Child Sponsorship Under Spouse and Common Law Sponsorship

In Canada, child sponsorship under the spouse and common-law sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their dependent children to become permanent residents. The sponsored child must be under 22 years old and not married or in a common-law relationship. This process ensures that families can stay together in Canada, with the sponsor committing to financially support the child and meet all necessary requirements.

This blog elucidates the child sponsorship process for permanent residency in Canada, adhering to the latest IRCC regulations. We have meticulously detailed the entire process of sponsoring a child, from determining eligibility to applying.

Considering the complexity of the information, we have divided it into various categories to address different aspects of the process. 

Who Can Sponsor? 

To sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child under the family sponsorship program in Canada, the sponsor must meet the following criteria:

The Eligibility Checklist

• While applying for sponsorship for a child, you must be 18 years or above 18 years of age 

• You must be a Canadian citizen or Canadian permanent resident or registered in Canada under a suitable act. 

• You must be financially stable enough to facilitate the child’s needs across a broad spectrum. 

• You must convince the authorities that you are not availing any sort of social assistance from the government except in a case of disability. 

Further, for a sponsor living outside of Quebec, you need to provide an undertaking that you will sponsor a child for a period of time. The conditions included in the undertaking are:

• You will provide financial support to your sponsored family with effect from the day they become permanent citizens. 

• You will repay any provincial social assistance allowances availed by your sponsored family 

Note: You cannot sponsor a child for residency if you are a permanent Canadian resident or otherwise residing outside Canada. Moreover, if you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must convince the authorities that you wish to return to Canada after your child becomes a permanent resident. 

For cases outside Quebec, income requirements and proofs will not be sought in most cases. The authorities will ask for income requirements only if the dependent child you are sponsoring has a child or more than one child of their own. 

On the contrary, authorities will likely seek income proof and related details if you live in Quebec. 

Now that we have seen who can sponsor, we must now understand clearly as to who can be sponsored. The next section talks about the same. 

Which Child Can Be Sponsored?

When it comes to sponsoring a child for Canadian permanent residency, there can be two scenarios: 

• You can sponsor your own child 

• You can sponsor your spouse/common-law partner and their child

In case you are sponsoring your common-law partner or spouse and their child, the principal applicant will be the partner/spouse. In the application, the child (either your and your partner/spouse’s or their child from another partner) will be the dependent. 

In order to be sponsored, the child must be:

• Below 22 years of age 

• Should not have a common-law partner or a spouse 

Moreover, a child above 22 years of age can only be considered a dependent if they have a physical or mental disability that restricts them from financial independence. A child who has financially depended on their parents before the age of 22 may also be considered as an exception. Irrefutably, the final call is for the authorities to make on a case-to-case basis after scrutinizing all details. 

In case you wish to sponsor a child who already has a child, the grandchild will be added as a dependent in the application. 

Under no circumstances can you sponsor someone who is deemed inadmissible in Canada. Moreover, when you apply to sponsor your partner and their child for permanent residency, they must: 

• Must submit all the prerequisite forms and documents sought by the authorities 

• Must provide their biometrics and medical assessments whenever sought 

The Application Process & Fees

The entire application process to become a sponsor is online. Largely, the application process to sponsor a child for permanent residency in Canada can be categorized into the following steps. 

1. You apply to become a sponsor.

2. The partner/spouse and child need to apply for permanent residency.

3. Payment of application fees (application fees for permanent residency increased w.e.f. 30th April 2024) 

4. Provide additional information for application processing: 

• Medical Records 

• Biometrics 

• Police Certificates

• Any other documents sought 

5. Submit the online application 

Fee For The Application

The fee for sponsoring a dependent child on an application where the primary applicant is your spouse/partner is CAD 175. The fee for sponsoring the spouse or common-law partner is CAD 1205. 

Speaking of the breakdown, the sponsorship fee is CAD 85, the principal applicant (spouse/partner) fee is CAD 545, and the right the permanent residency fee is CAD 575. 

After the Application: The Way Ahead

After you submit the application online, you must look forward to getting an AOR (Acknowledgment of Receipt). Once you get the AOR for your sponsor application, your partner or spouse can apply for a visitor visa. After they meet all visa requirements and get visa approval, they can put up an application for an open work visa after their arrival in Canada. 

On the contrary, if unfortunately your sponsor application is refused, the ones being sponsored can still continue to pursue their permanent residency application.