Canada immigration laws emphasize the reunification of immediate family
members. The number one priority in this class is for spouses and children,
followed by parents and their dependent children (siblings of the Canadian
sponsor).
Income-Based:
This category places a lot of emphasis on the financial ability of
the sponsor to be able to have sufficient revenue to look after
the additional family members once they arrive in Canada. It is
required to show proof of income (e.g. pay slips, letter from
employer, tax returns and assessments, etc.). As far as the
sponsoring of spouses is concerned, these minimum income requirements
are considerably eased.
The sponsor must also undertake to support the family members sponsored
financially for three to 10 years to eliminate the need to apply for
social assistance. The sponsored person must make every effort to
become self-supporting, unless he/she is aged.
A sponsor can sponsor family members from abroad if they are (courtesy CIC):
-
spouses, common-law or conjugal partners 16 years of age or older;
-
parents and grandparents;
-
dependent children, including adopted children;
-
children under 18 years of age whom you intend to adopt;
-
children under guardianship;
-
brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are
orphans; under the age of 18 and not married or in a
common-law relationship; or
-
you may also sponsor one relative of any age if you do not
have an aunt, uncle or family member from the list above whom
you could sponsor or who is already a Canadian citizen, Indian
or permanent resident.
A son or daughter is dependent when the child:
-
is under the age of 22 and does not have a spouse or common-law partner;
-
is a full time student and is substantially dependent on a parent for
financial support since before the age of 22, or since becoming a
spouse or common-law partner (if this happened before age 22); or
-
is financially dependent on a parent since before the age of 22 because of a disability.
Medicals:
Sponsored relatives also have to undergo a medical test with a prescribed
doctor in their country of residence. This could be of significant importance
in the case of elderly parents being sponsored and if they have had a previous
history of medical problems due to their age.
In general, sponsorship cases of spouses and dependent children are processed
the quickest compared to sponsorships of other relatives like parents.
Transam's Edge:
We are experts not only in immigration law but also in taxation rules and
regulations. As this category is income-based, we make sure that all our
clients fulfill the minimum income cutoff requirements and have the proper
proof of income and related tax returns to back it. We make sure that our
clients are up-to-date with their proper tax filings. This facilitates the
quick processing of our clients' files.
