Family Class Sponsorship

Application for Family Class Sponsorship Canada

Family Class Sponsorship is a program under which Canadian Residents and Citizens can invite their family members to live with them in Canada. Canadian Immigration system includes family reunification as one of three pillars.
In order to become a sponsor under this category, the Person should meet following criteria:

  • An individual who is 18 years or older;
  • A Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident, who is living or intends to live in Canada
  • A person not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability and is able to provide the basic needs of the person sponsored.

Family class sponsorship is basically divided into following three categories:

This application basically permits a Canadian resident to sponsor his or her spouse, common law spouse or a conjugal partner to live in Canada.
Following eligibility criteria are to be met by the sponsor and his/her spouse intending to migrate to Canada:

  • Age : Both sponsor and his/her spouse, common law spouse or a conjugal partner should be of at least 18 years of age;
  • Objective : Both of aforesaid parties should establish their common objective of living together in Canada;
  • Genuine relationship : Both parties should establish that their relationship is genuine and is not under any mala-fide intentions.
  • Conjugal relationship : Both parties should be under conjugal relationship for at least 12 months preceding the application date.

Eligible sponsors can sponsor their parents, grandparents or any relative within the family class sponsorship, if they meet certain requirements.
The sponsor must meet eligibility requirements which are given as follows:

  • Age : The sponsor must be 18 years of age or older
  • Status and residence : The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and must be living in Canada
  • Family class member : The sponsor must be sponsoring a member of the family class
  • Income requirements : The sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) in last three years.
  • Undertaking : The sponsor is required to commit to support the sponsored person and their dependents financially and provide for the basic requirements
  • Sponsorship agreement :The sponsor must sign a mutual agreement with the sponsored person to confirm that both parties understands their mutual obligations and responsibilities.

Eligible sponsors can sponsor their dependent child/children, both natural and adopted, as the principal applicant(s) within the family class sponsorship.
The dependent child must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Dependency : The sponsored person must be less than 22 years of age and must not be a spouse or a common law partner or is 22 years of age or older and is unable to support financially due a physical or mental condition
  • Nature of relationship : The sponsored person must be either the biological child of the parent if the child has not been adopted by a person other than the spouse or common law partner, or the adopted child of the parent
  • Have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before Candidate applies
  • Meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification, except for needing a certificate of qualification
  • Have a valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
Proof of funds

Candidate must show that he/she hold sufficient funds for themselves and their family to settle in Canada, unless Candidate:

  • Is currently able to legally work in Canada
  • Have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada