FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP

Would you like to bring your family members to Canada? Eastern Ontario Immigration Consulting can help you do that through Family Sponsorship. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor the following family members to become permanent residents in Canada:

• Spouses
• Common-law partners
• Same sex partners
• Conjugal partners
• Dependent children
• Internationally adopted children
• Parents
• Grandparents
• Sometimes other relatives who meet the Canadian government requirements.

The process entails applying to the government of Canada to have your family members approved to join you in Canada as permanent residents. You can apply for someone with temporary resident status who is already in Canada or for someone who is living outside of Canada.

The process of sponsorship can be complicated and difficult to navigate. We can provide peace of mind by ensuring the process is smooth and easy. It’s important to note that immigration to Canada is very individualized and can take some time, so we will work together with you to ensure that your particular needs and personal circumstances are taken into consideration when sponsoring family members. Call or email us now for a free assessment! Call 613-386-3337 or e-mail immigration@eoic.ca

Spousal and Common Law Partners

Spousal/common-law partner sponsorship is one of the most popular applications for immigration to Canada. The government of Canada receives thousands of these applications every year. To have a better chance to get your application approved, consult a professional immigration consultant. We can help you navigate the often complicated and quickly changing requirements of sponsorship.

Spouses: Partners who are legally married to one another.

Common-law partners: Partners who have lived together at the same address in an intimate relationship for at least 12 consecutive months.

Conjugal partners: Partners who are not married, are not currently living together in the last year, who are in a legitimate, exclusive and intimate relationship, but are unable to live together for reasons beyond their control.

Same-sex partners: Canadian law states that partners of the same sex can be married in Canada or can freely live together in a common-law relationship.  There are many countries that do not have such laws in place. If you are concerned that the status of your relationship does not meet the requirements of any of the above partnerships, please contact us.  We can help remove the confusion and determine what stream of immigration will be best for you or your partner!

Types of sponsorship: For a spousal sponsorship, the person being sponsored can live either inside Canada or outside Canada depending on the type of relationship.

Parents/Grandparents

Parents and grandparents can be sponsored by either their children or grandchildren only. The system of sponsorship has changed quite a lot since January 3, 2017. Sponsors must now fill out an online government assessment to indicate that they are interested in sponsoring parents or grandparents. The government will then randomly pick a selected number of those applicants who  filled out the assessment to complete the sponsorship. There is only one month to fill out the assessment form at the beginning of the year. If you are not chosen, you will have a chance to fill out the form again next year.

If you are chosen, there are several requirements that need to be met,  including specific financial requirements and medical requirements for the parents/grandparents.

EOIC can help with both the online form and, if chosen by the government, the parental sponsorship paperwork. Contact us for a free assessment!

Dependent Children

In October 2017, the government of Canada changed the age that is considered to be a dependent child for immigration purposes! Parents can now sponsor their dependent children if the children are 21 years of age or under, or if the child is 19 years of age or older and is significantly financially dependent on the parent due to a physical or mental condition.

EOIC can help you determine the best course of action for sponsoring dependent children.

Adopted Children

There are two options for internationally adopted children. The children can be sponsored by the adoptive parents to become permanent residents or the parent can apply to get Canadian Citizenship for the child before the child enters Canada.

Permanent Residence: If neither of the adoptive parents of the child are Canadian citizens at the time of the child’s adoption, then the parents must apply to sponsor the child for permanent residence.

Citizenship: At least one of the adoptive parents must have been a Canadian citizen at the time of the child’s adoption.

There are exceptions to these rules, so please contact us for a free assessment!

Other Qualified Relatives

There are specific rules attached to sponsoring other relatives. A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor the following other relatives if they fall within the rules:

• Brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews or grandchildren IF they are orphaned and under the age of 18 (this age has not  been changed as it has for dependent children)
• You can sponsor one other relative IF you have no other relatives to sponsor in the categories of spouse/common-law partner, parent/grandparent, dependent/adopted child or orphaned relatives AND you have no relatives who are already Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

This category of sponsorship is often confusing for many people. Call us to help you understand and determine whether or not you have another relative you can sponsor!