Skip to main content

Immigration Corner | Thinking Of Canada/ Family Sponsorship

Dear Miss Powell,
My sister is a Canadian citizen and she would like to sponsor me and my 13-year-old brother to go to Canada to live. How can she sponsor us? I'm working, but my little brother is in high school.
- A.M.
 Dear A.M.,
A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor her siblings to become permanent residents of Canada if all the parties are able to satisfy certain requirements as outlined under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ( IRPA).
Your sister will first need to ensure that she qualifies to be a sponsor. She cannot be receiving social assistance, be in prison, or bankrupt. She must be able to satisfy other requirements depending on the details of your application.
In the case of your 13-year-old brother, there is a special provision made for persons who are orphans, single, and under the age of 18. So if both of your parents are deceased and your brother is dependent on your sister for support, she can make a special application to sponsor your brother.

STUDY PERMIT
It appears that you are over 18 years old and, therefore, the rules are different. The only way your sister can sponsor you is if she is single and has no other relative living in Canada. That is, your sister will need to prove that she does not have children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, or nephews in Canada.
If you and your brother do not qualify under the above, then your other options would be to apply for a study permit. This may be an expensive route as your brother will need to pay tuition as an international student and meet the financial requirements.
If you have a minimum of one year's work experience in a trade or as a professional, you may not need your sister to sponsor you as you could apply under the Federal Skilled Trades or Federal Skilled Worker category via the Express Entry System. I have written several articles about this topic, which can be found online.
You should also note that you will be required to undergo criminal and medical checks before your application is approved.
The answer above is based on the limited information that you have provided. Therefore, I recommend that you consult with an immigration lawyer who will be able to guide you based on the details of your case.
Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: http://www.jamaicagleaner.com/article/news/20160726/immigration-corner-thinking-canada

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Can my boyfriend sponsor me

Dear Miss Powell, I am a Jamaican citizen and I live with a man who is a Canadian citizen, even though he was born in Jamaica. We have been living together for the past two and half years in Jamaica and we own a small business. We buy and sell household goods and small appliances. He usually goes to the USA and Canada to buy the stuff for the store, and I manage the store. I asked him if he could sponsor me, as I would like to go back to college to certify as a nurse. I see where that kind of job pays well. I have the subjects, and it has always been my dream. He said that he won’t be able to sponsor me since he hasn’t lived in Canada for over four years, and he doesn’t even pay taxes there anymore. Is this true that he can’t sponsor me? What information could we provide them to qualify? Looking forward to your response in The Gleaner. Thank you. JO Dear JO, Canadian citizens may be able to sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, even if they are living outside of C...

Immigration Corner | Married to a Canadian, will they harass me?

Immigration Corner | Married to a Canadian, will they harass me? : Dear Miss Powell, I am married to a Canadian citizen. Before we were married, I had my visitor’s visa, so I was going back and forth, and he did the same. That works out good for both of us as we are very busy with our work, plus my husband says he... The immigration officer will not “harass” you because you are now married. However, you should expect to provide explanations about the reason for your visit and whether you are considering living or working in Canada. You should be honest with them as you could be barred from Canada for approximately five years for misrepresentation and have difficulties with future applications.

Immigration Corner | Why does it cost so much to go to Canada?

  Dear Miss Powell, Why does it cost so much to go to Canada? I spoke to a consultant and he said I need to have at least CDN$15,000 to pay to go Canada. Honestly, Miss Powell, if I had that amount of money to give the Canadian government, I wouldn’t need to leave Jamaica. I am a professional with a little savings with my mother, and an old house that my grandmother left me, but I can’t give that money away. Why do they charge so much? Is there a programme that doesn’t need so much money? AF Dear AF, If you wish to apply via the Express Entry System under the Federal Skilled Worker Programme, or Federal Skilled Trade Worker, you must demonstrate that you have the financial means to support yourself and your family when applying for permanent residence, with a few exceptions. The required amount is called ‘settlement funds’. The government of Canada does not take the funds from you. The only fees taken from you after you receive an invitation for permanent residence are the applicat...