In some cases, the Government of Canada will grant permanent residency to people on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. This only applies in exceptional circumstances. The government assesses all these applications on a case-by-case basis.
You can apply for permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds if:
- you are a foreign national living in Canada,
- you or your family will likely experience extreme hardship if you return to your home country,
- the government determines that giving you permanent residency on these grounds justifies giving you exemptions to standard immigration processes,
- you are not eligible to apply for permanent residency through other programs, such as sponsorship, caregiver programs, or temporary residence programs, or Protected Persons programs, or
- you require exemptions from requirements stated in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) in order to apply for permanent residency.
If you apply for residency based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, you must demonstrate your need in your application package. Government officials will consider:
- how settled you are in Canada,
- your family ties to Canada,
- the best interests of your children or dependents, and
- what would happen to you and your family if you do not get permanent residency status.