ICCRC Membership #R411511

Family Class Immigration

Note: As of November 5, 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will not be accepting new applications to sponsor parents or grandparents for a period of up to 24 months.  This does not affect sponsorship applications for spouses, partners, dependent or adopted children and other eligible relatives. New applications received on or after November 5, 2011, will be returned to the applicant, including fees.

Your parents or grandparents may however, come to Canada within eight weeks on a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa.

If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child) or other eligible relative to become a permanent resident.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) refers to the immigrants who are eligible to use this family sponsoring process as the Family Class. Sponsors have an obligation to support the sponsored applicant and family members for a period of 3 to 10 years to help them settle in Canada. Applicants and their family members are subject to medical, criminal and background checks.

Application Process

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can start the application process to sponsor family members, by applying to be a Sponsor.

The type of application and submission procedure differs depending on the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant, and whether the applicant is abroad or already in Canada. There are two different processes for sponsoring your family. One process is used for sponsoring your spouse, conjugal or common-law partner and/or dependent children. Another process is used to sponsor other eligible relatives.

I. Family Sponsorship: Spouse, Conjugal or Common-law Partner and/or Dependent Children                                     

An application for Family Class sponsorship can be made if your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children live inside or outside Canada.The first step is for you to apply as the sponsor. Both you, as the sponsor, and your relative must meet certain requirements.  

The application process involves two steps:

  1. A citizen or permanent resident of Canada must submit an application to sponsor the family member.
  2. The sponsored family member, i.e. spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children must also apply for permanent residence.

The applications for both sponsorship and permanent residence should be filled out and sent at the same time.

The application submission also involves two stages:

  1. The sponsorship application is processed by the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario (for family members living outside Canada), or the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta (for family members living inside Canada).
  2. If you are approved as a sponsor, the permanent residence application is sent to the appropriate Canadian Visa Office that serves the applicant's country of residence.

 II. Family Sponsorship: Other Eligible Relatives     

The application process involves two steps:

  1. A citizen or permanent resident of Canada must submit an application to sponsor the eligible relative(s), to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
  2. The Case Processing Centre of Citizenship and Immigration Canada in Mississauga, Ontario, will review your  application to sponsor, and mail application forms to you, for your relatives to fill out. The eligible relative(s) must then submit an application and be approved for permanent residence.   You should ensure that the correct number of application forms are mailed overseas to the relatives you want to sponsor for permanent residence.