Federal Family Class

Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada have the option to sponsor close relatives or family members who are also interested in becoming permanent residents of Canada.

The first step in applying for the Family Class Sponsorship is to apply to become a sponsor due to the fact that there are requirements for both the sponsor and foreign individual.

Sponsors are responsible for supporting the family member, providing them with assistance during the relative’s settlement into Canada and to ensure that your relative/spouse does not seek financial assistance from the government.

There are two types of processes in which a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor their family members. They include:

1. Sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child
2. Sponsoring other eligible relatives

Sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child

Spouses, common-law partners or dependent children of Canadian citizens or permanent residents may be eligible to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents by applying for a Family Class Sponsorship.

Sponsors must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents and must be at least 18 years of age. In addition, sponsors are obliged to demonstrate or provide evidence that they have the necessary means to support their family members immigrating to Canada. These financial requirements may also apply if your dependent child also has child of his or her own. This may not necessarily mean validating an income level that meets the minimum necessary income or low-income cut-off (LICO) for the given family size as per Statistics Canada.

In order to be qualified as a sponsor, applicants must:

• Sign a sponsorship agreement along with the sponsored relative indicating that the Canadian citizen/permanent resident is willing to provide the financial means to support their relative if need be and that those coming from abroad will first and foremost make an effort to support themselves；
• Must be able to provide their spouse, common-law or conjugal partner with financial support for 3 years upon the date in which the sponsored was granted permanent residency；
• Must provide the depend child or children with financial support for at least 10 years or until the child turns 25 (whichever precedes the other will apply)

Individuals are NOT qualified to be a sponsor if they:

• Failed to provide financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement in the past；
• Defaulted on a court-ordered support order (i.e. alimony or child support)；
• Received government financial assistance for reasons other than a disability；
• Were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence—contingent on circumstances such as the nature of the offence, how long ago it occurred and whether a pardon was issued；
• Defaulted on an immigration loan—late or missed payments；
• Are in prison；
• Have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it；
• Have previously sponsored relatives who later turned to the Canadian government for financial assistance

Note that other factors not included in the above list may also deem an individual ineligible to sponsor a relative.

Canadian citizens who are living abroad but plan to return to Canada upon immigration of their relatives may sponsor their spouse, common-law/conjugal partner or dependent children with no dependent children of their own.

Canadian citizens living in Quebec must also meet the province’s immigration sponsorship criteria upon being approved as a sponsor. For more information, see the Quebec Family Class.

Sponsoring other eligible relatives

Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are 18 years of age or older and are currently living in Canada may sponsor the following eligible relatives:

• Parents；
• Grandparents；
• Brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship；
• Children under age 18 to be adopted in Canada;One relative, if there is no member of family class who is Canadian citizen, Indian or permanent resident or who could be sponsored.

Individuals are NOT qualified to be a sponsor if they:

• Failed to provide financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement in the past；
• Defaulted on a court-ordered support order (i.e. alimony or child support)；
• Received government financial assistance for reasons other than a disability；
• Were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence—contingent on circumstances such as the nature of the offence, how long ago it occurred and whether a pardon was issued；
• Defaulted on an immigration loan—late or missed payments；
• Are in prison；
• Have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it；
• Have previously sponsored relatives who later turned to the Canadian government for financial assistance

Note that other factors not included in the above list may also deem an individual ineligible to sponsor a relative. To sponsor a relative to become a permanent resident of Canada, you have to meet minimum necessary income level (LICO (Low-income Cutoff))for a given family size as per Statistics Canada.

To find out about your eligibility, please contact one of our immigration specialists.

• Phone: +1 (604) 636 – 4618
• Email: info@wbiimigration.com
• or  take a Free Online Assessment through our website, we will contact you within 24 hours upon your request!