Dear future neighbour,
Quebec is now limiting the number of applications for spousal sponsorship and for children who are 18 years or older. This means only a certain number of these applications will be accepted.
There is also a limit on applications for sponsoring parents, grandparents, and other relatives. Quebec wants to control how many of these applications they receive.
However, there are some exceptions to these limits. Not all applications will be affected by the new rules.
Starting June 26, 2024, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation, and de l’Intégration (MIFI) will accept only 13,000 applications for family sponsorship over two years, impacting families seeking to reunite in Quebec.
Below is the breakdown of the family sponsorship cap
| Type of Application | Capping Until June 25, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Spouses, common-law spouses, and dependent children aged 18 and up | 10,400 |
| Fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, or other eligible relatives | 2,600 |
This cap does not apply to the following categories of people:
– A sponsor’s dependent minor child.
– Minor children the sponsor wants to adopt.
– An orphaned minor child related to the sponsor (brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandson, or granddaughter).
– A sponsor’s adult child who is dependent due to disability.
These individuals must not be married or in a common-law relationship.
Applications to add a sponsored person’s dependent child, spouse, or common-law partner, who is eligible under an undertaking application or awaiting permanent resident admission, are also exempt from the cap.
See below current processing time:
Spousal sponsorship applications for Quebec have been taking between 28 and 34 months, a duration that is significantly longer compared to the rest of Canada, where the process typically takes about 10 months.
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Change Since May 1 |
Change Since April 23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada (intention to live outside Quebec) | 10 months | -3 months | -2 months |
| Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada (intention to live in Quebec) | 34 months | No Change | +6 months |
| Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada (intention to live outside Quebec) | 10 months | -1 month | +2 months |
| Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada (intention to live in Quebec) | 28 months | +1 month | +4 months |
| Parents or Grandparents PR (intention to live outside Quebec) | 24 months | +4 months | -3 months |
| Parents or Grandparents PR (intention to live in Quebec) | 48 months | +15 months | +11 months |
The cap aims to ensure the number of family-class applications aligns with Quebec’s immigration targets for 2024 and 2025.
Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com
