Family reunification has always been a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration program. Each year, family class immigrants represent a significant portion of new immigrants to Canada. In recent years, the Canadian immigration program has, on average, approved more than 80,000 family sponsorship applications per year, reuniting family members from across the globe.

Family Class immigration is predicated upon close family ties and is not subjected to the same considerations as economic immigrants. Family immigration includes family class sponsorships for spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent minor children and adopted children, as well as permanent residence and super-visas for parents and grandparents. Often, many immigrants choose to immigrate through the economic program and then later sponsor their family members through the Family Class sponsorship program.

The Family Class sponsorship program allows a Canadian or permanent resident of Canada who is eighteen years of age or older to apply to sponsor a family member to immigrate and settle in Canada. In family sponsorship situations involving spouses and minor children, the standard requirement to meet income thresholds is waived in order to facilitate the family reunification process.

Family Class sponsorship is not absolute, however. There are rules governing who is eligible to sponsor a family member to immigrate to Canada. In addition, whether you are sponsoring your spouse or adopted child, it is necessary to demonstrate that a genuine relationship exists.

Preparing Family Class sponsorship applications can be complex and time consuming, and given the scrutiny that these applications face, families are increasingly seeking legal assistance in order to ensure that their applications are processed favourably and expeditiously.