Bringing family members to Québec who are still abroad

The Government of Canada's one-year window of opportunity provisions allow you to bring family members of the person you sponsor to Québec, who were unable to accompany you due to circumstances beyond your control. 

As guarantor, you may inform the person you sponsor about these procedures.

It is possible to have the following people visit under the provisions:

• spouse;
• de facto spouse;
• dependent children.

To submit an application, the refugee you sponsor must: 

• Have been in Québec for at least one year;
• Have been admitted as a (sponsored) refugee or protected person;
• Have already indicated the name of the person the refugee wishes to bring to Québec in the Application for permanent residence in Canada (form IMM 0008).

1. Complete the form

The refugee already in Québec must complete and sign the following form: 

Demande pour faire venir au Québec les membres de la famille restés à l’étranger (Programme Délai prescrit d’un an pour personnes réfugiées ou à protéger) (PDF 225 Kb) (French only - Application to bring family members who are still abroad to Québec (one-year window of opportunity provisions for refugees or protected persons).

2. Attach proof of permanent residence

The refugee you want to sponsor must attach the following to the application: 

• a two-sided photocopy of the permanent resident card; or
• a one-sided photocopy of the confirmation of permanent residence.

3. Send the application and the required documents by mail

The application, accompanied by all the required documents, must be sent by mail to the following address:

It will take several months to review your application.

The person you are sponsoring does not have to communicate with us for a follow-up of your file within 6 months after submitting an application.

After the application is submitted, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration will send an acknowledgment of receipt to the person you are sponsoring. This will indicate the person’s file number. 

It then will forward the application to the Canadian visa office responsible for processing applications for the territory where the person's family members are located. It will contact the person’s family members to review their application.  

If the Canadian visa office considers the person's family members are eligible for the program, they will obtain their permanent residence visa before their departure. A Certificat de sélection du Québec (Québec Selection Certificate) will be given to them upon their arrival in Québec.