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Family Class

Family Sponsorship is appropriate for Canadians and Permanent Residents who wish to sponsor a close relative for Permanent Residence. Reunification is one of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s highest priorities. Individuals who are being sponsored by a family member, usually a spouse or a parent, do not have to meet the point system or discretionary selection criteria used in the other application categories. Instead, they are sponsored by a family member in Canada who will provide assistance in the individual’s ability to establish themselves in Canada. Individuals being sponsored must undergo medical examinations and provide police clearance certificates during the application process.

Who Can Be Sponsored?

Only the following members of the family class may be sponsored:

  • Spouses, common- law or conjugal partners 18 years of age or older;
  • Parents and grandparents;
  • Dependent children, including adopted children;
  • Children under 18 years of age whom you intend to adopt;
  • Children or guardianship; or
  • Brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are orphans; under the age of 18 and not married or in a common-law relationship.

Who can 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.