FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP
Welcoming over 100,000 immigrants to Canada every year through the family class sponsorship program, the immigrants refugees citizens canada (IRCC) aims to bring families together as it is one of their immigration program pillars. The family class sponsorship program helps immigrants in bringing their family to canada. Through this program, this can happen without any difficulty.
WHAT IS A FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM?
The family class sponsorship can provide an opportunity to Canadian citizenship or permanent residency holders to sponsor their family members or relatives for immigration to canada. The family class sponsorship time is comparatively lesser than any other immigration program.
Through this program, the sponsored family members can secure Canadian permanent residence.
BENEFITS OF FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP CANADA?
- Family members or relatives of Canadian citizenship holders and permanent residents do not have to meet any cut off points.
- Sponsored candidates have the right to work, live and study in Canada.
- After obtaining permanent residence, the sponsored candidates are independent, both from their sponsor and financially.
- After obtaining Canadian citizenship, they are eligible for free education till 18 years of age, old age security, guaranteed income supplement and government funded healthcare.
WHO CAN BE A SPONSOR UNDER FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP?
In order to become a sponsor, there are certain criterias one needs to meet.
- Sponsors should hold Canadian citizenship or be permanent members.
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- They must have intentions to settle, work and live in canada
- Must be financially sound
- Must be able to support the people they will be sponsoring
- Must not have any criminal history
WHAT ARE THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A SPONSOR?
Sponsors have to sign a sponsorship agreement with their sponsored family members.
The agreement will lay out the basic duties that’ll be carried out by the sponsors for their sponsored members.
The sponsors will mandatorily have to provide
- Food
- Education
- Clothing
- Accommodation
- Health services
The sponsors also have to sign an undertaking stating that they will be responsible for the sponsored person’ financial situation and will take full responsibility.
The financial responsibility for the sponsor begins the day the sponsored person lands till the sponsored person secures a Canadian citizenship or permanent residency.
The length of undertaking varies but it is most commonly seen as the following, except in Quebec, which has its own system in place.
| SPONSORED PERSON | LENGTH OF UNDERTAKING |
| Spouse, common law partner | 3 years |
| Dependent child | 10 years, or till the age 25 |
| Dependent child (22 years of age or older) | 3 years |
| Parent or grandparent | 20 years |
| Any other relative | 10 years |
WHO CAN BE SPONSORED?
SPOUSE
Spouses can be sponsored under the family class spouse sponsorship canada.
For this to be eligible, you need to be married for at least an year and the partner should also have an intent to work and contribute to the economic activities of the country.
THE PROCESSING TIME IS AROUND 12 MONTHS AND THE APPLICATION FEES IS CAD 1080
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
Sponsors can get their parents and grandparents Canadian permanent residence by sponsoring them through a process called super visa.
Through a super visa, the parents and grandparents of the Canadian citizenship holder will be able to immigrate to Canada at the earliest.
The sponsor is expected to produce proof of funds stating that they will be able to submit their parents and grandparents for the entirety of their stay. The financial responsibility is for 20 years.
THE PROCESSING TIME IS AROUND 12 MONTHS AND THE APPLICATION FEE IS CAD 1080 PER PERSON.
DEPENDENT CHILD
To qualify as a dependent child under the family class sponsorship canada,
- They must be under 22 years of age.
- They should not have a spouse or partner of their own
- They should be financially dependent on their parents/sponsors
- If they are above the age of 22, then they should be diagnosed with a mental or physical condition due to which they are not able to support themself
THE PROCESSING TIME IS AROUND 12 MONTHS AND THE APPLICATION FEE IS CAD 155 PER PERSON.
BROTHER SISTER
Although there are no direct provisions to sponsor one’s brother or citizen through family class sponsorship and attain Canadian citizenship, the siblings have to apply for permanent residency as economic class immigrants. They will receive extra fifteen points under express entry.
There are two additional ways for siblings to apply for sponsorship under family class sponsorship.
TO IDENTITY AS A DEPENDENT CHILD
In this method, the siblings should be
- They must be under 22 years of age.
- They should not have a spouse or partner of their own
- They should be financially dependent on their sibling/sponsors
- If they are above the age of 22, then they should be diagnosed with a mental or physical condition due to which they are not able to support themself
SPONSORED UNDER ORPHANED CLOSE RELATIVE PROGRAM
This is a program for those who were orphaned but have siblings in Canada, they need to meet the aforementioned demands but will be given leeway. However, they need to produce a death certificate for confirmation.
ADOPTED CHILD
In case of international adoptions, the adoption process as well as the citizenship process should be completed before the adopted child comes to canada.
For the adopted child, it is compulsory to apply for citizenship or immigration (permanent residency)
They will receive direct permanent residence through the immigration process.
In case of surrogacy, the child will be identified as the dependent property of the sponsor.
There are different avenues under the family class sponsorship to bring a surrogate child to canada
FRIEND
There are no direct sponsorship programs for friends under family class sponsorship but they can apply for visitor visas instead of Canadian citizenship, if they wish to visit the sponsor. In this case, the visa office will ask the friend to produce a copy of the letter of invitation, written by the sponsor living in canada.
The submission of this letter does not guarantee a visit visa but it is a basic requirement.
RELATIVE
If you are a ‘last remaining relative’, then the sponsor can sponsor you and allow you to immigrate, attain Canadian citizenship. This method under family class sponsorship happens irrespective of the age of the candidate.
NOTE
QUEBEC HAS ITS OWN PROCESS OF SPONSORSHIPS
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP?
STEP 1
Check your eligibility with the help of our comprehensive ranking system CRS
STEP 2
Ensure that you and the other party meet all eligibility criteria
STEP 3
Submit canadian sponsorship application to Immigration, refugees and citizenship canada
STEP 4
IRCC will review your application
STEP 5
if the application gets approved, you will receive an invitation to apply after which you have to pay family sponsorship canada application visa
STEP 6
pay the fee and submit all your documents
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SPONSOR IF
- Previously sponsored someone and have not paid back the social assistance they received while the undertaking was in place
- Have declared bankruptcy
- Were convicted of
- An offense of sexual nature
- A violent crime
- A crime that resulted in bodily harm
- Are under a removal order
- Are in a penitentiary jail, reformatory or prison
WHY ALWAYS CONSIDER BASICS OF IMMIGRATION?
- Expert Visa counselors provide Step-by-step guidance through a secure, online process.
- Apt evaluation of credentials and faster visa processing.
- Identifying all potential hazards and roadblocks in securing a visa.
- Assistance with documentation, immigration rules, citizenship, and border control procedures.
- Multiple case assessment for better conflict resolution.
- Designated process managers to provide personalized guidance.
Just like the basics of anything act as “building blocks” forming a strong foundation for constructing complex structures. The Basics of Immigration serve as the foundational elements of moving abroad, for any aspiring immigrant.