If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and meet eligibility criteria, you may sponsor certain members of your family to become permanent residents of Canada. In some cases, however, you must have a set income to be a sponsor, and some of those citizens or permanent residents with a criminal record, or with other sponsorship obligations, may not be eligible to be a sponsor.
If you are eligible, you may bring to Canada your spouse, common-law spouse, same sex partner, conjugal partner, dependent child, grandchild, parent, grandparent and, in limited circumstances, other relatives. If the sponsorship is successful, and your relative is admissible to Canada, he or she can become a permanent resident here.
Permanent residents, sometimes called landed immigrants, have the right to enter Canada, to work here, to have free health insurance coverage, and to remain here as long as they wish. Permanent residents cannot obtain a Canadian passport, or vote in Canadian elections. Only citizens have the right to do that.
It is not enough to marry a Canadian, or adopt one, for your family member to become a permanent resident. He or she cannot obtain permanent residence by entering Canada and remaining here for a set period of time. To sponsor a relative to Canada, you must file an application in writing, along with supporting documentation.
Citizenship & Immigration Canada is quite particular about the content of sponsorship applications. They may be rejected because either the sponsor or the family member does not meet the definition set out in the rules. They may also be rejected if they are incomplete, internally inconsistent, or inconsistent with applications you or your family members filed previously. If an application is rejected you may lose your filing fee and have to start all over again. If it is concluded that someone misrepresented his or her circumstances, that person and other members of the family may be barred from coming to Canada. Careful preparation of the applications is therefore important.
It takes many months to bring a family member to Canada. Sometimes it can take years. Careful planning is necessary to ensure a smooth transition. When should you move? Should you sell your home? What can you bring with you, and when can you bring it? When will you be eligible for health insurance? You should have legal advice before developing your transition plan. Sometimes you will require tax advice too.
