Family Sponsorship
Sponsorship applications turn on evidence of a genuine relationship. That is a documentary problem as much as an emotional one, and it is where these applications are most often refused.
Family class, permanent residence
Spouses, partners, children, parents, grandparents
Genuineness of the relationship
Reuniting families, on the record
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor certain close family members for permanent residence. The most common categories are spouses and common-law or conjugal partners, dependent children, and parents or grandparents.
Each category has its own rules, its own evidentiary standard and its own practical difficulties. Spousal applications are assessed for genuineness. Parent and grandparent sponsorship is subject to intake limits and income requirements. Dependent child applications turn on age and dependency at the correct point in time.
The sponsor is assessed as well as the applicant. Undertakings are binding financial commitments, and certain circumstances can disqualify a sponsor entirely.
Who can be sponsored
Who you can sponsor depends on the relationship and on your own eligibility as a sponsor. Both are assessed, and the sponsor is often the part people overlook.
Not sure which one fits?
That is exactly what the free assessment answers, in writing, at no cost.
Spouses and partners
Married spouses, common-law partners and, in limited circumstances, conjugal partners. Inside-Canada and outside-Canada routes work differently and the choice matters.
Dependent children
Biological and adopted children who meet the dependency definition. Age is assessed at a specific lock-in date, which makes timing critical.
Parents and grandparents
Subject to intake limits and a sponsor income requirement over multiple tax years. The Super Visa is often the practical alternative.
Other relatives, in narrow cases
Limited circumstances allow sponsorship of other relatives. These cases are fact-specific and need proper assessment.
How we build a sponsorship file
Sponsor eligibility first
There is no point preparing an application if the sponsor is ineligible. Income, residence, prior undertakings and any default are checked at the outset.
Route selection
For spousal cases, whether to apply inside or outside Canada affects work authorisation, appeal rights and processing. We advise on the trade-off explicitly.
Relationship evidence
We build a structured evidentiary record, not a shoebox of screenshots, covering the development, present state and future intention of the relationship.
Filing and follow-through
Applications are filed complete, and we manage requests for further information, interviews and procedural fairness letters if they arise.
Not sure this is the right route?
Send us your situation and Jagdeep Kailey, RCIC #R535381, will tell you which routes are realistically open to you. Free, and no obligation.
What is assessed
- The sponsor's eligibility, including residence, age, and absence of disqualifying circumstances
- The sponsor's income where the category requires it, assessed over prior tax years
- The genuineness of the relationship, and that it was not entered into primarily for immigration purposes
- The applicant's admissibility on medical, criminal and security grounds
- For children, dependency and age at the applicable lock-in date
- The sponsor's willingness to sign a binding undertaking of financial support
Income thresholds, intake processes for parents and grandparents, and dependency definitions are set by IRCC and change. We confirm current requirements before you rely on them.
Get a free assessment
A written review of your situation, read personally by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. You will get an honest answer, including when the answer is not yet.
How we strengthen these applications
Every file is handled personally by Jagdeep Kailey, RCIC #R535381. Here is where that makes a measurable difference on this route.
Relationship evidence, structured
We organise proof into a coherent narrative with a clear chronology, rather than submitting volume and hoping an officer finds the point.
Inside or outside Canada advice
The choice affects work authorisation, appeal rights and risk if things go wrong. We set out the trade-offs plainly.
Cases with complicating factors
Prior marriages, large age gaps, arranged marriages, short courtships, cultural context and prior refusals all need addressing directly rather than avoiding.
Interview preparation
Where an interview is scheduled, we prepare you properly for what will be asked and how the assessment works.
Why sponsorship applications get refused
These are the problems we see most often in files that arrive after something has already gone wrong. Almost every one is preventable at the preparation stage.
Where these applications fail
- Thin or disorganised relationship evidence that fails to show development over time
- Inconsistencies between the sponsor's and applicant's accounts of the same events
- Sponsor income that falls below the requirement in one of the assessed tax years
- A dependent child who ages out because of a delay in filing
- Undeclared prior relationships, prior marriages or previously sponsored partners
- Choosing the inside-Canada route without understanding the loss of appeal rights on refusal
Frequently asked
Hover or tap any question to open it.
How long does spousal sponsorship take?
Processing times are published by IRCC and vary by route and by the applicant’s country. They change frequently. What we can control is filing a complete application, which avoids the delays caused by requests for missing information.
Can my spouse work while we wait?
In some inside-Canada cases an open work permit may be available. Whether that applies depends on your specific circumstances and current policy, which we will confirm for you.
What if my relationship is recent?
A short relationship is not a bar, but it does attract scrutiny. These cases need stronger evidence and a clear, documented account of how the relationship developed.
What income do I need to sponsor my parents?
Parent and grandparent sponsorship requires meeting a minimum necessary income over several consecutive tax years, and the intake process itself is limited. We assess whether you qualify before you commit to it.
What happens if we are refused?
Outside-Canada spousal refusals generally carry a right of appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division. Inside-Canada refusals generally do not. This is one of the main reasons the route choice matters, and we review refusals for reapplication or appeal.
You may also need
Super Visa
Long-stay visas for parents and grandparents, with extended stays per entry and mandatory medical insurance.
Humanitarian & Compassionate
A discretionary route for people whose circumstances justify an exception to the usual requirements.
Refusals & Reapplications
Understanding why an application was refused, and building a reapplication that answers the actual reasons.
Start with a free assessment
Tell us about your situation and Jagdeep Kailey, RCIC, will review it personally. No cost, no obligation.