There is a category of Canadian Immigration known as the "Family Class" that helps you sponsor family members living abroad and bring them to Canada. This process helps reunite families and complete the dream of immigrating to Canada, but as with all aspects of Canadian immigration, there are some important rules and regulations to follow.

Are You Eligible?

Various factors affect your eligibility to sponsor a family member. Some of these include:

  • You must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • You must never have defaulted on a court-ordered support order.
  • You must a criminal check and medical screening.
  • You must never have defaulted on an immigration loan.
  • You may not be currently in bankruptcy.
  • You must sign an agreement with the Canadian government to financially support your sponsored relatives for a specified period of time.
  • You must meet a minimum income level that is determined by the size of your family.

You'll encounter other factors, but these are some of the main ones that influence your ability to sponsor your relatives. It's important to note that the relatives you sponsor must also meet certain conditions, so be sure to ask your immigration lawyer when you begin the process.

Submit the Applications

If you meet the criteria to be a sponsor and your family members are eligible, filling out and submitting the application is the next logical step. Your application is reviewed by the Case processing Centre or CPC, and then you wait to hear about the status of the application.

If it is approved, you must follow the instructions of the CPC pertaining to your family members and the forms they must fill out to complete the process. Relatives you are sponsoring must also apply for permanent residence status, sending all necessary forms to a Canadian Visa Office.

If you receive the application package and go through the process and you denied on your end, your relatives can still continue with the permanent resident status applications, but approval isn't guaranteed. If you are approved, but they are refused, you will receive the reason and information on how to launch an appeal, if desired.

The Value of Expert Help

Signing on with a Canadian immigration lawyer to make the process smoother isn't a necessity, but it will certainly help. If you have family members who are anxious to come over and join you, trying to navigate the system on your own can be frustrating and you might miss key details that could make a difference.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.