How to Sponsor your Child for Immigration to Canada

Through Family Class Sponsorship, Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have dependent or adopted children living abroad can sponsor them to immigrate to Canada.

The main purpose of the sponsorship of dependent children, which is offered through the Family Class sponsorship, is to enable family members who reside in different countries to be reunited and live together in Canada. More specifically, the program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to bring their children from abroad to Canada as permanent residents.

Dependent children, whether biological or adopted, can be sponsored to live with their parent(s) as permanent residents in Canada.

To sponsor your child to come to Canada, you must:

• be 18 years of age or older;
• be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident living in Canada, intending to return to Canada, or a person registered under the Indian Act of Canada;
• be able to provide for your basic needs and those of your dependent children as well as your spouse, if applicable;
• be able to prove your relationship to your child
• not have a criminal record;
• not be in prison, charged with a serious offense, or bankrupt;
• not be in default of a previous sponsorship undertaking;
• not be under immigration investigation;
• not be receiving income assistance, except for reasons of disability.

To be eligible for sponsorship, children must fall under the definition of a dependent, meaning they are:

• the biological or adopted child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• are not married or in a common-law relationship;
• are under the age of 22.

A child over the age of 22 may also qualify as a dependent providing, they meet the following two requirements:

• they suffer from a physical or mental condition that prevents them from being able to support themselves;
• they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22.

As a sponsor, you will be required to sign an “undertaking” that contractually commits you to providing for your child’s basic needs, such as:

• housing;
• clothing;
• food;
• medical expenses not provided by the public health system.

The length of the undertaking for biological dependent children or those to be adopted in Canada who are under 22 years of age is 10 years or until they reach 25 years of age, whichever comes first. For dependent children over the age of 22, the duration of the undertaking is 3 years.

If you need more information about this program, please do not hesitate to get in touch today at info@dhunnaimmigration.ca