Couple walking together along the Vancouver seawall in Stanley Park

Family Class Permanent Residence

Bring Your Family to Canada with Confidence

Professional guidance from licensed Canadian immigration consultants to help reunite families through Canada's Family Sponsorship programs.

Licensed Canadian Immigration ConsultantsPersonalised Case StrategyEnd-to-End Application Support
Sponsor Eligibility · Quick Assessment

Could you sponsor a family member? Find out in 2 minutes.

Answer five short questions to get an informational overview of your situation. This is not legal advice and does not confirm eligibility — it's a starting point for a consultation with a licensed RCIC.

Personalized guidance
A short set of questions to help frame your consultation.

Informational tool only. Not legal advice and not a determination of eligibility. For a professional review, book a consultation with a licensed RCIC.

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5 short questions. No sign-up required. Your answers stay on this page unless you choose to share them.

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Family sponsorship overview

Reunite your family under Canada's Family Class

Family Sponsorship is the federal permanent-residence route for reuniting close family members in Canada. Understanding who qualifies as a sponsor, who may be sponsored, and how the streams differ is the first step toward a strong file.

What Family Sponsorship is

A federal permanent-residence stream that lets eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents bring qualifying family members to Canada under the Family Class.

Who can sponsor

Canadian citizens, permanent residents and, in narrow cases, registered Indians under the Indian Act — generally 18 years or older and meeting undertaking and admissibility rules.

Who may be sponsored

Spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents, and — in defined situations — other eligible relatives.

Why professional guidance matters

Sponsorship is document-heavy and refusal-sensitive. A licensed RCIC review confirms the correct stream, structures the evidence and flags issues before submission.

Common application challenges

Weak relationship evidence, prior refusals, missing civil documents, inadmissibility concerns, and misaligned inland/outland strategy are the most frequent causes of delay.

Consistent with IRCC guidance

Every recommendation is anchored to current Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada rules — never to marketing shortcuts or outdated processing lore.

Sponsorship categories

Who can you sponsor?

IRCC recognises a defined set of family relationships under the Family Class. Confirming the correct category — and evidencing it properly — is central to any sponsorship file.

Spouse

Overview
A legally married partner (opposite or same sex) whose marriage is recognized under Canadian law.
Typical eligibility
Legal marriage in the country where it took place and valid under Canadian law; genuine, continuing relationship.
Key considerations
Foreign marriages may require additional evidence. Proxy, telephone, fax or internet marriages have specific restrictions.
Learn more

Common-law Partner

Overview
A partner (opposite or same sex) with whom the sponsor has cohabited continuously for at least one year.
Typical eligibility
Twelve consecutive months of cohabitation in a conjugal relationship, supported by joint documentation.
Key considerations
Short separations for work or study are usually acceptable if the relationship continued and cohabitation resumed.
Learn more

Conjugal Partner

Overview
A partner in a marriage-like relationship who cannot live together or marry due to exceptional barriers.
Typical eligibility
Genuine, exclusive relationship of at least one year with a demonstrable barrier to cohabitation or marriage.
Key considerations
Reserved for narrow situations. Evidence of the barrier (immigration, marital status, persecution) is essential.
Learn more

Dependent Children

Overview
Biological or adopted children who meet IRCC's definition of a dependent child.
Typical eligibility
Under 22 and not a spouse or common-law partner; older children may qualify if unable to be financially self-supporting due to a condition.
Key considerations
Custody documents, consent from the other parent, and full disclosure at every prior application are critical.
Learn more

Parents & Grandparents

Overview
Biological or adoptive parents and grandparents of the sponsor, processed through the annual PGP intake or Super Visa.
Typical eligibility
Sponsor must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) plus 30 % for three consecutive taxation years and sign a longer undertaking.
Key considerations
PGP is quota-limited. Super Visa (up to 10-year multi-entry) is often a bridge while awaiting PGP selection.
Learn more

Other Eligible Relatives

Overview
In defined situations, an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild — or a single relative of any age when no closer family is available.
Typical eligibility
Strict IRCC criteria on age, marital status, orphaned status and the sponsor's family composition.
Key considerations
Availability of this option depends on the sponsor having no other close relatives in Canada or abroad who could be sponsored.
Learn more
What we handle

Our sponsorship services

Every family situation is different. These are the sponsorship files we regularly represent — from straightforward spousal PR to complex, refusal-heavy cases.

Spousal Sponsorship

End-to-end preparation of spousal PR applications for married couples, in Canada or abroad.

Inland Sponsorship

Applications where the sponsored spouse is already in Canada, typically paired with an Open Work Permit.

Outland Sponsorship

Applications processed through a visa office when the sponsored partner is outside Canada or expects to travel.

Parent & Grandparent Sponsorship

PGP intake strategy, income planning, and Super Visa alternatives while awaiting selection.

Dependent Child Sponsorship

Sponsorship of biological, adopted or de-facto dependent children, including complex custody files.

Complex Sponsorship Cases

Non-traditional relationships, prior refusals, inadmissibility concerns, or intertwined immigration histories.

Sponsorship Refusal Assistance

Careful review of refusal letters, GCMS notes, and preparation of a stronger re-application strategy.

Appeal Preparation Support

Professional support with appeals to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) where a right of appeal exists.

Step by step

Your sponsorship application journey

A well-prepared sponsorship file moves through a defined sequence. Investing in each stage protects the application from avoidable requests, delays and refusals.

  1. 1
    Step 01

    Consultation

    Confidential intake with a licensed RCIC to understand your relationship, immigration history and goals.

  2. 2
    Step 02

    Eligibility Review

    Assessment of sponsor and applicant eligibility, admissibility, and the appropriate sponsorship stream.

  3. 3
    Step 03

    Document Planning

    Personalised document roadmap: civil status, identity, relationship evidence and supporting materials.

  4. 4
    Step 04

    Application Preparation

    Drafting of forms, sponsor undertaking, statutory declarations and a structured evidence package.

  5. 5
    Step 05

    Submission

    Complete online submission to IRCC with fees, biometrics instructions and confirmation tracking.

  6. 6
    Step 06

    IRCC Processing

    Coordinated response to procedural fairness letters, medicals, police checks and additional requests.

  7. 7
    Step 07

    Decision

    Communication of the decision, next steps for landing, or a strategy discussion if additional action is required.

  8. 8
    Step 08

    Settlement Support

    Guidance on landing, PR card, health coverage, SIN, and next-step immigration planning for the family.

Why clients choose CAN-MIGRATE

A licensed, structured, transparent approach

Sponsorship files succeed on preparation, not promises. Our process is built around what actually moves the needle at IRCC.

Licensed RCIC Professionals

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants in good standing — the only advisors authorised to represent you for a fee.

Personalised Immigration Strategy

A written plan built around your relationship, timeline and long-term family goals — not a template.

Complete Document Review

Every civil, identity and relationship document is reviewed for consistency and IRCC-format compliance.

Application Quality Control

Structured internal checks before submission to reduce avoidable refusals and procedural delays.

Case Monitoring

Ongoing IRCC portal monitoring, GCMS updates and timely response to officer requests.

Client Communication

Direct, plain-language updates in English, Chinese, Punjabi and French — no jargon, no chasing.

Post-Approval Guidance

Landing support, PR card, sponsorship undertaking, and long-term status planning for the family.

What can go wrong

Common sponsorship challenges — and how we address them

Most sponsorship refusals trace back to a small number of avoidable issues. Each of these is a category we regularly resolve for clients.

What you will need

Required document categories

The exact document set depends on your family situation and the visa office involved. These are the categories every sponsorship file is built around.

Sponsor Documents

  • Proof of Canadian citizenship or PR status
  • Government-issued photo ID
  • Sponsor questionnaire and undertaking
  • Financial documents (for PGP and specific cases)

Applicant Documents

  • Valid passport for each family member
  • Application forms (IMM 0008, schedules, background)
  • Digital photos to IRCC specification

Relationship Evidence

  • Marriage certificate or common-law declaration
  • Joint financial and residential documents
  • Photos, communication history and travel evidence

Identity Documents

  • Birth certificates for sponsor, applicant and dependants
  • National ID cards where applicable

Civil Status Documents

  • Divorce, annulment or death certificates from prior relationships
  • Custody or adoption orders where applicable

Supporting Evidence

  • Letters of support, statutory declarations
  • Employment letters, tax records, lease/deed documents

Medical & Police Certificates

  • IRCC-approved immigration medical exam (when requested)
  • Police certificates from each country lived 6+ months since age 18

Document requirements are set by IRCC and vary by visa office and country. We confirm the exact list for your file during the consultation.

Frequently asked

Family sponsorship — questions we hear every week

Client outcomes

Family reunification stories

Names and identifying details are anonymised to protect client privacy. Each summary reflects a real category of file we regularly represent.

"The RCIC team rebuilt our relationship evidence from scratch after a first refusal. The second submission was approved without additional requests."
R. & P.
India·Outland Spousal Sponsorship
"Clear explanations at every step. My open work permit came through while the PR application continued, so life kept moving."
M. L.
Philippines·Inland Spousal + OWP
"They knew exactly which documents mattered and which were noise. Our file felt organised and complete before we ever hit submit."
S. & A.
Nigeria·Common-law Partner
"We used the Super Visa route while waiting for the PGP intake. Both plans were mapped out together from the first call."
H. Z.
China·Parents & Grandparents
"A complex, sensitive file handled with real professionalism. The team helped us evidence why marriage or cohabitation was not possible."
K. D.
Iran·Conjugal Partner
"The custody documents from abroad were the hardest part. They coordinated the paperwork and translations end-to-end."
J. B.
UK·Dependent Child + Custody

Disclaimer: Information only, not legal advice. Family Class eligibility, undertakings, processing times and documentation requirements are set by IRCC and change over time. Paid Canadian immigration representation is provided only by CICC-licensed RCICs or members in good standing of a Canadian provincial law society.