The Family Class program allows permanent residents or Canadian citizens to sponsor their parent or grandparent to become a permanent resident in Canada.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is not accepting applications at this time but it will re-open the program on January 3, 2017 with a cap of 10,000 new and complete applications.
You are eligible to sponsor your parent or grandparent if you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, at least 18 years of age, and you have met the minimum necessary income requirement. To meet the income requirement, your income for each of the three years preceding the date of your application should be equal to the Low Income Cut-offs (LICO) plus 30%, taking into account the size of your family unit. You may refer to the Federal Income Table in the IRCC website to see if you meet the LICO requirement.
If you are applying this January 2017, you need to show your income for the taxation years of 2013, 2014, and 2015, and submit your Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency for all those years. The income requirement must be maintained from the time you submit your application until your parents or grandparents become permanent residents.
Aside from the eligibility requirements, you must also sign an undertaking that you will provide financial support and basic needs of your parents or grandparents such as food, clothing, shelter, eye and dental care, personal and household necessities. Your obligation in your undertaking commences from the time they become permanent residents and continues until the end of the term of the undertaking which is 20 years. You will be considered in default if you fail to meet your obligation. If your parents or grandparents are receiving financial support from the government while the undertaking is in effect, you will not be allowed to sponsor other family member until you have reimbursed the amount of any social assistance or welfare they have received. As a sponsor, you must therefore ensure that you can provide for your own needs and those of your parent or grandparent.
Before you start the application process, you must first determine if you have met the eligibility requirements. If so, make sure that you will be able to comply the obligations in your undertaking. The next step is to gather all the supporting documents listed in the checklist and complete the application forms. Pay the processing fees through credit card or certified cheque and include the receipt with your application. Send your application to Case Processing Centre in Mississauga and make sure that it will be received on or after January 3, 2017. You must act quickly and prepare your application now, as intake quota fill in a matter of days.
Giovanni is an articled student at Equity Law Group. Articling is the last phase of becoming a lawyer in Canada. Law Society of British Columbia Rule 2-60 permits an articled student to provide all legal services that a lawyer can offer, with some exceptions. He is also a licensed immigration consultant with ICCRC, a Philippine Trial lawyer, Certified International Trade Professional in Canada, and an Arbitrator. If you need help with your sponsorship application or have questions about the process, you can reach Giovanni at giovanni@equitylawgroup.ca
Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and not to provide specific legal advice.
By: Giovanni Mata
