Spousal, Partner, or Child Sponsorship
To successfully sponsor a spouse, partner or child for Permanent Residence you must qualify as a sponsor. You must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident;
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Live in Canada or if you are a citizen, then you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative becomes a Permanent Resident;
- Satisfy Quebec specific laws regarding sponsorship if you live in Quebec; and
- Be able to prove that you have enough income to provide basic needs of the person or people that you are sponsoring.
You cannot be a sponsor if you:
- Were sponsored by a spouse or partner and became a Permanent Resident less than five years ago;
- Were sponsored by a previous spouse or partner and three years have not passed since this person became a Permanent Resident;
- Are in default of a previous sponsorship undertaking;
- Are in the process of a bankruptcy proceeding;
- Receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability;
- Were convicted of a violent or sexual offense or are in jail;
- Are under a removal order; or
- Have already applied to sponsor your current spouse, partner, or child and a decision has not yet been made.
Person who you are sponsoring
If you are sponsoring a spouse or partner, the sponsored spouse must be at least 18 years old and the relationship must be a genuine one.
If you are sponsoring a child, the child must be under 22 years old and unmarried. If the child is older than 22 years of age and dependent on the parent’s financial support because of a mental or physical condition, then that child may also qualify to be sponsored despite being older than 22 years of age. Once the sponsorship application is in process, sponsored family members over the age of 18 years old will need to submit police certificates and all family members will need to have a medical exam.
There are two separate streams for spousal or partner sponsorship applications:
- Overseas sponsorship application – For spouses or partners living outside of Canada.
- In-land sponsorship application – For a spouse or partner who is living in Canada. Applicants under this category may also be eligible to apply for a work permit when the sponsorship application is filed.
If you would like to sponsor your spouse, partner, or child to come to Canada, please contact us to arrange a consultation.
