Canada: Cap Introduced for Family Reunification Applications in Quebec
July 11, 2025
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Update – July 11, 2025: Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) has reached its cap for sponsorship applications to bring a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child aged 18 or over to the province under the family reunification program. As a result, MIFI will not accept new applications for these categories until June 25, 2026. Any applications received will be returned without a fee refund. Applicants may reapply when the next intake period opens. MIFI continues to accept sponsorship applications for other eligible family members under the program.
June 28, 2024: Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration has implemented, for the first time, a cap on the number of family reunification permanent residence applications it will accept for processing. From June 26, 2024, through June 25, 2026, Quebec will accept a maximum of 13,000 applications from Canadian nationals and permanent residents to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence in Quebec, which includes a maximum of 10,400 applications for sponsorship of spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children age 18 or over and a maximum of 2,600 applications for sponsorship of fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers or other eligible relatives. Once the cap is reached, the Ministry will make a public announcement and stop accepting applications. The cap does not apply to applications submitted by sponsors on behalf of unmarried, dependent children under the age of 18; minor children the sponsor seeks to adopt; orphaned, minor children of the sponsor’s brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandson, or granddaughter; or adult children who are dependent on a parent due to a disability. Applications where sponsors are adding a dependent of a sponsored family member already covered by a pending application are also exempt from the cap. The measure is likely intended to alleviate the pressures of immigration growth on the housing market.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
