The Canadian Government does understand that families wish to be together and immigration is permitted for many members of the family. Some family members – such as spouses and dependent children – can be included on the initial visa application for new immigrants to Canada, while parents, grandparents, and others must be sponsored by Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Requirements for family immigration
Spouses and Partners
Your spouse or common-law partner can normally be included in your own application for immigration. A common-law partner is defined as a person of any sex (including same-sex partners) who has been living with you as a partner for at least 1 year. Similar information needs to be provided for your partner as for the “Principal Applicant” (yourself) on the visa application form.
Your spouse’s dependent children can also be included on your visa application.
This is normally a straightforward family immigration application to make.
Children
As of August 2014 only dependent children under the age of 19 can be included in your visa application, except in the case of children with certain physical and/or mental disabilities and health conditions, who have no age limit. Previously children up to the age of 22 could be included.
A dependent child is defined as any child under the age of 19 who does not have a spouse or partner, or any child of any age who is financially dependent on you (or your spouse) due to a physical or mental disability or health condition.
If you or your spouse’s dependent children have dependent children of their own, these children can also be included on your visa application.
Parents and Grandparents
In most cases parents cannot be included on the initial visa application, and must instead be sponsored by a permanent resident or citizen, except in rare cases where the parents or grandparents are living in some hardship, and there are compelling humanitarian and compassionate reasons to allow them to be included on the initial application.
Eligibility
In order to sponsor your parents and grandparents to enter Canada as permanent residents you and your parent(s)/grandparent(s) must co-sign a sponsorship agreement, which states:
- That you will provide them with financial support if necessary – such as if they become unemployed, for a period of between 3 and 10 years.
- That your parent(s)/grandparent(s) will take all reasonable measures to support themselves financially.
Restrictions
You may be unable sponsor your parents or grandparents if any of the following conditions apply:
- You did not abide by the financial support conditions for another relative you sponsored in the past.
- You have ever defaulted on a court support order, such as a child support order.
- Have ever received benefits/financial support from the Canadian government (except support for a disability)
- Have ever been convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or any offence against a relative.
- Have ever missed payments, made late payments, or defaulted on an immigration loan.
- You are currently in prison.
- You are currently declared bankrupt.
Others
Sponsorship applications can be made for orphaned relatives under 19 years of age such as brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild. Sponsoring these relatives has similar eligibility requirements and restrictions with sponsoring parents/grandparents (above).
Further, you can normally sponsor a child under 19 years of age that you plan to adopt (subject to the relevant adoption laws). Please see our International Adoptions page for more details.
Further information, help, and advice
Workpermit.com’s team of specialists has over 25 years of experience in immigration services, and have helped thousands of people to study and work in Canada. All applications for Canadian visas are dealt with in-house by a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.