--- slug: "family-sponsorship" title: "Family Sponsorship" template_kind: "custom-update" template_version: "v2" --- # Family Sponsorship Welcome. We handle family sponsorship cases for people who want to reunite with qualifying relatives in Canada. We help with spousal (inland and outland) and dependent-child sponsorships and other family-class matters. Below you’ll find how we work, how to start, what you’ll need to prepare, and how we communicate with clients. ## How we handle family sponsorship files - **Intake and free assessment:** You can start with our free assessment request on our site (see below). During the assessment we confirm whether the person fits the family class and outline next steps. After the free assessment we offer a formal engagement if you want us to proceed. - **Case management:** If you retain us we prepare the sponsorship forms, the permanent residence application (where applicable), and the supporting documentary package. We coordinate any required translations, police checks, medical examinations, and communications with IRCC and visa offices. - **Inland vs outland:** We prepare both inland sponsorships (when the sponsored person is inside Canada) and outland sponsorships (when the sponsored person is outside Canada). We will explain which route is appropriate for your circumstances during the assessment. - **Communication:** We handle submissions to immigration authorities and keep you updated by email and phone at the milestones we agree on in the engagement letter. ## Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP): July 15, 2026 IRCC update IRCC announced steps to maintain a well-managed, sustainable immigration system, including a pause on the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). Based on IRCC’s update: - **New PGP intake is paused:** IRCC is pausing the intake of new PGP applications. - **Existing applications continue:** IRCC will continue to process existing PGP applications. - **2026 approvals target:** IRCC plans to approve **up to 15,000 people** for permanent residence through PGP in **2026**, in line with the **2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan**. - **No new interest-to-sponsor intake / invitations (until further notice):** IRCC will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, because interest continues to exceed the spaces available under the levels plan. ### Super visa as a family reunification option Parents and grandparents can continue to visit their children and grandchildren in Canada through the **super visa**, which: - Allows visits for **5 years at a time** - Provides **multiple entries** to Canada for **up to 10 years** IRCC has also stated it recently made the super visa more accessible by implementing changes to the **income** and **health insurance** requirements. #### Super visa: income requirement calculation update (effective March 31, 2026) Starting **March 31, 2026**, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) changes how it calculates **family income** for **super visa** eligibility. **Who this applies to** - The super visa is a **multiple-entry visitor visa** for **parents and grandparents** of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. - The applicant’s **host** (their child or grandchild in Canada) must provide proof they meet the income requirement to support the visiting parent(s) or grandparent(s) during their stay in Canada. **Two alternative ways to meet the income requirement** 1. **Extending the income assessment period** - The host and their **co-signer (if applicable)** may meet or exceed the income requirement in **either one of the two taxation years preceding** the time of application. - Previously, IRCC assessed only the **year before** the application. 2. **Adding the visiting parent/grandparent’s income** - If the host and their **co-signer (if applicable)** meet the required **minimum percentage of income**, the income of the visiting parent(s) or grandparent(s) can be added to cover the remaining amount. **Which applications are assessed under the new approach** - As of **March 31, 2026**, applications **already in processing**, or **submitted on or after** that date, are assessed against the new income requirements. - Under the updated criteria, families who were previously eligible **continue to qualify**. - To use one of the alternative options above, families must submit the **necessary documents** proving they meet the income requirement for their **family size**. ## Kafala and guardianship (Islamic-law jurisdictions) In many countries whose judicial system is based fully or partly on Islamic law, **adoption may not be permitted**. In those situations, other child-protection measures may exist — the best-known is **kafala**. Some countries may have processes for both adoption and kafala. Even if a country allows adoptions, an adoption may not always be possible for certain children because of the child’s or the parent’s **religion** or **country of origin**. ### What “kafala” generally means Kafala is generally defined as a **voluntary and legal commitment** made by one or more people (the **kafil(s)**) to take charge of the **needs, upbringing, and protection** of a child **until the age of majority**. ### How kafala arrangements are documented (and why that matters) How kafala is established and the legal effects it carries vary by country. - In some Islamic countries (for example, **Morocco**), the kafala arrangement involves a **court order** and may or may not be accompanied by a **certificate from a religious authority**. - In other Islamic countries, the kafala arrangement does **not** involve a court order, but is evidenced by a **certificate from a religious authority**. - Many countries use kafala primarily for **domestic purposes only**. As a result, there may not always be evidence that a kafil is authorized to take the child under a kafala arrangement to **another country**. ### Common features of kafala placements The following factors are commonly present in most kafala placements: - **Legal parentage at birth is preserved:** kafala does not create a new legal parent-child relationship with the kafil and does not end the legal parent-child relationship with the birth parents. - **Placement ends at age of majority:** the legal time frame of the kafala placement ends when the child reaches the age of majority. - **No inheritance rights:** kafala typically does not grant inheritance rights. - **Possible revocation:** kafala placements may be revocable. ## Humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) considerations (IRPA) Subsections **25(1)** and **25.1(1)** of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) provide discretion to grant permanent resident status or to grant an exemption from any applicable criteria or obligations of the IRPA to foreign nationals who present sufficient H&C grounds and do not meet the requirements of the IRPA, or are inadmissible. Applicants may submit evidence relating to any facts affecting their personal circumstances that they believe are relevant to their request for H&C considerations. The purpose of H&C considerations is to allow discretion to approve compelling cases not covered by the legislation. Use of this discretion should be seen as a complementary provision to meet the objectives of the IRPA. The H&C decision-making process is highly discretionary as it considers whether a special grant of an exemption from a requirement of the IRPA is warranted. An H&C assessment considers all relevant circumstances, including the **best interests of any child directly affected**. Considered together, these circumstances must be sufficiently compelling to justify granting H&C relief. ### Specific considerations related to guardianship and kafala arrangements - Where a **court** has already determined the **best interests of the child** in deciding the parental responsibilities of a non-parent, that decision is determinative with regard to who is legally responsible for the child in the country where the order is issued. It is important to always look at the wording of the guardianship or kafala order. - The person awarded parental responsibilities would ordinarily determine where the child should live based on the child’s best interests, **except in kafala situations**. - Kafala is typically different in that it generally does **not** allow the child to be moved outside of the country. - From an immigration perspective, a delegated decision maker must weigh the best interests of the child in determining whether to grant H&C relief. In doing so, the decision maker must take into account earlier best-interests determinations and provide sufficient reasons for differing (for example, evidence that improper considerations or fraud were involved). - Where there is **no court order**, this deference is not necessary. - Officers are reminded that best interests of the child is **only one factor** in deciding whether to grant permanent residence or an exemption from the requirements of the IRPA. ### Hague Convention safeguards (risk of “bypass”) Decision makers should be aware that attempting to move a child to Canada under a kafala or guardianship arrangement — particularly for the purposes of a subsequent adoption in the province or territory of intended residence — may be an attempt to bypass the safeguards and principles of the **1993 Hague Convention**. This risk may be reduced where certain factors are present, for example: - The legal guardian or kafil is a **relative** - The legal guardian or kafil has an **established relationship** with the child prior to the application - The kafala or guardianship arrangement was undertaken while the child and non-parent were **habitually resident** in the foreign country - The child is **orphaned**, has been **abandoned to** the State, or has been **apprehended by** the State None of these factors are determinative by themselves; they must be considered holistically. ### Quebec considerations (provincial approval) Delegated decision makers may consider H&C cases involving applicants destined for **Quebec** if requested or on their own initiative, but this option is not possible without the province’s approval. Immigration is a shared jurisdiction in Canada between the federal government and provinces. To manage immigration between Canada and Quebec, the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration was signed in 1991 and is enshrined in the IRPA. ## What we need from you (typical documents) You will not need to provide everything immediately at intake, but the common categories of documents we ask for include: - **Proof of identity and status** (passports, PR card, citizenship documents where applicable) - **Proof of relationship** (marriage certificate, statutory declarations, photos, joint leases/accounts, correspondence, or other evidence depending on relationship type) - **Birth certificates** for dependent children and family-member IDs - **Police certificates or clearances** where required, and proof of any previous immigration history - **Proof of income/employment for the sponsor** (pay stubs, employer letters, notice of assessment) for the undertaking/financial requirement portion of the sponsorship - **Completed sponsorship and PR application forms** (we prepare and review these with you) - **Additional evidence for specific case situations** (for example: custody documents, court orders, proof of cohabitation) We will provide a tailored document checklist after the initial assessment so you know exactly which documents to gather. ## How to start - **Free assessment:** Request a free assessment on our website. The free assessment helps us determine eligibility and recommend the best application route. - **Contact details:** Our head office address and phone are listed on our contact page; you can reach our intake team by phone or email to arrange a consultation. - **Engagement:** After we agree on scope and fees in writing, we open the file, collect the retainer, and begin preparing your application. **Useful links** - Free assessment form: https://moyal.com/free-assessment/ - Contact / office details: https://moyal.com/contact-us/ ## What you can expect from us - **Clear intake:** we explain whether inland or outland sponsorship is appropriate and the expected steps for your file. - **Document review and application preparation:** we prepare the forms and supporting package, review everything for completeness, and file with IRCC or the visa office. - **File updates:** we notify you of any IRCC requests for additional information and advise how to respond. - **International assistance:** Attorney Henry Moyal meets with clients abroad and gives seminars internationally; we can discuss remote options if you are overseas. ## Timelines and outcomes Processing times depend on IRCC and the visa office handling the application and on the particular facts of the file. We will provide expected timelines during the free assessment and will update you if IRCC publishes changes that affect your file. ## Fees, booking, and what we still need from you - We do not publish fixed family-sponsorship retainer amounts on the public site. To give accurate cost expectations, we need the firm to provide the standard retainer ranges or flat fees we charge for family sponsorship files and any payment/retainer terms. - We also need the firm’s preferred booking link or process so we can direct clients exactly how to schedule a consultation. ## Accessibility and languages We handle clients by email and phone and meet in person at the Toronto office address listed on our contact page. If our intake team or counsel speaks languages other than English, tell us which languages so we can list them on this page and route callers appropriately. ## Quick practical notes for clients - Gather identity documents and proof of the relationship early — those items are central to a sponsorship application. - Start police checks and medicals as soon as we advise; these steps can take time in some countries. - Use the free assessment link to start the process and confirm whether you should file an inland or outland application.