It has gotten harder for many Nigerians who wish to travel with their families because the UK is constantly tightening its immigration laws. But Canada is providing you with a chance to get back together with your family. Canada has introduced several programs aimed at promoting family reunification and luring more immigrants to the country.
For instance, open work permits for spouses and family class candidates are now available in Canada.
Canada has made available;
- Shorter waiting periods at least 30 days for spouses applying for temporary residence visas (TRVs).
- Specific processing instruments for applications for spousal TRV
- Permits for open work
The government is providing families with the tools to support themselves in Canada and the steps will ensure that families can relocate to Canada in the shortest amount of time.
What You Should Know About the New Canadian Family Reunification Program
- The program will grant open work permits to spouses and dependent children irrespective of whether they applied for family sponsorship from outside Canada (outland sponsorship) or from within (inland sponsorship).
- Spousal applicants and dependent children who live in Canada with their sponsor and hold temporary residence status are eligible for open work permits.
- When you finish your application for permanent residence and submit it under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class or other family class programs, you will receive a work permit. Furthermore, Canada would provide immigrants with instant access to the labor market.
- Spousal applicants and other open work permit holders whose licenses expire between August 1 and the end of 2023 will have their validity extended by Canada.
- Canada has worked hard in the past few years to improve client services, expedite the processing of immigration applications, and streamline procedures.
- Not every person will be qualified for an extension. The extension is only available to the following groups: spouses or common-law partners of work permit holders; sponsored spouses with valid temporary resident status; applicants for permanent residency pending decision; and spouses or common-law partners of study visa holders.
Fresh PGWP Add-ons
- Originally, Canada did not renew Post Graduation Work Permits (PGWP), but it now provides immigrants who have an expired PGWP an additional 18 months of validity. To stay longer and obtain more work experience for up to 18 months, international graduates with one of these permits that expired earlier this year or last year will be eligible for an additional or extended work permit.
- Even after the 90-day restoration deadline has passed, immigrants whose work permits have expired can still restore their status. They will be issued an interim work authorization while their new work permit application is being processed.
- The IRCC has improved the way it handles family member visas overall by using technology innovations and streamlining its processes.
- Going forward, the processing period for TRV applications will be 30 days. Furthermore, the new PR applications can now be processed in the allotted 12-month processing period thanks to these modernization initiatives.
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What is the family class sponsorship program in Canada?
Sponsorship opportunities are available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to bring their loved ones to the country. Family members may be able to enter Canada permanently through these programs.
With shortened processing timelines, they can bring their spouse and immediate family to Canada through the family sponsorship programs.
As long as they satisfy the necessary qualifying requirements, sponsors may include parents, grandparents, common law and conjugal partners, spouses, and children.
Who can offer a family member sponsorship?
Sponsors who qualify must:
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
- Be at least eighteen years old;
- Reside in Canada, or intend to do so once your spouse or partner does;
- Be able and willing to meet your family member’s basic needs financially for three years.
Conditions for the Individual Being Sponsored
The sponsored individual must meet two requirements:
- They cannot be too closely connected to the sponsor by blood; and
- They must be at least 16 years old.
Conditions for the type of relationship
The applicant must demonstrate that one of three categories apply to the sponsored person’s relationship with the sponsor:
Spouse: There is a legal marriage between the Sponsor and the Sponsored Person. For individuals who are married in Canada, proof of the validity of their union can be found on a Certificate of Marriage from the province or territory where they were married.
Common-law partner: A common-law relationship can only be formed if the Sponsor and the Sponsored Person have lived together regularly for a minimum of a year, except for brief stays for family or professional obligations.
Conjugal partner: Conjugal partners can be either sex. They can be the opposite of each other. A sponsored individual is classified as a conjugal partner if: extraordinary events beyond their control, such as immigration limitations or laws restricting divorce or same-sex partnerships, have made it impossible for them to qualify as common-law partners or spouses.
The applicants have demonstrated the same degree of devotion in a mutually dependent relationship equivalent to that of a marriage or common-law union for at least a year.
Demonstrating emotional attachment and closeness, as well as financial closeness through shared asset ownership or mutual assistance, as well as making an effort to spend time together and get back together, may be necessary for this.