Reuniting with parents and grandparents in Canada
If you immigrated to Canada, you can help your parents and grandparents move.
Family reunification (family sponsorship) programs allow permanent residents and citizens of Canada to invite their family members and relatives to live permanently in the country. One of these programs is the Parents and Grandparents program. Under its conditions, a resident of Canada is obliged to support their relatives for 20 years, and they, in turn, cannot receive social assistance from the government.
Who you can sponsor
You can promote the immigration of your parents and grandparents who are related to you by blood or through adoption. If your relatives are divorced, you must submit separate applications for them. Your relatives can immigrate with their new spouses or partners. You can also include your siblings in the application if they qualify as dependents.
Who can sponsor
To become a sponsor, the Canadian resident must meet several requirements:
- be a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada;
- be over 18 years of age;
- reside in Canada;
- have the income necessary to support relatives.
The important point is to meet the income requirements. They change every year, information is available on Canada's official website. Income information is provided for the last 3 years.
You must have enough money to support both your family and any relatives you intend to move. If you live in Canada with your spouse, they can be your guarantor to make sure the income adds up.
How to apply
If you want to move your relatives to Canada, you need to submit the interest to sponsor form. The enrollment is not open all the time, but only at certain times. Usually, some people are chosen randomly from all applicants each year. If you are selected, you will be notified. Only then you can apply for sponsorship and your relative can apply for permanent residency in Canada.
The province of Quebec has its own sponsorship requirements and conditions, see Quebec's official website for details.
