Canadian Family Sponsorship Program

The Program Family Sponsorship is suitable for those whose relatives want to move to Canada and need sponsorship. The applicant can help their relatives live, study, and work in Canada if they can provide for them financially so that they do not need social assistance.

From September 23, 2022, applications for participation in the Family Sponsorship program are submitting online:

• Application from the sponsor for permission to become a sponsor.
• Application from a dependent for Canadian permanent residence.

You can become a sponsor of your spouse, partner, or child if:

• The applicant must be at least 18 years old.
• The applicant is a Canadian citizen, a Canadian permanent resident, or registered as a Canadian Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
• If the applicant is a Canadian citizen but lives outside of Canada, he or she must demonstrate that he or she plans to live in Canada when the persons he or she sponsors obtain permanent residence.
• The applicant must not be receiving social assistance except for reasons of disability.
• The applicant is able to financially support the person he/she intends to sponsor.

The applicant must make a promise to provide financial support for those they intend to sponsor. The promise includes providing financial support for the sponsored family members from the time they receive PR, as well as reimbursement of any social assistance that the province has provided to the sponsored persons. Social assistance includes benefits (money, goods, or services) for:

• nutrition;
• housing;
• clothes;
• fuel;
• public utilities;
• household items;
• personal needs;
• health services outside the framework of public health care.

In this case, the obligation has specific periods for sponsorship during a certain time:

In most cases, there is no income requirement to sponsor your spouse, partner, or dependent child. Evidence of income eligibility will be required if:

• you are sponsoring a dependent child who has one or more dependent children of his or her own;
• you sponsor a spouse or partner who has a dependent child with their own dependent children (one or more).

The financial solvency form for sponsorship can be completed using the instructions IMM 1283 on the migration program’s official website.

A spouse, partner, or child cannot be sponsored by someone who:

• Has not reached the age of 18.
• Will not be living in Canada when sponsored persons obtain permanent residence.
• Is a temporary resident (studying or working on a visa or temporary permit).
• I applied for permanent residence, and it is still pending.
• Does not have enough income to support sponsorship.
• Sponsored by a spouse or partner and received permanent residence less than five years ago.
• Are financially responsible for a previous spouse or partner you sponsored.
• Are in prison or a correctional facility.
• Has outstanding debt on an immigration loan or court-ordered family support payments.
• Has not provided financial support for sponsor obligations in the past.
• Declared himself bankrupt and has debts.
• Receives social assistance for reasons other than disability.
• He was involved in cases related to domestic violence.
• Does not have legal status to be in Canada and must leave the country.

So, the key requirement of the program is the sponsor’s financial solvency and willingness to assume financial obligations to support relatives for a period from 3 to 20 years, depending on the category of the sponsored person. At the same time, the program has clear restrictions for potential sponsors, including age limits, requirements for legal status in Canada, absence of debts, and sufficient income. This protects the interests of both the sponsored individual and the Canadian social system.