Family Sponsorship

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the permanent residents and citizens of Canada can sponsor their family members from abroad under family class. The eligible family members are included parents, grand parents and their dependent natural or adopted children, spouses, common law partner, conjugal partner or same sex partner and their natural or adopted children under 22 years of age or if over 22 years of age must continue full time student status.

If you were married outside Canada, you may apply to sponsor your same-sex partner as a spouse as long as the marriage is legally recognized according to both the law of the place where the marriage occurred and under Canadian law. This applies to same-sex marriages performed in the following jurisdictions:

• Belgium
• The Netherlands
• South Africa
• Spain
• The State of California (on or after June 16, 2008) USA
• The State of Massachusetts, USA

Common-law partner
You are a common-law partner—either of the opposite sex or same sex—if
You have been living together in a conjugal relationship for at least one year in a continuous 12-month period that was not interrupted.

Conjugal partner
This category is for partners—either of the opposite sex or same sex—in exceptional circumstances beyond their control that prevent them from qualifying as common-law partners or spouses by living together.

Conjugal Partner
A conjugal relationship is more than a physical relationship. It means you depend on each other, there is some permanence to the relationship and there is the same level of commitment as a marriage or a common-law relationship.

Please contact us for more information if you intend to sponsor and bring
your love ones to Canada.