A Canadian citizen or permanent resident, through family class sponsorship, can sponsor a dependent child living overseas to join them in the country to become a permanent resident. The main purpose of sponsoring a dependent child is to allow family members living in different nations to get together again in Canada.
What are the eligibility requirements for a child?
To be eligible for sponsorship, it is mandatory for a child to be dependent. Meaning they are:
- A child of a citizen in Canada or permanent resident or their spouse
- Under the age of 22
- Not married or in a common-law relationship
Is the child over the age of 22? Then they may qualify as dependent as long as they:
- Have a condition (physical or mental), which prevents them from being able to support themselves
- Have depended on their parents for financial assistance before they were 22 years of age
What are the eligibility requirements for a sponsor?
If you want to sponsor your child to come to Canada, you must:
- Be 18 years or above
- Be a citizen of Canada – a permanent resident residing in Canada or intending to return to the country, or a person who is registered under the Indian Act of Canada
- Be able to support basic needs as well as those of your dependent child, and your spouse (if applicable)
- Be able to prove the relationship to your child
- Not have a criminal record
- Not be in prison, charged with a serious crime, or be insolvent
- Not be in default of a preceding sponsorship undertaking
- Not be under investigation for immigration
- Not be receiving financial assistance, except for disability reasons
The undertaking length for a dependent child in Canada who is less than the age of 22 is 10 years or until they reach 25 years of age, whichever comes first. If the dependent child is over the age of 22, the undertaking length is 3 years.
How Can You Sponsor a Dependent Child in Quebec?
To sponsor your child to come to Quebec, the province has its own set of immigration methods and other steps you will have to take.
It is important to file an application at the provincial level with the Ministére de I’Immigration, de la Francisation and de I’Intégration (MIFI) on top of the usual application at the federal level with IRCC (short for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).
Furthermore, applicants residing in Quebec will have to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (QSC) and sign an undertaking with the province. As a sponsor, the undertaking requires you to provide for the dependent child’s basic needs and compensate the government for the help provided to the sponsored person during the sponsorship period, if applicable.
To end with, the undertaking length for a dependent child varies in Quebec compared to the rest of the country and is different according to their age. In case the age of the dependent child is under 16, the length of the undertaking is for at least 10 years, or until the age of 18, whichever is longer. If the age of the dependent child is 16 years and above, the undertaking is at least three years. Or, until 25 years of age, whichever is longer.
