Sponsorship in Canada

If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada and at least 18 years old, you can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada under the Family Class. These can be:

your spouse,your conjugal or common-law partner,your dependent child (this includes an adopted child) orother eligible relatives.If your family member can become a permanent

resident, they can live, study and work in Canada. (Cic.Gc.Ca., 2015)

At Russ Weninger Immigration Law we can help you sponsor certain family members to become permanent residents of Canada.

Basic Requirement for SponsorsThe sponsoring party must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent

resident, must reside in Canada, must be at least 18 years of age, and in some cases must have sufficient income to support relatives when they arrive in Canada.

There’s no minimum income level required in sponsoring a spouse, minor child, common-law-partner, or conjugal partner, although income requirements may apply to sponsoring other types of relatives.

The sponsor must enter into a written agreement with the Government of Canada to support a sponsored spouse, common-law-partner, conjugal partner, or other family member for a period of time.

Types of Relatives Who May Be Sponsored

Spouse – A spouse refers to a person who is legally married to the sponsor. If the marriage of the sponsor and the applicant did not occur in Canada, it will be deemed legal by Canadian immigration authorities provided that the marriage is legal in the country where the marriage occurred.

Common-law Partner – A common-law partner refers to a person whom the sponsor has lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 1 year.

Conjugal Partner – A conjugal partner refers to a person with a marriage-like relationship with the sponsor for at least 1 year but has not lived together with the sponsor due to extenuating circumstances.

Children – Typically, only unmarried, dependent children under the age of 22 may be sponsored.

Parents – Currently the Government of Canada is not accepting new applications for sponsoring parents for immigration.

Grandparents – As with parents, the Government of Canada is not accepting new applications for sponsoring grandparents for immigration.

Orphans – An orphan is the sponsor’s sibling, niece, nephew or grandchild who is under 18 years old and whose parents are both deceased.

Adopted Child – A person under the age of 18 that the sponsor intends to adopt. The onus is on the sponsor to demonstrate that the adoption is not primarily for immigration purposes.

Other Relatives – Other relatives can occasionally be sponsored in certain circumstances. However, these circumstances are extremely rare.

The process of immigrating to Canada through the Family Sponsorship program can be complex both for the applicant and the sponsor. Getting the assistance of Russ Weninger Immigration Law can help make the application process smooth and give you the best chance of approval. For a free initial assessment of your immigration options, call us today at 403-265-4496.

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