to meet a certain eligibility criteria in order to be approved. Upon submission of sponsorship application, a sponsor undertakes to be financially responsible for a sponsored family member during certain number of years. This undertaking is enforceable from the time an applicant becomes a PR and it can not be cancelled, notwithstanding any changes in sponsor’s employment and personal situation.
Under each immigration category, there are different requirement to the applicants. In spousal/ common-law/conjugal partner sponsorship it is important to prove on the basis of the evidence that relationships are genuine and not been entered into primarily for the purposes of immigration. It is very important to submit a well prepared case, so the immigration officer has a clear picture of the couple’s relationships and can assess genuineness. One should not underestimate a professional advice given during sponsorship application, as a mere mistake or misunderstanding of rules and regulations by the applicant may, for example, end in exclusion of their own family members from being sponsored in the future.
Note: sponsored spouses are prohibited from sponsoring a new spouse for five years following the date they become a permanent resident.
Contact us and our counsels will thoroughly review your situation, advise if your relative meets the definition of a family member eligible to be sponsored, evaluate sponsor’s eligibility and prepare a tailored sponsorship application.
