Legal definition of Family Sponsorship
Family sponsorship is a concept commonly applied in the Canadian immigration system and it promotes family reunification. Through this legal tool, Canadian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor family members to join them and live with them permanently.
To benefit from this program, sponsors must meet a number of requirements. The process is only accessible to Canadian citizens or permanent residents. These individuals must demonstrate the existence of sufficient financial resources. The law requires sponsors to provide for the essential needs of the sponsored person for a specified period after their arrival in Canada.
As its primary aim is to facilitate family reunification, family sponsorship is mainly reserved for close family members of the sponsor, which entails :
- Spouses, common-law partners, or conjugal partners aged 18 or older,
- Parents and grandparents,
- Dependent children, including adopted children,
- Children under 18 years old for adoption,
- Orphaned siblings, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren under 18 years old and unmarried or in a common-law relationship.
Conditions to fulfill to benefit from family sponsorship in Canada
- Undergo medical examinations,
- Provide police clearance certificates,
- Have no serious criminal convictions,
- Meet Canada’s security and public health requirements,
- Be close family members of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Etymology of “Family Sponsorship”
The term “family sponsorship” derives from “familia” in Latin, meaning household or kinship, and “sponsorship” from “sponsus” indicating support or obligation. It signifies the legal process where an individual or entity pledges responsibility to assist a family member’s immigration, facilitating their entry and settlement in a new country.