What is Family Class Sponsorship?

The Canadian government values keeping families together, and therefore prioritizes family class sponsorship applications. You can sponsor certain relatives living abroad to immigrate to Canada if you meet the mandatory requirements.

How Family Class Sponsorship Works?

The Canadian family member may sponsor the following individuals:

Sponsor’s Requirements

The sponsor must be either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident that is at least 18 years of age. Additionally, the sponsor must:

  1. Financially support their family member (and any dependent). This entails not only proving their financial means for the support but also entering into an agreement with the government of Canada confirming the undertaking

  2. If the sponsor is a permanent resident, he or she must reside in Canada at the time of the sponsorship. However, if the sponsor is a citizen, then he or she must reside in Canada at the time when the relative arrives in Canada

  3. Not be imprisoned or charged with a serious criminal offence

  4. Not be under bankruptcy proceeding

  5. Not be under a removal order

The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Family Class Sponsorship

What happens when sponsorship application is refused?

Based on the reason your application has been refused will determine what options is available to you. If your application has been denied you can either make amendments to your application and resubmit and addressing the officers concerns (subject to certain exceptions), or you may appeal the decision to the Immigration Adjudication Division (IAD). However, time is of the essence and thus the appeal must be filed within 30 days the decision is rendered. Additionally, it is important to note that appeals can be timely and costly, and does not guarantee a decision in the affirmative. Because appeals are complicated and demand extensive effort and preparation, it is recommended that you contact a lawyer to help you on the matter.

Sponsorship Processing Times

The length of the processing times for a family class sponsorship varies and depends on the following: the visa office that is processing your application and the type of family class sponsorship. Generally, spousal and partner applications take about 12 months whereas parents and grandparents can typically take up to 3 years.

How much financial support do I have to show?

Depending on what type of application you are submitting under the family class will determine if you need to show finances. If you are sponsoring your spouse or common law partner to Canada there is no financial requirement. However, you do need to show that you are able to support your spouse or common law partner for their basic necessities of life. If there are dependents involved then based on the family size you would need meet financial requirements.

Parental sponsorship on the other hand requires the sponsor to meet the Low Income Cut Off (LICO) which is dependent on the family size. The larger your household the more you would need to show on your notice of assessment.

There is financial requirements for persons that wish to sponsor their parent to Canada.

Contact Akrami and Associates

Despite the fact that a Canadian government values and prioritizes family class sponsorship applications, there is never a guarantee that your application will be approved. There are numerous requirements and a mere oversight can likely lead to a refusal. The family class sponsorship applications entail the compilation of a myriad of documents and missing any of such documents may be to your detriment, as it can either result in delayed processing or a refusal. Thus, it is crucial to seek the guidance or assistance of a legal professional who can ensure the accuracy and completion of your application, thereby securing optimal chances for success.

Our team at Akrami and Associates have over 12 years of experience in family class sponsorships and know exactly what immigration officers look for. We have helped countless number of family reunite and successfully obtain permanent residence, and we can help you too!

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!!