Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor certain family members to come to Canada as permanent residents through the Family Class sponsorship program. The Family Class sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent children, parents, and grandparents to come to Canada as permanent residents.
To be eligible to sponsor a family member through the Family Class sponsorship program, the sponsor must meet certain eligibility requirements, including being 18 years of age or older and being able to demonstrate that they can financially support their sponsored family member(s). Sponsors must also undertake to provide for the basic needs of their sponsored family member(s) for a period of time, generally 10 years for a spouse or common-law partner and 3 years for other sponsored family members.
The sponsored family member(s) must also meet certain eligibility requirements, including being a member of the Family Class and being admissible to Canada. This includes undergoing a medical examination and a security clearance.
To begin the process of sponsoring a family member, the sponsor must first submit a sponsorship application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If the application is approved, the sponsored family member must then submit an application for permanent residence. The processing time for a sponsorship application and permanent residence application can vary depending on the specifics of the case and the location of the sponsored family member.