Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship
People have various reasons to sponsor their Parents and Grandparents to Canada. Some people sponsor because they want family reunification while others sponsor so they can ease off the family burden they have on their shoulder. Some people also sponsor for cultural reasons just so their parents or grandparents can raise their kids with the same cultural values that were given to them while they grew up. Whatever the reason might be, the Canadian system of immigration allows you to sponsor your parent and grandparents. Everybody wants their loved ones to stay close to them, especially when it comes to their parents or grandparents. No relationship gives you more strength and support to your family as your parents or grandparents do. Canadian system of immigration helps people reunite as a family.
In this blog we will discuss what is needed to sponsor your Parent or Grandparent to Canada. What documents you can rely on and what information is needed to have a successful case to get approval. Before the success of your application it is important to talk about who is eligible to sponsor and what are the requirements for it.
Who can apply under Family Class Sponsorship?
This is a category of sponsorship that is specifically made for family members. The family members that fit into this category of immigration are parents, grandparents, dependent children, spouse and common-law partner. For you to be able to sponsor any family member from this category of immigration you have to be the primary sponsor. There are requirements that need to be met for you to be a sponsor of any of the members from Family Class Sponsorship.
Requirements are listed below:
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You must be 18 years of age
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You must be a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen in Canada
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Must sponsor a member from family class
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Sign an undertaking to provide for the person financially
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Must meet the minimum income requirements
It will be expected of the sponsor to meet the minimum necessary income threshold by submitting the notice of assessment issued by Canadian revenue agency. You as a sponsor will also have to demonstrate that you meet this necessary income from the last three years in a row.
Who cannot be a sponsor of a Family Class?
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you are receiving social assistance for a reason other than disability
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you are bankrupt
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convicted of a sexual or violent crime
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you are a subject of a removal order
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you are in default of an undertaking such as, immigration loan, family support payments and so on
While you are filing for sponsorship application for your Parents and Grandparents, you can also file for Super Visa application. Super visa was introduced to void the long processing procedures of sponsorship applications. Super Visa allows the sponsor to bring their parents to Canada in a relatively short period of time. Successful applicants of Super Visa program will get Multiple Entry Visitor Visa that may last for up to 10 years. Unlike other visitor visas which are renewed every six months, a super visa stays valid for two years at a stretch.
Super Visa General Requirements
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Written commitment of financial support from you as a sponsor
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Minimum income requirement
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Canadian health insurance for one year at least
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Immigration medical exam
Your parents or grandparents might require a temporary resident visa depending on the country they are coming from as there are countries that are exempt from this requirement while they enter Canada. We have discussed briefly about super visa below as it is an application related to the topic about Parents and Grandparents.
Who is eligible to apply for Super Visa?
There are requirements that have to be met before the parents could be allowed entry in Canada under super visa. Number one requirement is that the Parents or Grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent resident cannot be inadmissible to Canada. Inadmissibility is measured on the grounds of health and security. The Canadian government has to be sure that the visitor coming to Canada is not a security risk for the Canadians and neither a burden on their health care system. It is also very important to know that any dependents in the family cannot be included on this application. This application is only specific to the needs of parents or grandparents reunion with their loved ones in Canada. Only parents or grandparents together with their spouses or common-law partners can travel to Canada, if they are approved in their application of super visa. Moreover, you can apply for sponsorship of your parents simultaneously with super visa. Dependants on your application are not allowed on super visa application. Depends who would like to accompany you to Canada can apply for a TRV separately.
Length of Undertaking for Sponsorship
Now coming back to sponsorship application. Your responsibility as a sponsor and as a co-signer begins as soon as your family members included in the undertaking arrive in Canada as permanent residents. The undertaking on your part will be valid for 20 years and it will be for every member you have undertaken to sponsor. Your spouse or common-law partner can also be a partner in contributing to your undertaking of sponsorship. Your partner can be a co-signer of the sponsorship application, given that the common-law partner or your conjugal partner has lived with you for one year at least prior to signing the agreement. To answer the question, yes your spouse can help you be a financial support in the application. The co-signer to this agreement will be equally liable if the obligations are not fulfilled properly.
Low Income Cut Off (LICO) Chart:
Some people do not understand the meaning of the abbreviation LICO. They do not know how and when their income comes into play in regards to their application. The table for minimum necessary income is listed below to demonstrate how much it costs to have one person sponsored or invited over to Canada:
Size of Family Unit Minimum necessary income
1 person (the sponsor) $22,229
2 persons $27,674
3 persons $34,022
4 persons $41,307
5 persons $46,850
6 persons $52,838
7 persons $58,827
More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add $5,989
Cancellation of Undertaking for Sponsorship
If your family plans have changed and you no longer want to sponsor your Parents or Grandparents to Canada then you must act as soon as possible to avoid any future implications. In order for you to cancel the undertaking you must inform CPC-M of your decision to withdraw your undertaking before the permanent resident visa is issued. It is a web form which asks for your name, date of birth and universal client identification number. This information helps them locate your file and allows them to take necessary steps to cancel the undertaking before the permanent visa is issued. In case if the permanent resident visa is already issued then the undertaking remains valid for the entire term of the agreement.
Contact Akrami & Associates:
If you want to bring your parents or grandparents to Canada via super visa or through sponsorship and if you want your application to be done efficiently, please do consider Akrami & Associates for all your legal needs. Our team of dedicated consultants and lawyers will take good care of you by presenting the best possible case for you and your loved ones.
With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!