If you are a Canadian permanent resident or citizen with a family member who wants to immigrate to Canada, you may be able to help them become a permanent resident. Family reunification remains one of the pillars of the Canadian immigration system.
The Family Class Sponsorship Program reunites families by enabling adult permanent residents or citizens to sponsor a relative for immigration to Canada. To be eligible, the person seeking sponsorship must be a:
- Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner
- Dependent child
- Parent
- Grandparent
- Sibling, nephew, niece, or grandchild under 18 years who is unmarried and whose parents are deceased
What is a Spouse/Partner?
Individuals under these categories are eligible for sponsorship:
- Spouse: legally valid marriage in country of origin and under Canadian law
- Common-law partner: At least 1 year of uninterrupted cohabitation in a conjugal relationship
- Conjugal partner: Conjugal relationship for at least 12 months (permanence and commitment similar to marriage or common-law) where couple is prevented from living together due to immigration barriers, religious reasons, sexual orientation or marital status (e.g. married to someone else, where divorce is not possible in country of origin)
- Same-sex relationships: considered valid for immigration purposes under these categories
