Family reunification is one of the key goals of Canadian immigration policy.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Canada, who are aged 18 or older, may sponsor family members who wish to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Sponsors must promise to support their family member, and their accompanying family members, for a period of three years or ten years, depending upon the type of sponsorship application.
Family members eligible for sponsorship are:
If you are married to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or have been in a relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for at least 12 months you may be eligible to apply for Canadian permanent residency if your spouse or partner agrees to sponsor you.
Applicants and their sponsor who have been in a relationship of two years or less and have no children in common at the time the sponsorship application is submitted will receive conditional permanent residence.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor their parents and/or grandparents. The sponsor must be able to demonstrate that their total income meets the requirements set out by the Canadian government. Sponsors must be able to show that they have sufficient funds to support themselves, their immediate family members residing in Canada along with the family members they intend to sponsor.
The sponsor must have met the minimum income requirements for three consecutive tax years, prior to the submission of the sponsorship application. (Sponsors have the option of including the income of their spouse or common-law partner, if necessary).
A maximum of 5,000 applications for the sponsorship of parents and grandparents will be accepted for processing each year. The cap year began on January 2, 2015 and will end on December 31, 2015.
A Super Visa is available for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This is a temporary visa allowing the applicant to remain in Canada as a visitor for a period of up to two years.
The Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada must provide a letter of support along with written commitment of financial support and they must meet the minimum income threshold as determined by the Canadian government.
The applicant must obtain Canadian medical insurance for at least 12 months and must complete a medical examination as part of the visa application.
For further information concerning the Family Category please e-mail B.M.G. at info@brazolotgroup.com or complete our Evaluation Worksheet.
Brazolot Migration Group now hosts a series of free webinars (online seminars) about Canadian immigration and the different visa options. Please visit our “Canada – You CAN Go!” page to find out more and to register.