Family Sponsorship: How to Bring Your Family Members from Pakistan to Canada
One noteworthy aspect of Canada’s immigration system is the family reunification immigration policy which allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to apply for the immigration of certain family relatives. As for Pakistani immigrants in Canada, family sponsorship helps them to reunite with their family members whom they wish to come, work or study in the country. This report discusses the importance of family sponsorship particularly in Canada and the key components including who is eligible, how to apply and factors to consider to immigrate to Canada from Pakistan with family members.
1.Qualification for Sponsoring Family Members
Only certain family members can be sponsored by a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident living in Canada. One must be able to comply in order to sponsor:
- Status in Canada: A Canadian citizen and a Permanent Resident who resides in Canada. A citizen living outside Canada may apply for family reunion but then, will be required to relocate to Canada, after the sponsored relative comes over.
- Age: A person shall be 18 years and above before allying any of the family members.
- Financial Requirements: Evidence that the person undertakes or will undertake certain maintenance for the sponsored person for some time so that this person will not come out for social assistance within the sponsorship period.
- Acknowledgement of Sponsorship: Especially the relatives need to be taken care of, financially, by certain sponsors at least for some defined amount of time generally between 3 to 20 years dependent on the degree of relationship and age of the beneficiary.
- No History of Sponsorship Failure: If historically you were sponsoring a person who received social assistance, then you are not permitted to sponsor a new person.
2.Who is eligible for Sponsorship
According to the family reunification Canadian program, it is possible for the sponsors to bring several categories of family members to Canada.
- Spouse or Common-Law Partner
- The legally married couples or common-law couples that have lived together for one year can apply for a spousal sponsorship for their spouses and conjugal partners who are presently in Pakistan.
- Every spouse or partner will undergo medical and criminal background checks as part of the application procedure.
- Dependent Children
- If you have children, biological or adopted, that are under the age of 22 and single, you have the right to apply for their sponsorship for immigration purposes.
- However, as per the immigration policy, an adult child, 22 years, who is mentally or physically disabled can still be considered as a minor if he/she is not able to earn.
- Parents and Grandparents
- Under the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program, Canadian citizens or permanent residents are allowed to sponsor the parents and grandparents.
- Through a minimum necessary income dossier (MNI), sponsors are expected to prove their ability to look after their parents or grandparents financially before applying to sponsor them by showing how they supported themselves and/or their family through the three consecutive tax years preceding the contemporaneous application.
- PGP runs a lottery system which means that the interested sponsors first have to submit the expression of interest after which they may be invited to apply.
- Other Eligible Relatives
- In very few circumstances, you may qualify as a sponsor for a sibling who is an orphan, a brother’s son, a brother’s daughter, or a granddaughter under the age of 18 who is unmarried or who lives in free union.
- Where there is no living relative of you in Canada whom you want sponsored and also no family members to be sponsored in Canada, you may sponsor other relative of any age.
3.Application Process for Family Sponsorship
The family sponsorship process includes a number of steps which are important in the process:
Step 1: Determine Eligibility
You need to make sure that you qualify in order to sponsor a family member before you apply. You must also make sure that your family member (spouse) is eligible to come to Canada (does not have a criminal record or serious medical issues).
Step 2: File Sponsorship Application
The sponsorship process begins with the submission of an application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). There are two applications:
- Sponsorship Application: This is the proof that you are sponsoring your family member.
- The immigration application: Which is then done by the immediate family member being sponsored, who will go through medical exams, bring police certificates and subject themselves to background checks.
Step 3: Pay Processing Fee
Family Sponsorship Fees Family sponsorship incurs multiple fees: one for the sponsorship, another fee for processing each sponsored family member and then there is the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF).
Step 04: Application Process and Decision
IRCC will also assess the sponsorship application to confirm that the sponsor, as well as the family member(s), qualifies. There are different sponsorship types:
- Spousal sponsorships are at an average of 12 months.
- The demand and lottery system can make parent, as well as grandparent sponsorships longer.
- Dependent child sponsorship may be a different case, but should also be processed more quickly than other types of applications.
Step 5- Approval and Travel to Canada
If the application is approved, your family will be given a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a visa to come to Canada.
4.Letter of Offer Form and Sponsorship Agreement with Undertaking
If you qualify to sponsor, you will sign a sponsorship agreement with the Government of Canada. This is a legal contract that legally binds you to provide financial support to your family member for a certain period of time. It gives rise to a circumstance where the time duration of the whole process is subject to whom you are sponsoring:
- Spouse or Partner: 3 years
- Children: 10 years or until they turn 22 (or over), whichever comes first — Maximum of 3 years for children over 21 (dependent).
- Parents and Grandparents: 20 years
Missing this commitment can have serious consequences and you may face legal action such as being banned from sponsoring again or even be required to pay back any social assistance the person you sponsored received.
5.Things to Think of For Pakistani Families
- Cultural and Social Integration
The multiculturalism in Canada facilitates Pakistani families to integrate into the society. There are significant Pakistani populations in major cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary who have established cultural associations, mosques for religious practice and community organizations.
- Healthcare and Education Outreach
For your sponsored family members, this means they will be free to benefit from Canada’s superior public services including nearly universal socialised healthcare and publicly funded education for children. Permanent residents may also qualify for other social programs, such as pensions and employment insurance.
- Time Delays Processing Challenges
Processing times can vary based on the type of family sponsorship you are using; Parents and grandparents not included. This could be a burden to many Pakistani families if they are hoping for their family members will arrive soon for assistance or company.
- Immigration Scams
It’s crucial to be aware of fraudulent immigration consultants who target families trying to sponsor relatives from countries like Pakistan. Only deal with licensed immigration consultants or lawyers registered with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC).
- Alternatives to Family Sponsorship
If family sponsorship is not immediately feasible, other options for family members include:
- Visitor Visa: Family members can apply for a temporary visa to visit Canada, though they must prove that they intend to return to Pakistan after their visit.
- Super Visa: Parents and grandparents can apply for a Super Visa, allowing them to visit Canada for up to 2 years at a time over a 10-year period.
Conclusion
Canada’s family sponsorship program is one of the most generous in the world, offering a path to permanent residency for spouses, children, parents, and even extended relatives. For Pakistani immigrants, the program provides a means to reunite with loved ones in a country that values family bonds and offers ample opportunities for a high quality of life. While the process can be time-consuming and requires careful planning, the benefits of living together as a family in Canada are well worth the effort. It’s advisable to work with a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer to navigate the process and ensure that all requirements are met efficiently.
