Family sponsorship
Reunification, a pillar of the Canadian system
Sponsorship of a spouse, child, parent or grandparent by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Family reunification is one of the pillars of Canadian immigration policy. A citizen or permanent resident may sponsor certain family members and undertakes in return to provide for their needs for a set period. On paper the procedure looks simple; in practice, spousal files regularly fail on one specific point: proving the relationship is genuine.
Spouses, common-law partners or conjugal partners of a citizen or permanent resident
Dependent children of a parent settled in Canada
Parents and grandparents, subject to the program’s annual openings
Couples separated by distance for several years
Families refused on the grounds that the relationship was not genuine
Sponsor eligibility check
Status, minimum income required, absence of an ongoing prior undertaking, and capacity to sponsor.
Relationship evidence file
The centrepiece: documented chronology, communications, transfers, dated photographs, statements and proof of cohabitation.
Sponsorship and PR application
Both parts are prepared and filed together, with the sponsor’s undertaking.
Formalities for the sponsored person
Medical exam, police certificates, civil status documents and biometrics.
Responses and interviews
Preparation for a possible interview and response to any procedural fairness letter.
Arrival and status
Confirmation of permanent residence, landing and permanent resident card.
- 01
Sponsor review
Verifying status, income and the absence of any bar to sponsoring.
- 02
Building relationship evidence
Methodically gathering everything that documents the history of the couple or the family tie.
- 03
Joint filing
Simultaneous filing of the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application.
- 04
Exams and checks
Medical exam, police certificates and biometrics for the sponsored person.
- 05
Decision
Approval, issuance of the immigrant visa and preparation for the journey.
Family sponsorship
12 to 24 months depending on the relationship- 1Proof of the sponsor’s citizenship or permanent residence
- 2Proof of the relationship: marriage certificate, family record book or common-law evidence
- 3Documented history of the relationship over its full duration
- 4Signed sponsorship undertaking and proof of income where required
- 5Police certificates and medical exam for the sponsored person
- 6Civil status documents, translated and certified
For sponsoring a spouse or dependent child, no income threshold applies in most cases. For parents and grandparents, by contrast, the sponsor must demonstrate income above a threshold set annually, over the last three tax years.
Thirty minutes can change a decade
The eligibility assessment is free and carries no obligation. You leave with a clear answer: which programs are open to you, what you are missing, and what it genuinely costs.
Reply within 48 business hours · No obligation · Full confidentiality