Financial Requirements to sponsor under the Family Class

Who needs to meet Financial Requirements to Sponsor Family to Canada?

When sponsoring a loved one to Canada one of the requirements is meeting the financial obligations as the sponsor. The sponsor must show that he/she meets the minimum necessary income or Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) for a given family set by Statistics Canada. If you are sponsoring a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner then you do need to meet this requirement. Also, if you are sponsoring a dependent child which is the dependent child of the Canadian sponsor are also exempt from this requirement.

What is the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for Family Sponsorship?

To sponsor your loved one under the Family Class for Permanent Residency in Canada, the sponsor must exceed the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI). To determine what the MNI will be for your family members getting sponsored to Canada you would have to look at:

• The size of the family of the sponsor
• Where the sponsor lives in Canada
• How many family members are getting sponsored to Canada

When sponsoring a parent or grandparent to Canada as the sponsor you will only be eligible if you exceed the Minimum Necessary Income for 3 consecutive years (except in the province of Quebec). The reason this change was brought into place to ensure that sponsors that bring their parents or grandparents to Canada are able to meet the financial responsibility to care for their elderly family members.

Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) figures, plus 30 percent. NMI for individuals in Canada (excluding Quebec)

To find out if your total income is sufficient as a sponsor, you would need to deduct the following from the total family income:

• Workmen’s compensation board payments, except for permanent disabilities
• Payments from provincial or municipal sources for welfare assistance
• Payments from federal, provincial, or municipal sources for employment training, or for any social or welfare benefits which are not of a fixed and continuing nature
• All debts

The resulting amount must exceed the minimum income levels shown in this chart:

If as the sponsor you are unable to meet the financial requirements to provide for the basic needs of the person getting sponsored, your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner can act as the co-signer if their combined income meets the necessary income and the co-signer meets all the sponsorship requirements of a valid sponsor.

How do I calculate Family Size?

To determine how much income you need to show as the sponsor depends on your family size. To help you calculate your family size you can use the following chart:

Count:

• Yourself
• Your spouse or common law partner and dependent children if applicable

Remember children that meet the definition of dependent child must also be included in the calculation even if you as the sponsor do have custody or provide child support

Count:

• the number of people you are now sponsoring
• all dependent family members of that person, whether or not they are accompanying
• Count the number of persons covered by other valid undertakings you have made or co-signed in the pastIf you have a co-signer, count all persons covered by still valid undertakings made or co-signed by your co-signer

Calculate the number of persons covered in steps 1 to 4. The total represents the family size. Look at the Federal Income Table for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship in this guide to help you decide if you have the financial ability to meet sponsorship requirements

Other Requirements you must meet as the Sponsor:

• Be canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• Sponsor should be able to provide the basic essentials for the person getting sponsored such as food, clothing, shelter, dental care, eye care anything else that is not covered by health care
• Meet residency requirements as PR card holder
• If you are Canadian citizen sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child you must show that your intentions are to reside in Canada when the sponsored person lands in Canada as permanent residents.
• Be 18 years of age
• Have no criminal inadmissibility
• Not bankrupt
• Not under removal order
• Not charged with serious offence
• Sign an undertaking
• Proof of able to support the person getting sponsored

Who cannot Sponsor under the Family Class?

• Getting social assistance other than disability
• Owe the government money, did not meet previous undertaking, owe child support
• Filed bankruptcy
• Convicted of offence sexual in nature, violent criminal offence, offence against a relative that resulted in bodily harm or threatening to commit any of the offences mentioned above
• Are in jail or probation

How Long am I Financially Responsible for my Parents or Grandparents?

When sponsoring a person under the family class, you as the sponsor have to sign an undertaking with Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. When you sign this undertaking you promise to provide financial support and provide for the basic needs of the family members you are sponsoring to Canada. The reason you are asked to sign this undertaking because it ensures the individuals that are getting sponsored do not apply for social assistance. You are financially responsible for your parents or grandparents and their accompanying dependents for 20 years. Your responsibility as the sponsor begins as soon as the sponsored person arrives in Canada.

Remember when you sign an undertaking you promise to support the person unconditionally no matter what the situation might be. So if you decide to get divorced, separated, move to another province or your financial situation deteriorates you are still responsible for the person.

Contact Akrami & Associates

If you are looking into sponsoring a loved one to Canada and not sure if you meet the requirements to sponsor under the Family Class then contact us today at 416-477-2545. The representative will assess your situation and determine your eligibility to sponsor. Akrami & Associates has assisted many with sponsorship applications and we can certainly assist you too.

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!!