How to sponsor your family members for Canada migration through Quebec Family Class?

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident residing in Quebec can sponsor a close relative to come to Canada as a permanent resident through the Quebec Family Class Sponsorship program. The first step in such a sponsorship process is the Canadian citizen or permanent resident applying to be a sponsor. But in order to be eligible to apply, the sponsor and the person to be sponsored must meet certain requirements.

The prospective sponsor must submit the application for sponsorship to the Government of Canada. If you are found eligible to be a sponsor, you can submit an undertaking application along with an application from the person to be sponsored for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) to the Quebec government. You must remember that, if you are planning to sponsor a person for permanent residence in Canada, you must be ready to support him/her financially when they arrive. You must also make sure that they will not have to seek financial assistance from the government at any point in time.

Quebec Family Class: Application process:

There are two different processes for sponsoring family members to Quebec. They are:

• Sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child
• Sponsoring other eligible relatives

Sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child:

In order to sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child, you must be at least 18 years of age. You must prove that you have the financial ability to support your spouse, partner or dependent child when they become a permanent resident in Canada.

To sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child:

• You and the person to be sponsored must sign a sponsorship agreement. In the agreement, the sponsor must commit that they would provide financial support to the sponsored person, if necessary. At the same time, the sponsored person must commit that they would make every effort to support him/ herself.
• You are supposed to financially support a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner for three years from the date they become a permanent resident
• You will have to financially support a dependent child for 10 years or until the child turns 25

Sponsoring other eligible relatives:

For sponsoring other eligible relatives under the Quebec Family Class, you must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Reside physically in Quebec
• Meet minimum income requirements

‘Other eligible relatives’ means

• parents
• grandparents
• brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
• children under age 18 to be adopted in Canada

To sponsor your relative you and the person to be sponsored must sign a sponsorship agreement in which you commit that you would financially support them if necessary. The agreement will also state that the person to be sponsored will make all efforts to support themselves. However, dependent children below the age of 22 need not sign this agreement. Besides, Quebec residents must also sign an undertaking with the province- a contract to bind the sponsorship. The sponsor will have to promise that he/she would support the sponsored relative for a period of 3-10 years, from the date they become the permanent residents of Canada.

You cannot become a sponsor under Quebec Family Class if:

• You have signed a sponsorship agreement in the past for another relative but failed to provide them with financial support
• You have defaulted on a support order from the court, such as alimony or child support
• You have received financial assistance from the Government for reasons other than disability
• You were convicted of a violent criminal offence, offence against a relative or sexual offence. But factors such as the nature of the offence, how long ago it occurred or whether you were pardoned will also be taken into consideration
• You have defaulted on an immigration loan
• You have been declared bankrupt
• You have previously sponsored relatives who later had to depend on the government for financial assistance

Contact us for more information and assistance on sponsoring your family member for Canada migration under Quebec Family Class.