Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship
Are you a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident?
Do you want to sponsor your parent or grandparent to Canada?
At Bellissimo Immigration Law Group PC we can help!
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor their parent(s) or grandparent(s). Given that demand to sponsor parents and grandparents far exceed the number of spots, IRCC has been exploring various ways to manage the application process. With a try of “first-in, first served model” since 2020, IRCC has reverted to the form of the pool and lottery system used in 2018 and 2017, where they randomly select interested sponsors and provide them with invitations to apply.
The application processing system has similar elements to the Express Entry system. Canadian citizens and permanent residents who wish to sponsor their parents or grandparents are required to first complete an online form advising of their interest in making a sponsorship application. It requires basic personal information from potential sponsor(s) and applicant(s), such as name, address, date of birth, etc. Once the information has been submitted, the interested sponsor will receive a confirmation number. The government then invites a select number of potential sponsors to submit completed application. Only those candidates who have been chosen will be invited to apply to the parent and grandparent sponsorship category. Potential sponsors must submit their completed application within 60 days of the date of the invitation.
Prior to the COVID pandemic, IRCC released details on the intake of parents and grandparents program at the beginning of each year and the interest form is only made available for a limited period of time. Since the pandemic, however, IRCC has provided updates and held the lotteries in the fall of each year.
Invitations to apply for 2022 were sent out between 12 – 20 October 2022. With the goal of receiving 15,000 complete applications, IRCC invited 23,100 potential sponsors from the remaining pool of over 150,000 potential sponsors who submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020. No new interest form was accepted into the pool. Should you require assistance with this application, please contact our office immediately.
Who can
sponsor?
Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered in Canada as an Indian under the Indian Act may sponsor their parent and/or grandparents if they are 18 years of age and residing in Canada. Temporary residents, including individuals with applications for permanent residence in process, are not eligible to sponsor their family members.
Sponsors cannot be subject to a removal order, or be
in prison, jail or a penitentiary, and cannot be in receipt of social
assistance (excluding disability). Sponsors must also have no outstanding
sponsorship undertakings, immigration or court order debts, or undischarged
bankruptcies. Individuals who were convicted of attempting, threatening to
commit or committing a violent offence, of any offence against a family member,
or of any sexual offence (either inside or outside of Canada) may not be
eligible to act as a sponsor.
Finally, individuals hoping to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents must meet specific income requirements. These vary depending on the number of individuals the sponsor is financially responsible for (ie: including their spouse and dependent children). Once the sponsor is invited to apply, proof of income must be provided for each of the 3 taxation years preceding the date of the application, through submission of Notices of Assessment for the sponsor from the Canada Revenue Agency. Sponsors may have a co-signer, such as their spouse or common law partner, to ensure that they meet the financial requirements. The co-signers proof of income must be submitted for the preceding three taxation years before the application. Co-signers must meet the same eligibility requirements as the sponsor. Siblings cannot be co-sponsors. Certain revenues (for instance: child tax benefits or unemployment insurance) cannot be included in the income calculations. Please note that for the 2020 and 2021 tax years, you are allowed regular Employment Insurance benefits and temporary COVID-19 benefits, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, to be included in your income calculations.
Undertaking and Sponsorship Agreement
As part of the sponsorship application, sponsors (and
co-signers, where applicable) must include a signed undertaking and sponsorship
agreement. The undertaking commits the sponsor to providing financial support
for the basic needs of the individual being sponsored for a period of 20 years.
Sponsors are also committing to repaying any provincial social assistance
received by the sponsored parent and/or grandparent during the period of time
of the undertaking. The undertaking is binding regardless of a change in the
sponsors situation or in their relationship with the applicant.
Please note that sponsors residing in Quebec are subject to different immigration sponsorship requirements. These sponsors are first assessed (and must be approved) by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and then by the province of Quebec. An undertaking is also specifically signed with the province of Quebec.
Who can
apply?
Parents or grandparents who are related to the sponsor
by blood or adoption may apply for permanent residence as a member of the
family class. Spouses of the parent or grandparent who are not related by blood
or birth (but were introduced following divorce, as an example) may also be sponsored.
Finally, dependent children of the parent or grandparent may be included on the
application if they qualify. For reference, children are considered ‘dependant’
if they are under the age of 22 and do not have a spouse or common law partner.
Children over the age of 22 may still qualify as dependants if they are
financially dependent on a parent due to a physical or mental condition and
they have depended on their parent for financial support since before the age
of 22.
Perhaps most importantly, individuals who apply for permanent residence as a member of the family class must meet all eligibility requirements, including those related to medical and criminal inadmissibility
Looking to Sponsor a family member to Canada? We can help!
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What Our Clients Are Saying
Kanagasabapathy Vijay Kumar
It's been a very good experience working with Bellissimo Immigration Law Group PC. The wealth of experience and professionalism they bring to the table is fantastic. Their professional approach, meticulous planning, their relentless push to get everything they want to compile a flawless submission document was amazing. Overall, they work very hard to get positive results and I am impressed with their services.
Our special thanks to Ms Keely Anderson and Ms Alexandra Goncharova for their efforts and due diligence in pulling together a compelling submission in support of my husband’s rehabilitation application due to criminal inadmissibility. This was a complex case, refused once because of incompleteness and lack of transparency then put on hold for 2 years due to the covid pandemic. We subsequently reapplied with BLG upon the advice that they were the best. It was a long journey and they don’t come cheap but the result speaks for itself. We were invited to meet with the Reviewing Officer in IRCC London who said the application was so well documented that no questions remained and we were granted approval then and there. It’s been a 5-year journey but the freedom one feels to be able to travel back and forth with my husband to Canada cannot be underestimated. We are now free to apply for my husband’s permanent residency for which we will always be grateful to BLG for making it possible. Thank you.
I was immigrating from the United States to Canada. Whole process went very smooth. Viola Gniadek provided me with very clear Instructions and was there any time I had a question to help me through the process. She deserves more than 5 stars! I would recommend this firm to anyone interested in immigrating.
My wife and I worked with Bellissimo Law Group on a very complex spousal sponsorship application. Our relationship started long-distance and lasted three years before we got married, without having met in person. This raised several red flags in the immigration process. From the beginning, we knew we were facing a difficult case that needed serious legal guidance. After doing thorough research, Bellissimo stood out for their experience with complicated immigration cases, and they lived up to that reputation.
Our consultant and main point of contact was Viola Gniadek. She was professional, honest, and very precise. She responded to our concerns whenever something about the case worried us and was always flexible with us in terms of availability. I remember it was during a weekend and she was still double-checking and completing our forms as we had a submission deadline on Monday. You will be lucky to have her handle your case. The firm took time to understand the complexity of our case and worked closely with us over several months to prepare over 300 pages of documentation. What I appreciated most was how careful they were with every word submitted. In immigration law, even one unnecessary detail can be used against you, and Bellissimo knew how to manage that risk with skill and strategy.
With their guidance, we submitted a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application, even though they had warned us clearly that, due to the circumstances and the country involved, there was a high chance of refusal. But they also had a plan in place from the start to appeal it if that happened. The TRV was refused, as expected, but we followed through on the appeal. IRCC later offered us a settlement, and our application was reopened. We were given a second chance, and even without much new documentation, the TRV was approved within 15 days of reopening. That moment changed everything.
Thanks to that approval, my wife and I have been together in Canada since March 20. Her spousal sponsorship application was finalized and approved shortly after, but had we not pursued and won the TRV appeal, we would likely still be separated due to delays with passport stamping and processing. That TRV win was a turning point not just legally, but personally.
Later, we were invited for a spousal sponsorship interview, which showed that the officer remained skeptical of our case. Bellissimo helped us prepare thoroughly for the interview, which was a separate legal process with additional fees. But the preparation paid off. After seeing how our TRV refusal had been overturned and how well our case had been built, it would have been very difficult for an officer to justify a refusal at that point. It was clear to them that we were not only committed but had the legal backing to defend ourselves through every stage of the system.
One important thing I want to stress is that just because you can apply on your own does not mean you always should. I have seen people succeed without a lawyer, and I have seen many people fail and remain stuck in the system for years due to refusals or misrepresentation. Legal support is expensive, yes, but you need to consider what is truly at stake. Your future, your time, your peace of mind, and your chance to be with the person you love, these are far more valuable than saving a bit of money upfront.
Also, do not assume that a cheaper option means better value. It might cost less, but if they do not understand the complexity of your case or submit something careless, it could cost you far more in the long run. This is your life. Do not cheap out.
If your case is complicated like ours, Bellissimo Law Group is absolutely worth it. They do not make empty promises. They know exactly what they are doing. I am deeply grateful for their work and recommend them without hesitation. Thank you, Mr. Bellissimo and the entire team.
I recently had the pleasure of working with Bellissimo Law Group to resolve a misrepresentation issue on my permanent residency application, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. From the very beginning, their team was incredibly responsive and attentive, making sure I was informed and comfortable with every step of the process.
Their expertise and dedication were evident throughout my case. They meticulously reviewed all the details, provided clear and professional advice, and guided me through the complex legal landscape with ease. Their support was unwavering, and they always made themselves available to answer any questions or concerns I had.
Thanks to Bellissimo Law Group, my permanent residency application was successfully resolved, and I am now a proud resident of Canada. If you are looking for a law firm that truly cares about their clients and delivers outstanding results, look no further than Bellissimo Law Group.
I highly recommended Bellissimo Law Group for both legal and the process of application for immigration. The team handled my 2 cases brilliantly. They are very knowledgeable and the work and service are outstanding and very professionally done. Viola Gniadek, Christopher Colette and Punya Bagga handled my first case for my nephews and Michelle Boeriu on the second case for my brother. These two cases have been approved. Thank you with all my heart for the job well done. I really appreciate your valuable work and services. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the team and Belllissimo Law Group.
I scheduled a consultation with Bellissimo Immigration Law Group and was incredibly pleased with how helpful they were. Not one, but two lawyers were on the call to advise me, and they took the time to look into all possible immigration options for me and my family. I had done a lot of research prior to speaking with them, but that consultation made me realize how difficult the process would be without a law firm that keeps up with the frequent policy changes. They offered invaluable advice and I will definitely hire them to create my profile when I have everything together.
Lijing was very knowledgeable and answered all of my questions in great detail. I highly recommend Bellissimo for immigration issues!
Thank you Belissimo Law Group for helping my husband and I navigate through his PR application. It’s difficult to know who to trust, especially with matters as sensitive and complex as immigration but I am so happy that I made the choice and chose BLG. They not only have an incredible comprehension of immigration law but also a great deal of compassion and consideration for their clients. I truly enjoyed working with them and I feel grateful that there are people out there working hard to make a positive impact on someone else’s life like they did with mine. Thank you again BLG, I would recommend your services to anyone in the same or similar situations!
On a side note, for people out there who are thinking about hiring an immigration consultant, please talk to a law firm first. Some consultants charge the same or more for their services without needing to have a good comprehension of immigration laws.
