Canadian citizens and permanent residents living abroad can sponsor their child to immigrate to Canada.
Through family class sponsorship, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor a dependent child living abroad to immigrate to Canada and become a permanent resident. The purpose of sponsoring a dependent child is to enable family members living in different countries to be reunited in Canada.
Child Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for sponsorship, a child must be a dependent, which means they are:
- a child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or their spouse;
- are not married or in a common law relationship;
- are under 22 years old.
If a child is over the age of 22, they may qualify as a dependent as long as they:
- have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from being able to support themselves; And
- Are already dependent on their parents for financial support before the age of 22.
Sponsor Eligibility Requirements
To sponsor your child to visit Canada, you must:
- be 18 years of age or older;
- be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident residing in Canada or intending to return to Canada, or a person registered under the Canadian Indian Act;
- be able to provide for their basic needs and that of their dependent child as well as their spouse (if applicable);
- Be able to prove the relationship with your child;
- do not have a criminal record;
- not be in prison, charged with a serious offence, or insolvent;
- not to be in default of a previous sponsorship undertaking;
- not be subject to immigration checks; And
- Not receiving income support, except for reasons of disability.
Term of undertaking in Canada for a dependent child under 22 years of age, 10 years or until reaching the age of 25, whichever is earlier. If the age of the dependent child is more than 22 years, the period of undertaking is three years.
Sponsoring a Dependent Child in Quebec
If you want to sponsor your dependent child to come to Quebec, the province has its own immigration procedures and you will need to take additional steps.
You must file and apply with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at the provincial level with the Ministre de l’Immigration, de la Franciscane and de l’Integration (MIFI) on top of the Common Application at the federal level. ,
In addition, applicants residing in Quebec must apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (QSC) and sign an “undertaking” with the province. As a sponsor, the undertaking requires you to meet the basic needs of the dependent child and reimburse the government for assistance provided to the sponsor, if applicable.
Finally, the length of undertaking for a dependent child in Quebec differs from the rest of Canada and varies according to their age. If the dependent child is less than 16 years of age, the undertaking is minimum 10 years or till the age of 18 years, whichever is higher. If the dependent child is 16 years of age and above, the undertaking is at least three years or till the age of 25 years, whichever is higher.