In Canada immigration news latest, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, India is already the most significant source of new permanent residents coming to Canada through family sponsorship programmes.
In the last year before the pandemic outbreak, 17,660 Indians had been sponsored by family members and migrated to Canada. Even during the epidemic, when so much was closed, 4,140 Indians had their permanent residence in Canada through family sponsorship programmes during the first six months of the year.
That was about 57.4% lower than the same period last year when 9.720 Indians made a move.
But India remains far ahead of other countries as a source of new permanent residents to Canada through these family sponsorship programmes.
And the opportunities to use these programmes to gain permanent residence in Canada are likely to increase only this year.
Under family sponsorship programmes, a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada aged 18 or older may sponsor certain family members to become Canada’s permanent residents.
More Canada immigration news latest – Sponsored family members may live and work in Canada
With that permanent residence, those members of the family can live, study and work in Canada.
The sponsor assumes all financial responsibility for his or her relative as soon as they arrive in Canada.
To be a sponsor, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must: sign a sponsorship agreement with the relative to be sponsored, which commits the sponsor to provide financial support to the relative, if necessary.
This agreement also provides that a person becoming a permanent resident will make every effort
to support him or herself;
provide financial support to a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner for a time of three years from the day on which he or she becomes a permanent resident;
provide financial aid for a dependent child for ten years or until the child is 25 years old, whatever happens first.
Relatives that can be sponsored include:
- Common-law partner
- Conjugal partners
- Dependent children
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Brothers or Sisters, Nephews or Nieces, Grandchildren who are orphaned are under 18 years of age and who are not married or in a common-law
- Other relatives of any age or relationship, but only under special conditions
- Accompanying relatives of the above (for example, spouse, partner and dependent children)
Spouses and common-law partners who migrate to Canada under sponsorship programmes may work under the Spousal Work Permit Pilot Program.
The programme is designed to allow spouses and partners to work while their immigration applications are finalised.
The eligible candidates must be in Canada and in the process of being sponsored for permanent residence in the class of the spouse or common-law partner. Applicants must also have a valid temporary status as a visitor, student or worker.
Sponsors Financially Responsible
Under the sponsorship programmes, sponsors enter into a contract with Canada’s immigration authorities to repay the government for any social aid payments made to the sponsored person. Sponsors remain subject to an undertaking agreement for the entire duration of the contract, even in the event of a change in circumstances such as marital breakdown, separation, divorce or a financial change in circumstances.
In the case of a spouse, conjugal partner or common-law partner, the sponsor is expected to sign an agreement to reimburse the federal or provincial governments from the date the sponsor becomes a permanent resident for three years.
In the case of a child under 19 years of age, the sponsor or the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, the obligation shall begin on the date that the child becomes a permanent resident of Canada for a time of 10 years or until the child turns 25.
In the case of dependent children over 19 years of age, the responsibility shall begin when the child becomes a permanent resident for three years.
On the occasion of parents and grandparents, the sponsorship duty is extended for 20 years from the date on which the family class member becomes a permanent resident. For all other members of the family, the duration of the obligation is ten years.