Who can apply
We’re not currently accepting applications
As of December 30, 2023, we may have received enough applications to fill the available spaces. We’re assessing the ones that have already been submitted.
We’ll post more information on this page if we start to accept applications again for this category.
On this page:
To be eligible to apply, you must:
- be a citizen of Colombia, Haiti, or Venezuela
- be in South or Central America, Mexico or the Caribbean
- have an eligible Canadian citizen or permanent resident to support your application (an anchor) and be either their:
- spouse or common-law partner
- child (of any age), grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling
- give us a statutory
declaration from the anchor above that states:
- they plan to help you and any family members that come with you to Canada for 1 year
- they have not (and will not) accept any money from you or your family members
- plan to live in a province or territory other than Quebec
- not be inadmissible for reasons other than financial ones
- have a valid passport or eligible travel document
Who can be an anchor
An “anchor” is a family member who will support your application. The anchor must not have immigrated to Canada under this program.
Your anchor must be:
- 18 or older
- a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- living in Canada (but outside the province of Quebec)
- your spouse, common-law partner, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling
They must not be:
- in the process of applying to revoke their Canadian citizenship
- in jail or prison
- subject to a removal order in Canada
- late making a payment on an immigration loan, a performance bond or any other amount legally agreed to pay (and have not arranged to defer payments)
- in default of a sponsorship undertaking, support payments or repaying any debt owed to the Government of Canada
- an undischarged bankrupt
- getting social assistance for a reason other than disability
- convicted under the Canadian Criminal Code of Canada
See which crimes and conditions are included
They must not have been convicted under the Canadian Criminal Code of:
- a crime of a sexual nature, or an attempt or threat to commit such an crime against any person
- an indictable offence
- involving the use of violence
- punishable by a maximum prison term of at least 10 years, or
- with an attempt to commit such a crime, against any person
- a crime that results in bodily harm against any person, or an attempt or threat to commit such a crime
They also must not have been convicted outside Canada of a crime that, if committed in Canada, would be equal to one of the above crimes.
They may still be eligible if 5 years have passed since they completed a sentence for one of the above crimes.
What an anchor does
Your anchor must agree to support you for 1 year with a set list of needs to help you settle and integrate.
They must sign an official document stating they promise to:
- meet you at the airport and get you to where you’re staying
- give you temporary housing
- help you find permanent housing
- make sure you have food, clothes and other basic needs
- introduce you to life in Canada (for example, public transportation, banking, shopping, rights and responsibilities, etc.)
- help you:
- interpret information
- open a bank account so you can get your financial assistance
- enrol in provincial and federal programs and benefits (for example, Social Insurance Number, parental benefits, public health insurance)
- find a family doctor, dentist, eye care and arrange any other medical needs
- enrol children in school, child care
- enrol adults in language training
- access support services to find a job
- access Service Provider Organizations to access free settlement services once in Canada
Anchors must also state that they won’t accept money or other payment from you in exchange for being your anchor.
How we’ll support you
If we approve your application, we’ll:
- waive the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, all application fees and biometric fees
- cover pre-departure medical services to help protect your health and safe travel to Canada
- give you the equivalent of 3 months of financial assistance once in Canada, to help you settle
- give you free settlement services, before and after you arrive, to help you join Canadian society and the labour force
Page details
- Date modified: