Sponsorships

Sponsoring a Spouse or Partner

Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor their spouses or partners (common- law, or conjugal) to achieve permanent residence status. These applications may be made in Canada by a spouse or common-law partner, or alternatively, by a Canadian citizen living abroad and having the intention of returning  to Canada to reside. The application process includes an initial consideration of the eligibility of the sponsor, followed by review of the permanent residence application for the foreign spouse, or partner. Critical for the sponsorship application is a demonstrated, genuine relationship between the sponsor and spouse, or partner, which was not entered into primarily for immigration purposes. This will be assessed by, among other factors: the duration and quality of the relationship prior to application; the overall compatibility of the relationship; documentary evidence showing that they are recognised as each other’s spouse or common-law partner (such as documentation evidencing shared residence, financial support, employment or insurance benefits, joint ownership, as well as other documentation specific to the type of sponsorship application); and, if spouses, whether the marriage conforms to local norms.

Parent and Grandparent Sponsorships

Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to sponsor their parents, grandparents, and, in the case of separation or divorce, the spouses, or conjugal partners of their parents or grandparents. The sponsorship of a parent or grandparent initially requires the sponsor to submit an interest- to-sponsor form upon the opening of the Parents and Grandparents program for that year. Following successful submission of the interest- to-sponsor form, sponsors may receive an invitation to submit a complete application, at which time they must submit a complete application package within 60 days from the date of invitation. The complete application will be reviewed in two steps and will consider the eligibility of the sponsor, followed by the permanent residence application by the parent ,or grandparent.

Dependent Child Sponsorship

Children qualify as dependents if they are under the age of 22 and they do not have a spouse or common- law partner. In certain situations, children of 22 or older may qualify if they are unable to support themselves financially because of a mental or physical condition and they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22. Canadian citizens and permanent residents residing in Canada are eligible to sponsor their biological, or adopted dependent children, or the sponsor’s spouse and their dependent child.