What does signing an undertaking for family-class sponsorship mean?

What does signing an undertaking for family-class sponsorship mean?

Canada accepts approximately 100,000 family-class immigrants each year and works to reunite families as part of its immigration strategy. A sponsor is required for all family-class immigration procedures.

An undertaking is one of the key criteria for family sponsorship. An undertaking is a legally binding agreement that the sponsor signs stating that you are accepting obligation for your spouse, partner, dependent child(ren), parent(s), or grandparent(s).

What does financial responsibility entail?

Anyone who enters Canada through family sponsorship is not eligible for government help such as government aid, disability, or any provincial advantage. If the person you’re sponsoring asks for and gets funding from the provincial or federal government, you’ll be the one who has to repay it.

All permanent residents have access to healthcare through the provincial health service. If your family member does not have an insurance plan, you are liable for any healthcare that the province does not cover, such as prescription medications, dental treatment, or eye examinations.

Furthermore, once you sign an undertaking, there are no grounds for terminating your responsibility early. If you separate or divorce your partner or spouse, or become alienated from the individual for whom you signed an undertaking, you are still held liable until the undertaking expires. You are also still responsible if you lose your job or get into financial difficulties.

How long does an undertaking last?

Based on the program, the length of the undertaking varies. Sponsoring a spouse or partner takes three years, whereas sponsoring parents or grandparents under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) takes 20 years unless you live in Quebec, where it takes ten years.

Dependent children under the age of 22 require a 10-year undertaking, or until they reach the age of 25. Children above the age of 22 have a three-year undertaking.

Can you cancel an undertaking?

After Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada issue its final judgment on your application, undertakings cannot be revoked (IRCC). If you change your decision before receiving IRCC’s decision, you can withdraw your application in advance.

How to know if you are eligible to be a sponsor?

The qualifying criteria for sponsoring programs are simple. Each program has slightly different requirements, however, interested sponsors must fulfill the following requirements in all situations:

• at least 18 years old
• a Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident,
• living in Canada:
  • if you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident.
  • You cannot sponsor someone if you are a permanent resident living outside of Canada.
• able to prove that you are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability, and;
• You must also be able to show that you can provide basic needs for:
  • yourself,
  • your spouse or partner,
  • your spouse or partner’s dependent child(ren) (if applicable)
  • your dependent child(ren) (if you are sponsoring only your dependent child).

How much minimum necessary income is required?

Total number of people you’ll be responsible for	2021	2020	2019
2 people	$32898	$32270	$41007
3 people	$40444	$39672	$50414
4 people	$49106	$48167	$61209
5 people	$55694	$54630	$69423
6 people	$62814	$61613	$78296
7 people	$69934	$68598	$87172
If more than 7 people, for each additional person, add:	$7120	$6985	$8876

The minimal necessary income determines your ability to sponsor under the PGP (MNI). This demonstrates that you earn enough money to support yourself, your spouse, and any other dependent family members except your parents or grandparents. For each dependent family member, the MNI rises. To be qualified, you must be able to demonstrate that you have made the MNI for the preceding three tax years.

 

 

Canadapt Consulting is a registered immigration law consulting firm in Canada, serving clients across the globe. We are proud to offer the following services for individuals and companies:

• LMIA Application
• Work Permit Application
• Spousal Sponsorship Application
• Post Graduate Work Permit Application
• OINP Application
• Intra-Company Transfer Program
• C11 Work Permit Application

 

Canadapt Consulting

4711 Yonge Street, Suite 1000, Toronto, ON M2N 6K8

+1(416)939-9911