Indians become major spousal immigration applicants in 2021

Indians as immigrants have been dominating the figures over the years, including in 2021. About 10,705 Indian spouses and partners became permanent residents, 17% of the total.

Besides India, candidates from the Philippines, the US, and China, also formed the important groups of spouse and partner permanent residents last year.

In 2022, Canada’s latest Immigration Levels Plan aims to target about 80,000 people through permanent residence streams for spouses, partners and children. In total, 105,000 family-class immigrants will be welcomed this year. The remainder will come through the Parents and Grandparents Program.

Thus, there are plenty of options for Canadian citizens and permanent residents looking to bring their families to Canada.

During the COVID pandemic, spousal reunification was one of the many immigration streams that saw a significant rise in the processing times. Though, the immigration minister has ensured that the stream will return to the 12-month service standard for processing.

Family Sponsorship applicants can also check the application status of their immigration file by the new application tracker launched for family sponsorship. The tracker is available for permanent residence applicants in the spouse, partner, and dependent child categories.

Eligibility for sponsorship:

The sponsor must:

• be at least 18 years old.
• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
• Canadian citizens living outside Canada need to show that they plan to live in Canada when the sponsored person(s) become permanent residents.

Note: Permanent residents living outside Canada cannot be sponsors.

• be able to prove they are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
• be able to provide for the basic needs of those being sponsored.

The person being sponsored and their family members have to pass background, security, and medical checks.

A spouse can be of either sex and must be:

• legally married to the sponsor
• at least 18 years old

A common-law partner can be either sex and must:

• be not legally married to the sponsor.
• be at least 18 years old.
• have been living with the sponsor for at least 12 consecutive months in a conjugal relationship without any long periods apart.

Proof of a common-law relationship includes:

• Shared ownership of residential property.
• Joint leases or rental agreements.
• Bills for shared utility accounts.
• Important documents showing the same address, such as driver’s licenses or insurance policies.
• Identification documents.

A conjugal partner can be either sex and must:

• be not legally married or in a common-law relationship with the sponsor.
• be at least 18 years old.
• have been in a relationship with the sponsor for at least 1 year.
• should live outside Canada.
• be not able to live with the sponsor in their country of residence or marry the sponsor.

Procedure:

You need to submit two applications at the same time to complete the application process:

• Your application for sponsorship to your spouse/partner
• Permanent residency application of your spouse.

The procedure of applying for sponsoring a spouse has the following easy steps:

Step 1: Download the application package from the government website; it includes a handbook, instructions, and paperwork to assist you.

Step 2: Pay the application fee online. It comprises:

• Processing fees for all persons included in the application
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee
• Biometrics fees

Step 3: Follow the submission steps in the handbook you downloaded to submit your application.

Step 4: When prompted, submit the relevant supporting documentation.

Let the expert team of Servica guide you through the sponsorship process. Get in touch now!