You might have family members outside of Canada, such as parents or siblings, who you are hoping can join you in Canada.
We understand that being with family is very important!
The government does not make it easy to bring your family to Canada after your refugee claim is accepted. It can take many years, can cost a lot of money and can mean that you need a lawyer to take your application to court.
Why is it so hard to bring my parents and siblings?
The law in Canada only gives accepted refugees the right to bring their spouses and their children under 22 years old to Canada. They do not give the right to bring parents and siblings. That is why you have to go to court to fight against this law.
What you can do to try to bring your family here:
1. Start saving money early to help with the cost of the application
2. Wait until you get a positive decision on your refugee claim
3. Talk to your lawyer about what your options are. If you do not have a lawyer, talk to a refugee centre like the Centre for Refugee Children and we will help you to get legal advice.
Important! After talking to a lawyer, if you decide to include your family on your permanent residence (PR) application, it might take much longer for you to receive your own PR status.