Canada – Family Sponsorship (Spousal, Partner or Dependent Children) Procedures and Fees
As a well sought-after country with a commitment to family reunification, Canada offers different immigration options that allow Canadian citizens or permanent residents to bring close family members to Canada for permanent establishment.
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you are at least 18 years of age, you may be eligible to sponsor your spouse or partner and immediate family members under the Family Sponsorship Class, one of the most popular immigration programs in Canada with reduced processing times.
Your family member may be currently living in Canada with a valid temporary visa or residing abroad. If already in Canada, your spouse may also qualify for an open work permit while the sponsorship application is being processed. Your biological or adopted children who are not already Canadians may also be sponsored under this class, given that they are under the age of 22, unmarried and have no children of their own. They may also be included as dependents of your spousal/partner sponsorship application.
Once they are granted the permanent resident status, your sponsored family member(s) will be able to live, study and work in Canada. However, you will be responsible for supporting them financially when they arrive, for a pre-determined period of time.
Kaizen’s handling fees for the Canadian Family Sponsorship Class application are
CAD4,280 (promotional service fee until 31 May 2024), plus CAD800 per dependent, and the current processing time is 12 months (as at March 1st, 2024).
Note:
(1)
|
This package only pertains to family sponsorships of spouses, partners and dependent children. For other types of sponsorships, please consult with Kaizen’s Visa and Immigration professionals.
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(2)
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The information and eligibility criteria contained herein are subject to change by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (or “IRCC”) without prior notice. Please verify with Kaizen’s Visa and Immigration professionals before applying.
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Handling and Applications Fees
Kaizen’s handling fees for the Family Sponsorship Class application are CAD4,280 (promotional service fee until 31 May 2024), plus CAD800 per dependent. In particular, our fees cover the following services:
(1)
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Eligibility assessment and consultation with our immigration counsel;
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(2)
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General advices pertaining to the sponsorship and the sponsored person’s permanent residence (or “PR”) applications until the issuance of his/her CoPR;
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(3)
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Preparation of the application forms;
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(4)
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Assistance with gathering the supporting documents;
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(5)
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Submission of the sponsorship and PR application package to the relevant governmental authority(ies);
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(6)
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Liaison with the relevant authorities regarding the sponsorship and PR applications;
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(7)
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Responding to requests for additional documents and procedural fairness letters, if any;
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(8)
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Preparation of the sponsor and PA for the interview with an Immigration Officer, if necessary;
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(9)
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Assistance with the medical examination(s) and criminal check(s) documentation.
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Note:
(1)
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The fees stated above exclude the federal and provincial (if applicable) governments application fees, delivery or courier charges, translation fees, notarization fees, biometrics fees, medical examination and police certificate fees, etc.
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For reference purposes and subject to change, the Federal Government of Canada application fees as at May 18th, 2022 are as follows:
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Spousal or partner sponsorship and principal applicant processing fee: CAD 565
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Per-child sponsorship and processing fee: CAD 155
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Right of permanent residence fee (does not apply to children): CAD 515
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Biometrics (per person): CAD 85
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Payment Terms and Method
Upon receipt of confirmation of engagement, we will issue an invoice and email it to you together with the detailed payment instructions. Due to the nature of the service, we require full payment in advance. In addition, once service is commenced, no service fees will be refunded.
We currently only accept check, cash or TT and credit card payment through PayPal. If invoice is settled by PayPal, an extra 5% service fee will be charged.
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Eligibility Criteria
You may be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children* if:
(1)
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You are at least 18 years old;
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(2)
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You are a Canadian citizen. If you are living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when the sponsored persons become permanent residents; OR You are a permanent resident living inside Canada;
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(3)
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You promise by an undertaking and a sponsorship agreement to support them financially and ensure that they do not need social assistance for a period of time, starting when they become permanent residents.
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The undertaking commits you to repaying any provincial social assistance your sponsored family members get during that time. You will still be financially responsible even if your financial situation or your relationship with the sponsored person changes, or the sponsored person becomes a Canadian citizen.
Note:
(1)
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The “sponsored person” is also referred to as the “principal applicant” or the “PA” interchangeably throughout the text.
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(2)
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Length of undertaking for all provinces (except Quebec):
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Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner: 3 years
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Dependent child under 22 years of age: 10 years, or until age 25, whichever comes first
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Dependent child 22 years of age or older: 3 years
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If you live in Quebec, you must meet Quebec’s immigration sponsorship requirements after being approved as a sponsor, and you must sign an undertaking with the province of Quebec.
Income requirement
In most cases, there is not an income requirement to sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child. You only need to meet the Low-Income Cut-Off (or “LICO”) requirement if:
(1)
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You are sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own; OR
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(2)
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You are sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more children of their own.
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Documentary Evidence and Information Requirements
The following documents and information are required for the purpose of your Spousal Sponsorship and PR applications (for other types of sponsorships, please contact Kaizen’s Visa and Immigration professionals).
PART A: FORMS
For Sponsor:
(1)
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Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344)
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(2)
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Application fees payment receipt
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(3)
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Financial Evaluation (IMM 1283), where applicable
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For Sponsored Persons
(4)
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Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)
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(5)
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Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)
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(6)
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Schedule A – Background / Declaration (IMM 5669)
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For both the Sponsor and the Principal Applicant
(7)
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Document Checklist – Spouse (Including Dependent Children) (IMM 5533)
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(8)
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Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation (IMM 5532)
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(9)
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Use of Representative (IMM 5476), if any
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(10)
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Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475)
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PART B: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
For Sponsor:
(11)
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Check if there are country specific requirements applicable to you
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(12)
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Proof of your status in Canada as a permanent resident or citizen
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(13)
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Where applicable, proof that you will live in Canada once the PA (and dependents if any) becomes a permanent resident of Canada
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(14)
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Where applicable, proof of previous relationships and/or sponsorships
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(15)
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Employment income:
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If in Canada: employment letter or financial documents, and Notice of Assessment or proof of income statement
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If outside Canada: evidentiary documents showing that you can support the sponsored person(s), along with a detailed explanation letter
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For Sponsored Persons (and all family members):
(16)
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Your most recent passport(s) or travel document(s) and those of your accompanying family members
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(17)
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Proof of your status in Canada, where applicable
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(18)
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Your birth certificate and those of your dependents (accompanying or not)
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(19)
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Your national identity card(s) and those of your dependents (accompanying or not), where applicable
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(20)
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Your family booklet, where applicable
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(21)
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Marriage certificate, civil union certificate, or other proof that your marriage is legally registered, where applicable
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(22)
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Final divorce certificate or registration, marriage annulment, death certificate or proof of your legal separation for each of your previous relationships, where applicable
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(23)
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If you were previously sponsored by another person, detailed information and explanation regarding such sponsorship application(s)
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(24)
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Declaration from non-accompanying parent/guardian for minors immigration to Canada (IMM5604), where applicable
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(25)
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Proof of dependency for child 22 of age or older, where applicable
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(26)
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Proof of adoption, where applicable
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(27)
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Police certificate(s) or the Police Certificate Consent Form
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(28)
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Military service documents, where applicable
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(29)
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Two (2) recent photos of yourself and your accompanying family members, which must meet the required photo specifications
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(30)
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Medical examination (upon request)
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(31)
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Proof of genuine relationship to sponsor
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Note:
(1)
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Country specific requirements: Based on his/her country of residence’s requirements, both the sponsor and the PA may be required to submit additional forms and/or supporting documents. Please consult with Kaizen’s Visa and Immigration professionals for further information.
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Application Steps and Estimated Timeline
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Step
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Procedure
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Responsible
Party
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Estimated
Processing Time*
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1
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Sponsor and PA eligibility
assessment conducted by Kaizen’s Canadian immigration counsel.
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Applicant
/ Kaizen
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1-2
business days
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2
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If deemed
eligible, our Visa and Immigration team will assist with filling out forms, gathering
supporting documents and preparing the application file in accordance with
the Canada Family Sponsorship Class requirements.
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Applicant / Kaizen
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2-6 weeks
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3
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Once
ready, the sponsorship and PR application package will be submitted to the
IRCC. The government application and processing fees are payable online at
this stage and its payment receipt is submitted together with the application
package. Submission to the Ministry of
Immigration, Francization and Integration (or “MIFI”) will also be required
if you live or will live in Quebec.
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Kaizen
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8-10 business days
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4
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If
the application file is deemed complete by the reviewing Officer, a file
number will be issued.
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IRCC
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2-3 months
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5
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An
interview with an Immigration Officer at the visa office may be requested at
this stage. If all conditions and eligibility criteria are met for the
sponsor and the sponsored persons, requests for police certificate(s) and
medical examination(s) will be issued.
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IRCC
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5-6 months
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6
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Submission of the police certificate(s)
and medical examination result(s) within the specified time.
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Applicant
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>1
month
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7
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Upon
medical and security clearances, a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (or
“CoPR”) will be issued to the PA and the accompanying family members.
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IRCC
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2-3 months**
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8
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The
PA and accompanying family members must then activate their respective PR
status by entering Canada with the CoPR within the specified time. This is
commonly known as landing.
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Applicant’s schedule
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2-6 months
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Estimated Total Processing Time
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13-21
Months
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Note:
* The processing time is estimated based on the average file and may vary depending on the cooperation of the applicant(s), the processing time by the IRCC, immigration policy changes, etc.
** The processing time pledge by the IRCC from the time a complete package is received to the time a decision is made (steps 4 to 7) is currently 12 months. This processing time is subject to change by the IRCC without prior notice.
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