Join Your Family in Canada: A Comprehensive Guide
Bringing your family together in Canada is a fulfilling adventure that allows loved ones to reunite in a country known for its warmth and hospitality. At PL Immigration, we provide various pathways to help your spouse, children, parents, and grandparents join their Canadian family members who are citizens or permanent residents. Although the process might appear daunting, understanding the eligibility criteria and steps involved can simplify the journey significantly. From document collection to correct form submission, each phase is crucial for a seamless transition.
Sponsoring Your Spouse, Partner, or Dependent Children to Canada
The desire to reunite with family in Canada is a common aspiration, and the process varies based on individual circumstances. Here, we’ll outline the general steps involved in securing a Family Sponsorship Visa. To sponsor a spouse, partner, or dependent child, you must fulfill several criteria: be at least 18 years old, hold the status of either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or be registered under the Canadian Indian Act. If residing outside Canada, you should intend to return when your family obtains permanent residency. It is essential to understand that permanent residents abroad or those receiving social assistance – except for disability reasons – are ineligible to sponsor.
You will need to demonstrate financial capability to support your relatives and enter into a sponsorship agreement, committing to meet their essential needs and reimburse any provincial assistance they might receive. Quebec residents must follow additional provincial guidelines. Factors like recent sponsorship history or financial challenges can affect your eligibility to sponsor.
Applying to Sponsor Your Spouse, Partner, or Dependent Children
Excited to reunite with your spouse, partner, or child in Canada? Here’s how to start the application process:
- Apply to Sponsor: Download and fill out the required forms. Sign them digitally. The sponsoring individual will upload and electronically sign these forms.
- Complete the Permanent Residence Application: Set up an account on the Permanent Residence online portal. Fill out all necessary forms, submit them, and make sure photos meet the required specifications.
- Pay Fees and Biometrics: Schedule a biometrics appointment and pay the processing, right of permanent residence, and biometrics fees online.
- Submit Additional Information: Provide medical exams, police certificates, and any updated documentation if there are changes in your situation during the application processing.
- Submit Your Application: Ensure all forms are correctly filled out and signed and fees are paid before submitting your application.
- Stay Updated: Monitor the status of your application online and respond to any further requests.
For residents of Quebec, remember to check for specific provincial requirements.
This simplified guide helps streamline the process and ensures you understand each step clearly.
Support Your Adopted Child’s Immigration to Canada
Helping Your Adopted Child Move to Canada
Bringing your adopted child to Canada involves understanding various steps and regulations. PL Immigration offers the assistance you need throughout this journey.
Criteria for Sponsoring Your Adopted Child
To sponsor your adopted child, you must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident who resides in Canada by the time your child gains permanent residency. You should be at least 18 years of age. Sponsor eligibility might be compromised by prior unfulfilled sponsorship commitments, failure to provide legally mandated child support, or having a record of violent offenses. If you’re living in Quebec, additional provincial sponsorship criteria must be met.
Legalizing the Adoption
Most international adoptions occur in the child’s birth country, governed by that country’s laws. It’s important to ensure the adoption is legally recognized in both the child’s native country and your Canadian province. Essential steps usually include a home study and medical examinations. Consult with your provincial or territorial government and certified adoption agencies for specific requirements and procedures.
Steps to Sponsor Your Adopted Child’s Immigration
Here’s how you can sponsor your adopted child to live with you in Canada:
Step 1: Sponsor Application
Start by downloading and completing the Document Checklist — Sponsor [IMM 5287], designed to ensure you gather all necessary paperwork and forms. Submit this checklist with your online application. Be sure to select the appropriate visa office based on your location and attach all required documents.
Step 2: Completing Forms
Both you and the child you are sponsoring must digitally sign the Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement, and Undertaking [IMM 1344], along with other required forms. You can sign on behalf of your child if they are under 18.
Step 3: Requirements for the Sponsored Child
Your adopted child needs to set up an online account for permanent residency, fill out the necessary digital forms, and supply signed documents.
Step 4: Utilizing an Immigration Representative
If you engage an immigration representative, complete and submit the Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] form. While a representative can assist with document preparation and inquiries, the application must be signed and submitted by you.
Step 5: Photos and Biometrics
Upload a photo for every individual listed in the application. Children age 14 and older will provide biometrics; the biometric fee must be paid, and the procedure completed within 30 days of receiving the request.
Step 6: Final Application Submission
Double-check that all questions are answered, the application is electronically signed, and all fees are settled before submission. For technical issues, connect with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) using their online contact form.
Support Your Family in Canada
Under specific guidelines, you have the opportunity to bring certain family members, such as siblings or aunts and uncles, to Canada. If these relatives do not fall under the specified categories, you can explore various immigration options that may fit their circumstances using the “Come to Canada” tool.
Sponsorship for Orphaned Relatives
You are eligible to sponsor an orphaned sibling, nephew, niece, or grandchild, as long as they are under 18, unmarried, and have lost both parents. These individuals must be connected to you through blood or legal adoption. If any parent is alive, whereabouts unknown, or if they are under another guardian’s care, then sponsorship isn’t applicable.
Sponsoring Other Family Members
In cases where you lack closer relations like a spouse, child, or parent, it is possible to sponsor a single relative of any age. This individual must not be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Indian Act, and they must be related through blood or adoption.
Below are a few examples demonstrating eligibility for family sponsorship through PL Immigration:
- Eligible Aunt: Veronica, who has acquired permanent residency and does not have any immediate family members in Canada, is eligible to sponsor her aunt, Betty.
- Eligible Cousin: Sam, a permanent resident of Canada without siblings, is eligible to sponsor his cousin from the United States since he lacks closer familial connections.
- Ineligible Aunt by Marriage: Aba is unable to sponsor her aunt through marriage due to the absence of a direct bloodline relationship.
How to Apply to Sponsor a Relative As of September 23, 2002, applying online is mandatory. If you can’t apply online due to a disability or other reason, you can request the application in a different format, such as paper or large print. Here are the steps to follow.
Guide to Sponsoring Parents and Grandparents to Canada
Step 1: Review the IRCC Document Guide
Begin by checking the IRCC’s document checklist. Utilize form IMM 5287 to confirm that you possess all necessary documents. Ensure this form is uploaded with your online application.
Step 2: Choose Your Canadian Visa Office
Identify the appropriate Canadian visa office based on your geographical location and adhere to their specific instructions.
Step 3: Fill Out Required Forms
Download, complete, and submit all obligatory forms, such as the Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344), and Financial Evaluation (IMM 1283).
Step 4: Steps for Your Sponsored Family Member
Your sponsored family member must either create a new account or log into their existing Permanent Residence online portal account. From there, they need to fill out and upload documents, including the Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008), Schedule A – Background/Declaration (IMM 5669), and Additional Family Information (IMM 5406).
Step 5: Consider Appointing an Immigration Representative
If assistance is needed, download and use the Use of a Representative Form (IMM 5476) or Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475).
Prior to submitting your application, verify that all questions are thoroughly answered, electronic signatures are included, and all requisite documents and fees are attached.
Bringing Family Members to Canada with PL Immigration
At PL Immigration, we specialize in helping you bring your parents or grandparents to Canada. If they meet the eligibility criteria, you can sponsor:
- Your biological or adopted parents and grandparents,
- The dependent children of your parents and grandparents, including any siblings, half-siblings, or step-siblings, along with their children,
- If divorced or separated, their current spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner.
Individual Immigration Applications for Divorced Parents
When parents have legally divorced, each parent must submit their own application for immigration. For parents who are separated yet not divorced, only one application is necessary since they are considered legally married despite their separation.
Essential Documentation for Permanent Residency
To apply for permanent residency, it is crucial for your parents and grandparents to provide key documentation which includes medical examinations, police clearance certificates, and biometric data.
Various Scenarios for Family Sponsorship
Sponsoring Your Parents as a Couple
If your parents are still a couple, you can sponsor them together as a unit. You will need to select one parent as the main applicant while the other will be listed as a dependent. It’s important to note that the main applicant cannot be changed after the application has been submitted.
Supporting a Parent and Step-Parent
You can support your parent along with their spouse, who is your step-parent. In this scenario, your parent should be listed as the main applicant, with the step-parent as a dependent. If any half-siblings are to be included, they must meet the criteria to be considered dependent children.
Assisting Both Grandparents and Parents with Sponsorship
For both your grandparents and parents, separate applications should be filled out. Ensure that one individual from each application is marked as the primary applicant.
Critical Sponsorship Restrictions
You are not eligible to sponsor the parents or grandparents of your spouse or common-law partner (essentially, your in-laws). However, you may co-sign if your spouse or partner is invited to apply. Additionally, invitations to apply cannot be transferred to another individual, and you cannot sponsor anyone who is deemed inadmissible to Canada.
How to Apply for Canada Sponsorship
Step 1: Obtain a Sponsorship Invitation
To begin the sponsorship process, the first key step is receiving a formal invitation to sponsor.
Step 2: Complete Two Necessary Applications
For the sponsorship to proceed, two distinct applications must be submitted: one for yourself as the sponsor and one for your parents or grandparents who aim to obtain permanent residency in Canada. These applications should be submitted online using the Permanent Residence (PR) Portal. If a paid immigration representative is assisting you, they will utilize the Representative PR Portal instead.
Step 3: Individual Accounts Required for Each Applicant
Each parent or grandparent applying as a principal applicant must set up individual accounts in the PR portal and submit their applications separately.
Step 4: Utilizing an Immigration Representative
When opting to enlist the help of an immigration representative, it is essential to submit the Use of a Representative form [IMM 5476], signed by both yourself and the representative. The representative can provide valuable assistance in completing forms and communicating with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). However, they are not permitted to access your portal account on your behalf.
Step 5: Fill Out Required Documentation
Make sure to accurately fill out all required forms with reference to the Instruction Guide [IMM 5772]. Verify that all necessary fields are completed and signatures are included. Additionally, all applicants need to upload a recent photograph by adhering to the specific scanning and uploading guidelines provided.
Step 6: Finalize Applications and Submit Fees
Before submission, it is vital to ensure all inquiries are thoroughly addressed, forms are signed, fees are paid, and all necessary documents, including the Invitation to Apply (ITA), are attached. Processing and biometric fees should be paid online, and be aware that additional fees may be required for medical examinations and police certificates. After submission, applicants can track and update their application status and should be prepared to provide further information if requested by IRCC.
Can Sponsored Family Members Work or Study in Canada?
Yes, sponsored family members are allowed to work or study in Canada if they qualify for an open work permit. This includes:
- Spouses,
- Common-Law Partners,
- Conjugal Partners, and
- Dependent Children.
To apply for an open work permit, you must be in a genuine relationship, have proof of your permanent residence application, and an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter indicating that your application is being processed.
If you are a dependent child, to be eligible for an open work permit, you must:
- Be accompanying the principal applicant,
- Be living with the principal applicant and their sponsor in Canada, and
- Ensure that you and the principal applicant meet all open work permit requirements.
Please note that you cannot apply for an open work permit if your permanent residence application has been refused, withdrawn, or returned. Additionally, you should not plan to apply for your work permit at a port of entry. It’s important to meet all the criteria and follow the correct application process to take advantage of the opportunity to work while awaiting your Canadian permanent residency.
