A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor certain close relatives for permanent residence. The application has two halves that are assessed separately: whether you are eligible to sponsor, and whether the relationship and the person being sponsored qualify.
What is covered
- Spouse, common law partner and conjugal partner sponsorship, from inside or outside Canada
- Dependent children
- Parents and grandparents, including the interest to sponsor process and the Super Visa as an interim route
- Open work permits for spouses being sponsored from within Canada
- The undertaking, and what it commits you to financially
What officers are actually assessing
In spousal cases the central question is whether the relationship is genuine and was not entered into primarily to obtain status. That is proved with evidence built up over time, not with a single wedding certificate. Communication records, financial interdependence, time spent together, and the knowledge each of you has of the other are what carry weight.
The undertaking is a real financial commitment and it does not end if the relationship does. It is explained fully before you sign anything.
Information only. The information on this page is general and is not advice about your situation. Immigration rules change often. No outcome can be promised, and nothing here creates a professional relationship. Advice about your own case is given in a consultation, under a written agreement.
Scope of licence. Amaninder Kaur holds a Class L2 licence and is authorised to provide immigration and citizenship advice and representation to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and provincial immigration programs. Matters before the Immigration and Refugee Board, including refugee claims, appeals, admissibility hearings and detention reviews, require a Class L3 RCIC-IRB licence or a lawyer, and are referred out.