Sponsor your Spouse

Sponsoring your spouse for permanent residence in Canada allows you to reunite and build a life together in Canada. As a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can support your spouse's application, ensuring they can join you permanently.

Application Requirements:

  1. The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

  2. There must be an intention to reside in Canada.

  3. The sponsor and applicant must be legally married or common-law partners.

  4. The relationship must be genuine.

Application Process and Timeline:

  • The application will be submitted to the immigration office by mail.

  • A work permit will be obtained within 1-3 months (an open work permit for the spouse will be applied for at the same time as the inland sponsorship application, and the open work permit will be obtained in approximately 1-3 months).

  • The sponsor's eligibility will be reviewed.

  • The applicant's situation and the genuineness of the relationship with the sponsor will be assessed.

  • Upon approval, an immigration document will be issued, allowing the applicant to land in Canada and become a permanent resident.

Sponsor Requirements:

  1. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older.

  2. Your marriage or common-law relationship must be genuine.

  3. If you are a permanent resident, you must reside in Canada when applying; if you are a citizen and currently not residing in Canada, you must indicate that you will return to Canada to live with your sponsored person once they obtain their status.

  4. You must complete and submit the sponsorship undertaking and sponsorship agreement.

  5. Although there is no statutory income requirement for sponsoring a spouse without dependent children, having an income above the cut-off line increases the likelihood of approval.

Applicant Requirements:

  1. Conditions for the Sponsored Person (Applicant):

  2. Must be the spouse (or common-law partner) of the sponsor, and must prove that the relationship is not for immigration purposes.

  3. Must be at least 16 years old.

  4. Must meet the medical examination requirements of Canada.

  5. Must have no criminal record or have reached the exemption period and be able to pass security checks.

  6. Must not be married to another person.

Family sponsorship applications can be submitted from within Canada (inland application) or from outside Canada (outland application). If the applicant is already in Canada and holds a study permit or entered Canada on a visitor visa, it is recommended to submit an inland application. For inland applications, the applicant can apply for a spousal work permit at the same time as the immigration application, allowing them to work legally in Canada while their application is being processed. If the applicant is unable to obtain a Canadian visitor visa or already holds a work permit, an outland application is recommended. The advantage of an outland application is that the processing time is generally shorter compared to an inland application.

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Sponsor your Parent