Sponsorship program in Canada

Bringing family members together is one of the main goals of the Canadian immigration system. The Family Member Sponsorship Program helps reunify families by facilitating their permanent residence to immigrate to Canada.

This program is for Canadian residents and citizens who want to bring their family members to Canada and must be 18 years old or older. The sponsorship program in Canada is divided into several categories:

Child and adopted child sponsorship

Adoption sponsorship

The adoption process in different Canadian provinces has different stages and conditions. To sponsor an adopted child from outside of Canada, you must first complete the adoption procedures in Canada and then send the immigration file. So when you adopt a child from another country, you have to go through two processes: the adoption process and the immigration process. The adoption process is carried out by related organizations and is separate from the immigration process.

The immigration process has two parts:

Sponsorship request and
Application for permanent residence of the child.

After your child enters Canada as a permanent resident, you can apply for citizenship on behalf of the child. However, the adoption process must be finalized before the child is granted citizenship.

Usually, the adoption process is done in the child’s home country. The rules and procedures for adoption by foreigners are different in each country. For example, some countries allow adoptions outside the child’s country of origin, while others only allow domestic adoptions.

Depending on the law of the country where the child was born, the adoption process includes one of the following:

take place outside of Canada; Or
To be done in Canada.

In any case, this process must be done legally, both in the country of origin and in Canada.

It is also mandatory for these children to undergo medical examinations before obtaining permanent residence.

Sponsorship of other relatives if there are conditions

Sponsorship of other relatives

Sponsorship for relatives such as brother, sister, aunt/aunt, uncle/uncle can be done under certain conditions.

To sponsor a brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild who is an orphan, all the following conditions must be met:

Blood relation or adoption
Both his father and mother have died and
Be under 18 years old and single.
And if you don’t have any relatives, you can sponsor one of your relatives.

Sponsorship of legal spouse/partner with dependent children

spousal sponsorship

The spousal sponsorship program allows Canadian residents or citizens to bring their spouse and common-law partner to Canada. Spouse means a legally valid marriage in the country of origin that is approved by the Canadian Immigration Department. A common-law partner is a person who has lived together at the same address in a marriage relationship (white marriage) for at least one year without interruption.

It is worth noting that dependent children can also be included in the parent’s sponsorship file at the same time and receive Canadian permanent residence. A dependent child refers to a person under the age of 22, and it is also applicable to children over 22 who are financially dependent on their parents and cannot become independent due to mental or emotional problems.

Types of relationships recognized in Canada

Legal Marriage

A couple is said to have been officially married according to the laws of that country and an official marriage certificate has been issued. The minimum age for legal marriage in Canada is 16 years, and if the marriage is performed in another country, it must be legal there as well. But if the age of each of the parties at the time of marriage is less than 18 years, they should wait until they reach 18 years to send their files.

Common-law Partner

A couple who have not registered their legal marriage but have been living together in the same place for at least one year. To prove that this relationship is real, the following should be considered:

At least one year of living in the same house by presenting documents such as property deed, house rent, bills related to the house, etc., in which the names of both parties are mentioned.
The existence of a committed and exclusive relationship by presenting documents such as family relationships, joint trips, joint assets, etc.

Conjugal Partner

This is the most difficult option to succeed in the spousal sponsorship program in Canada. This group is suitable for couples who do not fit in other groups, but nevertheless have a committed and exclusive “quasi-marriage” relationship. It usually includes people who have restrictions on marriage and cohabitation in their country due to legal reasons or society’s opposition, such as the ban on same-sex marriage in some countries, but have been in a marital relationship for at least one year. This group should have a relationship similar to marriage.

Conditions of the sponsoring person

Be at least 18 years old
Have permanent residence or Canadian citizenship
To have the ability to cover the basic expenses of his life and that of the sponsoring person

In which case, a resident or citizen of Canada is not eligible to be a sponsor:

Having a criminal record
People who have special loan debt, such as loans obtained from the Immigration Department for the case process
Bankrupts
Recipients of social assistance, except for people with physical disabilities
If they have sponsored another spouse in the last 3 years and are still responsible for their previous sponsorship file
Up to 5 years from obtaining permanent residence if he has obtained residence through the sponsorship of his wife

Sponsorship of parents and father/grandmother

Sponsorship of parents and Grandparents

The admissions process for this popular immigration program has been modified many times over the years. The reason for these successive changes was the criticisms and problems that were caused to the previous system. In the early years, parental sponsorship applications to Canada were considered on a rolling basis, however, this system was phased out. In recent years, applicants have been asked to submit their application based on eligibility within a specified time frame to the Immigration Department. Then they select a certain number of candidates by lottery. Applicants who have received an invitation must send their documents and information to the Immigration Department within 60 days. Details and how to apply for this program are announced annually by the Immigration Department.

After the immigration office checks and if the case is accepted, the parents or grandparents will enter Canada with a PR visa and obtain Canadian permanent residence. The entry of parents to Canada will not only have an economic advantage for this country and add to the family’s income, but they can also help in taking care of their grandchildren.

This program is criticized by many Canadians because, on the one hand, they believe that these people are elderly and not only do not contribute to society, but can also be a burden on the Canadian medical system. But this is not true, because on the one hand, these people are subjected to medical tests, and the inviting person will be their financial sponsor for 20 years.

Considering that you usually have the chance to apply for this program once a year, don’t worry if you don’t get an invitation. Super Visa can be a suitable alternative option.