How-To: Bring Your Family To Canada

Eugenio Family sponsored by Janet Abinal

Canada values family as a very important asset. In fact, the federal government offers several options for Canadian citizens and permanent residents to reunite them with their family members. There are different relationships that qualify for specific programs, from close family members to other relatives. However, some programs may vary by province.

1. Spousal and Common-law Partner Sponsorship
   This category allows you to sponsor your spouse or common-law partner for Canadian permanent residence. Outland sponsorship is for sponsored spouses who live outside of Canada. Inland sponsorship is for both sponsors and the sponsored spouses living in Canada, but the latter has temporary status. For both Inland and outland cases, the sponsors and the sponsored persons must demonstrate that they are spouses, common-law partners, or conjugal partners.
2. Dependent Child Sponsorship
   This program is specifically for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have children abroad. Natural and adopted children can be sponsored as permanent residents. However, immigrants coming to Canada as permanent residents or temporary foreign workers have the right to bring their dependent children with them.
3. Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship
   This program is the only program that has an annual cap on the number of applications that are accepted for processing. It will reopen on January 3, 2017, and will have a cap of 10,000 applications. To get approval, sponsors must prove that they have sufficient capabilities to support the sponsored relatives. Parents and grandparents who receive permanent residence through this stream may be able to apply for Canadian citizenship after four years.
4. Parent and Grandparent Super Visa
   This program is another option for your parents and grandparents to come to Canada. This is the best option to apply for when the cap for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship program has been reached. When approved, sponsored parents and grandparents receive multiple-entry visitor visas that are valid for up to 10 years. They are allowed stay in Canada for a period of up to two years at a time.
5. Provincial Nominee Programs
   This is a program that allows you to sponsor family members. This is mostly for more distant relatives, such as cousins. There are six provincial options: Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program, Nova Scotia Nominee Program, Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program, and Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program.

There are many options and the program you apply for will depend on your relationship and location. Have you found the best program for you? You can also visit the Government of Canada website IRCC for more information about the different process of each program

or join our FB group @ Filipino Portal in Canada Support Group