Schachnow Law

Family sponsorship

Bring your family to Canada for good.

Sponsor your spouse, partner, child, or parent for permanent residence. We prepare both sides of the file carefully to reduce the risk of refusal.

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Request your sponsorship review

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor close family members for permanent residence. Each stream has its own eligibility rules, income requirements, and evidence standards. We confirm you qualify as a sponsor before you commit, then prepare the sponsorship and the PR application as one coordinated file.

Who you can sponsor

The family class, in full.

  • Spouses and common law partners, applying from inside or outside Canada
  • Dependent children, including adopted children
  • Parents and grandparents through the annual sponsorship program
  • Super visas as a faster option for parents and grandparents
  • Other relatives in limited circumstances
  • Open work permits for spouses being sponsored inside Canada

How we work

A modern lawyer-led process, built on state-of-the-art software.

01

Initial consultation

Talk to one of our licensed lawyer's to tell us your background and needs. We then provide expert advice and suggested next steps, including a flat fee for further assistance.

02

Application preparation

You'll work closely with our team on our secure, AI-powered software to prepare and finalize your application as quickly as possible.

03

Our lawyers review and file

An Ontario licensed immigration lawyer always does a final review (sometimes twice), and files on your behalf.

Flat fees. Personal responses within 24 business hours. No surprises.

What to know

How sponsorship works.

  1. 01

    First, the sponsor

    Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 or older can sponsor. You must not be in default of a previous sponsorship undertaking, and for parents and grandparents you must meet income thresholds for three consecutive tax years. We check your side before anything is filed.

  2. 02

    The relationship is the evidence

    For spouses and partners, no minimum income applies, but the relationship carries the file. Officers look for a genuine, continuing relationship: shared finances, shared address, photos across time, communication history, and statements that agree with each other.

  3. 03

    Where you apply from matters

    Applying from inside Canada allows an open work permit during processing, but limits travel and carries no appeal right if refused. Applying from outside keeps travel flexible and preserves the right to appeal. The right choice depends on where you live and your risk profile.

  4. 04

    Children, and a few others

    Dependent children under 22, or older children who depend on you because of a condition, can be sponsored or included in your application. In narrow situations, orphaned relatives or a last remaining relative can qualify too.

  5. 05

    Parents and grandparents

    The program opens in limited windows with far more interest than spots. When it is closed, a super visa keeps the family together with stays of up to five years at a time while you wait.

  6. 06

    What you are signing

    Sponsorship is a binding financial undertaking: three years for a spouse, longer for children and parents. If your sponsored family member collects social assistance during that period, you repay it. We make sure you understand it before you sign it.

Why us

Why families work with us.

Relationship evidence done right

Officers weigh genuineness heavily. We organize your evidence so the relationship is documented beyond doubt.

Sponsor eligibility confirmed first

Income, past sponsorships, and your own status all matter. We verify everything before you spend a dollar on filing.

Inland or outland, chosen deliberately

Where you apply affects work rights, travel, and appeal rights. We pick the route that fits your life, not a default.

One coordinated file

The sponsorship and the PR application are prepared together, so the two halves tell one consistent story.

FAQ

Sponsorship questions, answered.

Do not see your question? Ask us directly. An Ontario licensed immigration lawyer replies within one business day.

Ask a question
What counts as proof of a genuine relationship?
Shared leases and finances, photos across the relationship, messages, travel together, and statements from people who know you as a couple. Quality and consistency beat volume.
How long does spousal sponsorship take?
IRCC's published standard is about 12 months for most spousal files. Complete, well evidenced applications tend to track it. Weak files draw interviews and delays.
Can my spouse work while we wait?
If you apply inland, your spouse can apply for an open work permit alongside the sponsorship and usually start working within months.
Is there an income requirement?
No minimum income applies for spouses and dependent children, though you cannot be on social assistance other than disability support. Parents and grandparents do have income thresholds.
What happens if the sponsorship is refused?
Outland refusals can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division within 30 days. Inland refusals cannot, which is one of the tradeoffs we weigh with you at the start.

Trusted by clients across Canada.

LA

Lucas Arantes

Josh was incredibly helpful throughout two work permits and our overall immigration process, guiding all of us (including two different employers) every step of the way. He made complicated immigration topics easy to understand and helped us choose the best strategy for our family's needs. Now we're proud Canadian citizens raising our two kids in Montréal.

YZ

Yongjie Zhang

It was a pleasure working with Josh on my work permit application. He was very professional and timely with his communication and I am excited to finally be accepted to Canada.

RA

Rob Attwell

Josh was incredibly helpful and responsive in dealing with our immigration issues through the Global Talent Stream Program. He really knew his stuff and was willing to help me and, more importantly, our candidate through the process.

AS

Abhishek Srivastava

Josh made the whole work permit application process quite easy and it was great to work with him. He is very knowledgeable in his area of expertise and resolved all my queries. I am excited to be starting my new life in Canada!

IA

Irem Ayan

It has been an absolute pleasure working with Joshua throughout my immigration process. He easily spotted the mistake in my first Express Entry application and guided me through a second application which was recently approved. Very professional, knowledgeable, and courteous. I wouldn't be planning my landing in Canada if it weren't for his advice.

AC

Adam Cowley

We worked with Josh on a work permit re-application after we had some struggles trying to get it ourselves. Josh was a pleasure to work with and helped us get our approval in a timely fashion. We hope to work with him again soon.

PC

Priyanka Chabbi

I had a great experience working with Josh. He is an incredibly patient and knowledgeable lawyer who truly cares about his clients. The company that hired me in Canada worked with Josh for my visa process, and everything went smoothly from start to finish.

JS

Jess S.

I'm glad I met Josh. He helped me with my Canadian Work Permit Visa and my husband's OWP. I was apprehensive at first, and I had a lot of questions, but Josh was always accurate and willing to help. He is an excellent professional, and it's clear that he cares about every client.

Joshua Schachnow, founding Canadian immigration lawyer at Schachnow Law

Meet our Managing Partner

Joshua Schachnow, B.Com., J.D.

Founding Partner

Josh is a Toronto-based lawyer who has been practicing immigration law for more than 9 years. More specifically, he's helped thousands of individuals and companies navigate Canadian immigration - from work permits to permanent residence, study permits, citizenship, LMIAs and more. Josh always puts his clients first, and believes quick and thoughtful communication is most important to making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Called to the Ontario Bar. Member of the Law Society of Ontario, and the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association.

Ready to get started

Start your sponsorship.

Tell us who you want to sponsor and where they live now. Within one business day, an Ontario licensed immigration lawyer will confirm eligibility on both sides and quote a flat fee.

Flat fees. No obligation. We reply within 24 business hours.

Request your sponsorship review