Family class

Canada Family Visa guide #Canada #FamilyVisaA Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, can sponsor spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child) or other eligible relative to become a permanent resident.

The immigrants who are eligible to use this family sponsoring process are referred to as the Family Class. A permanent resident can live, study and work in Canada.

As a sponsor, a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen must make sure his/her spouse or relative does not need to seek financial assistance from the government.

The process to sponsor the family begins when a citizen or permanent resident in Canada apply to be a sponsor. There are two different processes for sponsoring your family. One process is used for sponsoring your spouse, conjugal or common-law partner and/or dependent children. Another process is used to sponsor other eligible relatives.

Effective December 22, 2014, eligible spouses or common-law partners have the opportunity to work in Canada while they wait for their application for permanent residence to be processed. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will issue open work permits to certain spouses or common-law partners who are applying for permanent residence from inside Canada, before the approval in principle decision on their application is made.

family class: who can apply

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident may sponsor her or his spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, or dependent children to come to Canada as permanent residents. See Who can apply to find out if your relationship qualifies. You can then find out if your spouse, partner or child meets the requirements for you to sponsor them.

sponsoring parents and grand parents: super visa

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents have a new option for visiting Canada. As of December 1, 2011, you may be eligible to apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa and enjoy visits to Canada of up to two years without the need to renew your status.

read it before marrying a canadian citizen

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) introduced certain amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). The term “the Regulations” denotes the IRPR hereafter. One of these amendments was to subject individuals to a period of conditional permanent residence. These individuals were:

  • Spouses
  • Common-law partners or,
  • Conjugal partners
These individuals would need to be subject to a period of conditional permanent residence if:
  • They were in a relationship with their sponsor for a period of two years or less and,
  • They had no children in common with their sponsor at the time they applied for sponsorship
The CIC described this condition under subsection 72.1 (1) of the Regulations. It prescribed a sponsored spouse or partner to cohabit in a conjugal relationship with their sponsor. This period of cohabitation would need to be for a minimum duration of up to two years after the day on which they became permanent residents. This amendment came into force on October 25, 2012. Therefore, this condition is applicable only to those permanent resident applications, which the CIC received on or after October 25, 2012. The sponsored spouse or partner could:
  • Have accompanying family members or,
  • Sponsor members of the family class upon receiving permanent residence
However, the amendments forbid the sponsored spouse or partner from sponsoring a new spouse or partner for a period of five years. This is in accordance with the guidelines prescribed in OB 386 (Five-year Sponsorship bar for Persons Sponsored to Come to Canada as a Spouse or Partner).