Spousal sponsorship canada

You can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child if:

• You’re at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
• Canada citizens are allowed to sponsor if they are living outside Canada. However, they must demonstrate that they plan to live in Canada when the persons they wish to sponsor become permanent residents. Permanent resident living outside Canada are not allowed to sponsor.
• You must not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
• You pledge, by way of an undertaking, to support, provide for the basic needs of any persons you want to sponsor for a certain period of time.. This includes providing financial support, repaying any provincial social assistance your sponsored family members get during that time. Similarly, the sponsored person is also expected to assume certain responsibilities during the undertaking period by way of a sponsorship agreement
• Income requirement: You are not required to meet the income requirement to become eligible as a sponsor. However, you will be required to demonstrate you have sufficient money to meet the income requirements if you’re sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own, or you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more children of their own.

You can’t sponsor your spouse, partner or child if: 

• you’re less than 18 years old
• you have intentions to not live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents
• you’re not a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
• you don’t have enough money to support the persons you want to sponsor (if applicable)

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner if you:

• were yourself sponsored by a spouse or partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago
• are still financially responsible for a previous spouse or partner that you sponsored. This means you’re still bound by the 3 year undertaking to take care of this person.

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child if you:

• are in jail, prison, or a penitentiary
• didn’t pay back an immigration loan, a performance bond, court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support 
• didn’t give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past
• declared bankruptcy and are not discharged
• receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
• you were convicted of attempting, threatening to commit or committing a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada
• can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order

It is imperative that you find out you fully qualify to sponsor as there may be other reasons that might make you ineligible under the Immigration Refugee Protection Act of Canada. Contact our offices today for a discussion.