If you are a Canadian citizen or Permanent resident, 18 years or older, you have the privilege of sponsoring certain family member to Canada. The sponsored family members get a Permanent resident status which entitles them to live, work or study in Canada.

General Application Process

** For each Family class member there may or may not be additional steps in the application process**

Sponsorship application is a two-fold process:

• The first step is to be accepted as a legitimate and qualifying Sponsor -: A sponsor’s application is processed and assessed by an officer in Canada at Case Processing Centre—Mississauga (CPC-M).
• The second step is to be accepted as a legitimate and qualifying principal applicant -: A principal applicant’s application is processed and assessed by a visa officer abroad or by exception, an officer in Canada.
• Once both the sponsor’s and the principal applicant’s applications are successfully approved, only then the foreign national receives the Permanent Resident status.

What restricts you from being a Sponsor:

• If you are receiving social assistance for a reason other than disability.
• If you are ln default of any prior undertaking.
• If you have an unpaid Immigration loan, in default of a bond or a defaulter under a child or spousal support payment obligation.
• If you are not discharged off a bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy and insolvency Act.
• If you are Subject to a removal order
• If you have been convicted of an offence of sexual nature or an offence that resulted in bodily harm to a relative.
• If you are detained in any penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison.
• If you did not include the relative to sponsor on your own PR application.
• If you have previously sponsored a spouse, common- law partner or conjugal partner who became a PR less than 3 years ago.
• If you were previously sponsored as a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner and became PR less than 5 years ago.