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Canada Immigration with Family Sponsorship - Family Class

The federal immigration program allows for immigration to Canada with family sponsorship

Citizenship and Immigration Canada makes this provision under the Family Class, allowing family members to reunite with citizens and permanent residents of Canada.

In addition to the Federal Family Class program, a number of provinces also make provisions within their nomination programs for reuniting families.  It should be noted that applications under provincial nomination schemes may speed up the process of immigration, but are restricted to the specific province from which the nomination is received.

Successful applicants under the Family Class will receive permanent residency and as such be able to live, work and study in Canada.

Successful applicants are expected to make every effort on arrival in Canada to establish themselves and their families as quickly as possible; the role of the sponsor is to support the applicant in this process and support sponsored family members financially to ensure they do not need social support.


Canada Immigration with Family Sponsorship - Family Class - Application Process

The Family Class visa differs from the other Federal applications as the process commences with an application from the sponsor. Once this has been accepted an application is then made by the immigrant applicant.

All applicants must go through medical, security and background checks to ensure they are deemed ‘fit and proper’ and do not constitute a risk to Canadian citizens.

Canada Immigration with Family Sponsorship - Family Class - Options

There are two categories within the family class:

  1. Family Class: Spouses, partners and dependent children (includes common-law and conjugal partners)
    • Applications can be made for family class sponsorship if your spouse, partner or dependent children live inside or outside Canada.
    • Sponsors must commit to support their family financially. For spouses and partners this period is for 3 years after they become permanent residents and for children, the sooner of 10 years or until they reach 25 years of age.
    • A sponsorship agreement is signed and agreed upon between the sponsor and the family member(s) being sponsored. This agreement also commits the sponsored family member(s) to make every effort to become financially independent as soon as possible.
    • Spouses are recognized when there is a legally binding marriage either in Canada or in the country where the marriage took place; the marriage must also be recognized in Canada.
    • Same sex partners are eligible as long as the marriage took place in Canada after the permitted dates according to each province, or if abroad, as long as your marriage is recognized as legal in the country where it took place.
    • Common-law partners are unmarried partners who have been living together in a conjugal relationship for a continuous period of the least 12 months (save for short absences such as business trips). Proof of the conjugal relationship will be required.
    • Conjugal relationships are considered for both same sex and opposite sex partners. This can only be applied for if your relationship has the same permanence and commitment to it as a marriage, but for valid reasons you have been unable to live together or get married. Examples of this include the fact that same sex marriage not permitted in the country you live in, or that you are already married but divorce is not permitted in your country. Proof of the fact you could not live together or get married will be required.
    • Dependent children should be:
      1. Under the age of 22 with no spouse or partner
      2. In full time studies and financially dependent since prior to age 22
      3. Financially dependent due to a disability.
  2. Family Class: Other eligible relatives
    • Sponsors must be over 18 years of age.
    • A sponsorship agreement is signed and agreed upon between the sponsor and the family member(s) being sponsored. This agreement also commits the sponsored family to make every effort to become financially member(s) independent as soon as possible. The period of sponsorship ranges from 3 – 10 years depending upon the immigrant applicants’ age and their relationship to the sponsor.
    • You must be residing in Canada to be a sponsor.
    • Eligible relatives include orphaned and unmarried (also without life partners) sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
    • Other than the above, a relative of any age or relationship can be sponsored when the sponsor has no living spouse or common-law partner, conjugal partner, son or daughter, parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who could be sponsored as a member of the family class. The sponsor must also not have any relative who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.

Who can Immigrate to Canada with the Applicant?

  • Spouses and common-law partners.
  • Dependent children or your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child.
  • Dependent children of dependent children.