Family Class: Sponsorships from Persons Residing in Quebec

The Quebec Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) is responsible for determining whether or not to approve a sponsorship undertaking for sponsors who live in Quebec.

On this page

• MIFI process
• Quebec cases: Federal sponsorship criteria not met
• Quebec cases: Federal sponsorship criteria met
• Sponsor chooses, “to withdraw your sponsorship” if found ineligible to sponsor
• Sponsor chooses, “to proceed with the application for permanent residence” if found ineligible to sponsor

MIFI process

The Case Processing Centre in Mississauga (CPC-M) will advise Quebec sponsors by letter that they must:

• obtain the undertaking form (Formulaire d’engagement) by either:
  • going to MIFI’s website
  • communicating with the MIFI call centre
• follow the instructions for submitting an application and the required supporting documents—which includes an Application for a Selection Certificate—along with a copy of the letter issued by the CPC

MIFI will determine all of the following:

• the financial criteria for sponsorship of immigrants intending to live in Quebec
• if sponsors are in receipt of social assistance
• if sponsors are in default of a previous Quebec undertaking or family support payments
• the duration of undertaking
• if they are an undischarged bankrupt under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act

If MIFI refuses the undertaking application, they will advise the sponsor and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) of the decision, in writing.

If MIFI approves the undertaking application, they will send a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) (Quebec Selection Certificate) to the applicant and a copy to the sponsor. They will advise IRCC of their decision, in writing.

If the processing office receives the permanent residence application by the sponsored person before receiving a response from MIFI, the processing office should contact MIFI directly for their decision.

Note: The CSQ must be valid at the time it is received by IRCC. Once a valid CSQ is received by IRCC, it will be considered valid until a decision is rendered on the permanent residence application. If the CSQ validity date has expired in the Global Case Management System (GCMS) when a decision is to be taken, officers must manually update the “Valid To” field to the date that is equal to the validity of the medical results.

Quebec cases: Federal sponsorship criteria not met

Before referring a Quebec case to MIFI, officers with decision-making authority assess the sponsor against federal sponsorship eligibility requirements. If the sponsor does not meet federal eligibility requirements, do not send a copy of the sponsorship application to MIFI.

If the sponsor does not meet federal eligibility requirements and has opted to withdraw their sponsorship application (Question 1 of IMM 1344), return the permanent residence application and refund relevant processing fees to the sponsor.

If the sponsor opts to proceed with the application when they do not meet eligibility requirements, make a decision on the permanent residence application of the sponsored applicant. Do not refund the processing fees.

Quebec cases: Federal sponsorship criteria met

If the sponsor meets federal eligibility requirements, CPC-M will inform the sponsor by letter and instruct them to download a MIFI undertaking kit, complete it and submit it to the MIFI along with a copy of the letter issued by the CPC. Evaluation of the permanent residence application is suspended pending receipt of a decision from Quebec on the sponsorship undertaking.

Since the sponsorship undertaking is assessed before the eligibility requirements for the class are assessed, sponsorship applications involving applicants who may not satisfy the requirements for membership in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class may be sent to MIFI for a provincial assessment.

If federal eligibility requirements are met but MIFI refuses the sponsorship undertaking, the permanent residence application and relevant processing fees are returned to the sponsor if the sponsor opts to withdraw their sponsorship application if found ineligible to sponsor.

If federal eligibility requirements are met but MIFI refuses the sponsorship undertaking, the application for permanent residence is refused by IRCC, if the sponsor opts to proceed with the application in circumstances where they do not meet eligibility requirements. If the sponsor appeals the refusal of MIFI to issue a CSQ and MIFI approves the appeal and issues a CSQ, the sponsor must submit a new sponsorship application to IRCC.

If federal eligibility requirements are met and MIFI issues a CSQ, the permanent residence application is assessed.

A refund of the permanent residence processing fees is possible if:

• the sponsor indicates under Question 1 of the IMM 1344E that they choose to withdraw their sponsorship if found ineligible to sponsor; OR
• the sponsor makes a written request to withdraw their sponsorship application; AND
• initial evaluation has not begun on the application for permanent residence.

Sponsor chooses, “to withdraw your sponsorship” if found ineligible to sponsor

CPC-M performs administrative processes and assesses the sponsorship application against federal sponsorship eligibility requirements.