Dependent Children Visa
Individuals coming to Canada as permanent residents or temporary foreigner with work permit are allowed to bring their dependents, including all dependent children to Canada with them. However, there may be circumstances wherein the individuals are not able to bring them along at the time of immigration. For such families with dependent children abroad, the Government of Canada has created a special immigration stream – Dependent Children sponsorship visa under the Family Class Visa category to facilitate the entry of dependent children into Canada to live with their families.
Eligibility Criteria for Family Class Dependent Children Sponsorship Visa
To be eligible to apply under the Family Class Dependent Children sponsorship visa category, the applicants must fulfill the below mentioned eligibility criteria: –
- They must be less than 19 years of age
- They must not be a spouse or common-law partner,
- They have been pursuing full time education since before the age of 19 and have majorly been depended on the financial support offered by their parent since that time. or
- They are 19 years of age or above and have been dependent on the financial support offered by their parents since before the age of 19, and are unable to support themselves financially due to a mental or physical condition.
Proof of relationship
While applying for Family Class Dependent Children sponsorship visa, it is essential that the sponsored person must be either:
- the biological child of the parent(s). In case the child has been adopted by a person other than the common law partner or spouse, or
- the adopted child of the parent(s).
Eligibility Criteria for Sponsors
In order to be eligible to become a sponsor of a dependent child, the sponsor must be:-
- a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
- 18 years of age or above.
- able to meet the income guidelines
- able to support the sponsored dependent child financially. This lasts for 10 years or until the child attains the age of 22 years, whichever comes first.
Permanent Residency
There are mainly two stages involved in the process of a sponsored dependent child gaining permanent residency in Canada.
Stage 1 – As a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, a sponsor must apply for the sponsorship of his/her dependent children
- The Case Processing Centre (CPC) of Canada will process the sponsor’s sponsorship application.
- The CPC will intimate the sponsor about approval or refusal of their sponsorship application by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
Stage 2 – The dependent children must apply for permanent residence.
Note: It is essential that a sponsor must send both – the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application for the sponsored dependent at the same time.
After Sponsorship
Children sponsored through the Family Class Dependent Children sponsorship visa category receive an unconditional Canadian permanent residency status and gain the right to study and work in Canada.
Processing times
The Government of Canada believes in keeping families together whenever possible. Because of this, the processing of applications under the Family Class sponsorship visa programs is given highest priority at the Canadian immigration visa offices.
The approximate processing time of a Family Class Dependent Children sponsorship visa is 16 months. However, processing times are subject to extension in the event of incomplete forms, lack of relevant documentation or longer verification times due to economic or political situations.
Q1. What is a Canada Immigration Visa?
It is a document that permits a person to work and live in one of the Canadian province or territory. It comes with several responsibilities and may be revoked in case the holder does not obey the Canadian residency obligations or is found guilty of conducting criminal activities in the country.
Q2. When can I obtain citizenship of Canada?
The Canadian Citizenship can typically be obtained after a period of three years of Permanent residence in Canada.
Q3. What is a Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
A Canadian Permanent Resident Card is a small, secured plastic card which contains the cardholder’s personal details and confirms the holder’s status as a Permanent Resident of Canada.
Q4. Is dual citizenship recognized in Canada?
Yes. Since 1977, the Canadian country has permitted its citizens to hold multiple or dual citizenship. This means that a citizen of Canada will not lose his/her Canadian citizenship in case he/she retains his/her native nation’s citizenship.
Q5. What is the Canadian Experience Class Program?
The Canadian Experience Class Program is an immigration category that permits temporary international workers to work in the country with a Permanent Resident Visa of Canada.
Q6. What is a Provincial Nominee program?
- The Provincial Nominee program was instituted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to permit different provinces and territories of Canada to select individuals who have required skills and experience for filling in the position of work which cannot be done by existing workforce in Canada and further contribute to the economic development of the country. Most territories and provinces within the country take part in the Provincial Nominee programs.
Q7. Can an individual apply for a Temporary Work Permit and a Canada Immigration Visa?
Yes. An individual can apply only for a Temporary Work Permit or in combination with an application for an immigration visa. CIC recognizes dual intent, whereby an individual can work in Canada on temporary basis and thereafter live and work in the country permanently.
Q8. Do students need a student visa for pursuing a short term course?
The need for a student visa majorly depends on the length of the course. If the course duration is less than six months, then there is no need for a student visa. However, if the course duration is more than six months, you must apply for a student visa.
Q9. Is there an eligibility occupation list under the Federal Skilled Worker Visa category?
- No, there is no eligibility occupation list prevalent at this time under the Federal Skilled Worker Visa category. Applicants of this category must have a minimum one year work experience in the last 10 years in a National Occupation Classification (NOC) code types O, A and B.
