Family Sponsorship

Welcome to New League Immigration, where we’re here to help you navigate the world of Canadian family sponsorship programs. If you’re a permanent resident or citizen of Canada looking to bring your loved ones closer, Canada has special programs just for you. These programs let certain family members become permanent residents, ensuring that family unity is a top priority.

One of the most sought-after paths to Canada is through family sponsorship programs. These programs are designed to make it simple for citizens and permanent residents to bring their spouses and immediate family members to Canada, all with faster processing times. At SkyPod, we understand that families should never have to wait.

Who You Can Sponsor?

• Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner
• Dependent child (or child you plan to adopt): must be 21 and younger
• Parents and Grandparents: who fulfill the eligibility and legality to immigrate
• Orphaned Relatives: brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandson or granddaughter, under the age of 18, and not married or in a common-law relationship
• Other relative: Other relatives (under exceptional circumstances as a “Lonely Canadian”)

Note – For other relatives, you can Sponsor only those who do not have any other family living in Canada

Eligibility Criteria To Sponsor A Family Member

• Canadian Connection: You need to be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.
• Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old.
• Residency: You should either live in Canada or have solid plans to return once your spouse or partner becomes a permanent resident here.
• Financial Support: You need to have the capacity and willingness to provide for your family member’s financial needs for three years.

Who Isn’t Eligible To Sponsor A Relative?

• Legal Constraints: If you’re currently in prison, you might not be eligible.
• Financial Responsibilities: If you haven’t met alimony or child support payments or if you’re still dealing with bankruptcy issues, you might not be eligible.
• Social Assistance: If you’ve received social assistance for non-disability reasons, you might not be eligible.
• Immigration Loan: Failing to repay an immigration loan or consistently making late/missed payments could make you ineligible.
• Past Sponsorship: If you’ve sponsored another relative in the past and didn’t fulfill the sponsorship agreement, you might not be eligible.
• Criminal History: If you’ve been convicted of certain serious crimes, offenses against a relative, or sexual offenses, your eligibility might be affected.

What Are The Income Requirements To Sponsor?

You’ll need to make a commitment by signing a Sponsorship Agreement with your family member you’re sponsoring. This commitment means you’re stepping up to cover their essential needs like food, clothing, shelter, and any health expenses that aren’t covered by public health services.

Now, for certain sponsorship cases, there’s a bit more to it. You’ll need to hit or go beyond a certain income level known as the Low Income Cut-off (LICO). This comes into play when:

You’re sponsoring a spouse or partner who has a dependent child, and that dependent child has their own child or children.

You’re sponsoring a dependent child who has their own dependent child or children.

You’re sponsoring a parent or grandparent.
If you’re in Quebec, there’s a different set of rules in play. Quebec’s sponsorship requirements come into play, and your income will be looked at by the Quebec immigration ministry. So, income’s definitely something to keep in mind as you step into the sponsorship process.

Sponsored Person	Length of Undertaking (excluding Quebec)
Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner	3 years
Dependent child	10 years, or until age 25, whichever comes first
Dependent child 22 years of age or older	3 years
Parent or grandparent	20 years
Other relative	10 years

For residents of Quebec, the duration of the undertaking also depends on the sponsored family member and their age:

Sponsored Person	Length of Undertaking
Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner	3 years
Dependent child under 16 years of age	Minimum 10 years (or until age 18), whichever is longer
Dependent child 16 years of age and older	Minimum 3 years (or until age 25), whichever is longer
Other relatives	10 years

The Impact of COVID-19 on Family Sponsorship

COVID-19 has brought about changes in family sponsorship, but it hasn’t stopped the process. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is still accepting applications to reunite families, even though the pandemic has affected the timeline.

To address these challenges, the Canadian government is making efforts to speed up the process and ensure families can be together:

• More Staff: IRCC has increased its team by 66% to speed up reviews of spousal sponsorship applications and reduce waiting times.
• Digital Innovation: A pilot project is underway to use new technology to digitize paper applications, leading to quicker processing times.
• Remote Solutions: IRCC is exploring options like remote interviews through technology and simplifying biometric processes.

Good news for those who received Employment Insurance and Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) – you can still sponsor your family member as long as you meet sponsorship criteria. Even if the person you’ve sponsored received EI or CERB during the sponsorship period, it won’t impact your obligations.

At SkyPod, we’re here to help you understand every step of the sponsorship journey. Let us guide you through the process and make bringing your loved ones to Canada a smoother experience.