Family Sponsorship

The Canadian Government is committed to keeping families together whenever possible. Canadian Family Class Sponsorship programs are some of the most generous family reunification programs in the developed world. Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible to sponsor family class members who wish to immigrate to Canada through the following programs:

Spousal and Common-Law Partner Sponsorship

A Canadian Citizen and/or Permanent Resident may sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or Conjugal Partner for Canadian permanent residence under this program.

Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship

Canadian Citizens and/or Permanent Residents may sponsor their parents and grandparents to Canada as a Permanent Resident through this program.

Dependent Child Sponsorship

Under this program Canadian Citizens and/or Permanent Residents can sponsor their dependent and adopted children to join them in Canada. The Canadian Government has a strong commitment to keeping families together whenever possible.

Other Close Relative Sponsorship

Other close relatives who can be sponsored to Canada are orphaned brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, grandchildren. In extremely specific situations, any other relative by blood or adoption can be sponsored by Canadians.

Parent and Grandparent Super Visa

The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa allows the parents and grandparents of Canadian Citizens and/or Permanent Residents to come to Canada as visitors. The super visa is a multiple-entry visa valid for 10 years.

Family Sponsorship FAQ

Under the family class sponsorship category, the following individuals can be included in the sponsored person’s application:

The spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner of the sponsored person.
The dependent children of the sponsored person
The dependent children of the sponsored person’s spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner.
The dependent children of the sponsored person’s dependent children.
The dependent children of the sponsored person’s spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner’s children.

The sponsor must undertake to provide the sponsored family members with:

Food, clothing, shelter, and other basic requirements of everyday living; and
Health needs (e.g. dental, eye care) which are not covered by public health services available to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
The obligation to provide for the essential needs of the sponsored person(s) will only arise if the sponsored person(s) is unable to provide for these needs on their own.

The sponsor and the sponsor’s co-signer (if applicable), are obliged to sign an undertaking with the Canadian Government promising to provide for the essential needs of the sponsored person(s) for a period of time following the arrival of the sponsored person(s) in Canada. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure that the sponsored family members do not become dependent on Canadian public welfare assistance. The undertaking, once made, cannot be cancelled, or modified by the sponsor at any time after the sponsored family members have arrived in Canada.

You can appeal the case to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) within 30 days of the refusal. IAD appeals are lengthy, costly and by no means guaranteed.

It depends on which Canadian Immigration Visa Office is processing your application and the type of family member sponsored.

It depends on where the application is in the process

You will get a full refund if IRCC did not start your application.
You will get the refund (except sponsorship fee) if IRCC has started processing sponsor’s application but has not yet started processing the permanent residence application
You will get the refund for Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) if IRCC has started processing PR application.
You will not get any refund if your application is refused by IRCC.

You can put a withdrawal request through IRCC web form. Please mention your name, your date of birth, your complete address, the date the application was sent, your client ID number (if available), the type of application (for example, sponsorship of my spouse), the reason for the withdrawal. If your sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident before IRCC get your cancellation request, the application can not be cancelled. You will have to respect your sponsorship obligations.

At GSP Immigration, we specialize in providing various immigration services to individuals willing to stay in Canada. Whether you want to work or study in Canada, we will help you overcome all the immigration challenges efficiently.