Details on Family & Spousal Sponsorship Canada

If you want to know about a Canada Family Sponsorship or Spousal Sponsorship Canada ask a Canada Immigration Lawyer. Basically it involves citizens of Canada (or permanent residents) sponsoring certain family members in coming to the country as permanent residents.

To be a sponsor you must first be over the age of 18. The other important requirement is that you have sufficient earnings to support sponsorship. A written contract is necessary to be signed by the sponsor attesting to the fact that they will support your sponsorship. The Canadian government requires support for three years for spouses plus common-law and conjugal partners; the time limit is ten years for other relatives.

NOTE: A Canadian immigration lawyer will point out that there is no minimum income requirement for sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child. Other relatives, however, will need to meet an income requirement.

These are the classification of relatives able to be sponsored under family class:

Spouse: This applies only to a husband or wife. Your Canada immigration lawyer will point out that a spouse and the immigrant must be married in the eyes of the law. A marriage occurring outside of Canada must be shown as being legal in the country where it originally took place in order to satisfy Canadian immigration authorities.
Common-law Partner: If you have lived with a sponsor for more than twelve months in a conjugal relationship, you are considered a common-law partner. Canadian immigration views a conjugal relationship as closely resembling a marriage relationship.

Conjugal Partner: A conjugal partner, much like a common-law partner, is also seen as being a relationship similar to a marriage. The difference is that the couple may have been together for more than twelve months but due to extenuating circumstances have been unable to live together.

Children: The dependent children of a sponsor are those who are under age 22 and single. Your Canada immigration lawyer will point out that those over 22 and those married can only be sponsored if full-time students. In addition, prior to that time, they must have been dependent financially on the sponsor.

Parents: Defined as either mother or father. Keep in mind that a sponsor’s siblings can also immigrate when they are still dependents of parents being sponsored. This is a good way for sponsors to get brothers and sister into Canada as permanent residents if under 22 (or over 22 and full-time students).

Grandparents:
Grandmother / grandfather.

Orphans: When both parents are deceased, a person under the age of 18 is considered an orphan. A brother or sister, niece or nephew, or grandchild can be sponsored in this way as long as they are unmarried and meet the age requirement.

Adopted Children: A Canadian citizen (or permanent resident) can adopt a person under 18 from another country. A Canadian immigration lawyer can assist with all the details of the adoption process.

Other Relative: If a sponsor is without a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner and there is also no child, parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew residing in Canada plus none living abroad to be sponsored the traditional way, any other relative may qualify for sponsorship no matter the age.

NOTE: Siblings are only allowed to be sponsored if they come as dependents of parents being sponsored.

In-land Spousal Sponsorship
Any quality Canada immigration lawyer will point out that traditionally a sponsor will be in Canada while the potential immigrant stays in their home country and their application is being processed. They will also tell you that there is an exception to this rule. In-land spousal sponsorship allows a spouse or common-law partner to be in Canada with their sponsor while awaiting approval.

Sponsorship by a Canadian Citizen Living Abroad
There is another exception to the rule stating that a sponsor must be in Canada while the applicant waits in their home country. A Canadian citizen is able to be with their spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or child in their home country while waiting for approval and visa. The only requirement is that the sponsor shows that they, along with the sponsored relative, do indeed plan to live in Canada as a permanent residence if and when approval is granted.

If you are interested in making a Sponsorship application, please www.matthewjeffery.com for further
details of the process and our law firm’s services.