Sponsor your spouse for immigration to Canada.
Canadian citizens and lasting inhabitants have the opportunity to support their life partner or common-law accomplice for migration to Canada. Upon successful sponsorship, the individual being sponsored will receive permanent resident status, enabling the couple or family to establish their lives in Canada.
The common-law and spousal sponsorship program is categorized under the Family Class, which facilitates the immigration of a significant number of new permanent residents to Canada each year.
For those considering this route to permanent residency, whether as the sponsor or the individual being sponsored, there are several important factors to evaluate.
Key considerations include:
- Are you residing at the same address at the time of application?
- Is the support a Canadian citizen or a changeless resident?
It is essential for both the sponsor and the sponsored individual to receive approval from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the sponsored person to obtain permanent residency in Canada.
Additionally, if you are located in the province of Quebec, it is important to meet the province’s specific sponsorship requirements.
Who is eligible to sponsor their spouse in Canada?
You may support your life partner or common-law accomplice for movement to Canada if you meet the taking after criteria:
- You are at scarcest 18 a long time of age.
- You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident residing in Canada, or an individual registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- You can demonstrate that you are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
- You possess sufficient income to support the basic needs of any grandchildren (dependent children of a dependent child) of the principal applicant.
If you are a Canadian citizen dwelling exterior of Canada, you must give prove of your purposeful to return to Canada when your life partner or accomplice gets to be a changeless inhabitant. Sponsorship is not allowed if you are a changeless inhabitant living exterior of Canada.
Additional considerations include:
- If you live in Quebec, you must comply with the province’s particular requirements.
- If you were previously sponsored by a spouse or partner, you are ineligible to sponsor anyone until five years have elapsed since you obtained permanent residency.
- The sponsor holds financial responsibility for the sponsored individual for a period of three years following their attainment of permanent residency.
- You may sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner if they are at least 18 years old and your relationship is genuine, not established solely for the purpose of acquiring immigration status in Canada.
Who qualifies as a spouse for spousal sponsorship in Canada?
In the context of spousal sponsorship in Canada, a spouse refers to an individual with whom you are legally married. This definition encompasses both opposite-sex and same-sex marriages.
Who qualifies as a common-law accomplice for common-law sponsorship in Canada?
For common-law sponsorship in Canada, a common-law partner is someone who is not legally married to you but has cohabited with you for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. This implies that:
- You have lived together continuously for one year, without significant interruptions;
- Any absences from the shared residence were due to family obligations, work commitments, or business travel; and
- Any time that went through separation must have been brief and temporary.
The term common-law partner applies to both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships.
Who qualifies as a conjugal partner for spousal sponsorship in Canada?
In the realm of spousal sponsorship in Canada, a conjugal partner is an individual residing outside Canada who has maintained a committed relationship with you for at least one year but has been unable to live with you for various reasons. It is important to note that individuals residing in Canada cannot be sponsored as conjugal partners. The definition of matrimonial accomplice incorporates both opposite-sex and same-sex connections.
Spousal Sponsorship Canada: Clarifying Inland and Outland:
Two as often as possible utilized terms to categorize the sorts of applications that can be submitted are Outland sponsorship and Inland sponsorship. Although these terms are not commonly employed by IRCC, they are widely recognized by applicants, representatives, and other stakeholders.
If the individual being sponsored is located outside Canada, the application for permanent residence must be directed to IRCC’s Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, which is known as Outland sponsorship.
What is the duration for spousal sponsorship processing in Canada?
The processing times for spousal sponsorship have been a significant concern, especially following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the operational capacity of the IRCC in 2020. In response to these challenges, the IRCC has increased its workforce dedicated to reviewing spousal sponsorship applications by 66 percent, aiming to expedite the processing and reduce wait times. Further information can be found here.
Before 2020, the typical processing duration for spousal sponsorship applications in Canada was around 12 months, which also applied to common-law and conjugal partners. It is important to note that the actual processing time may differ from one application to another.
What is the income requirement for sponsoring a spouse in Canada?
In the larger part of spousal sponsorship cases in Canada, there is no least pay necessity to support a companion, common-law accomplice, or marital accomplice. However, you are required to sign an undertaking that commits you to meet the basic financial needs of the individual you are sponsoring, typically for a duration of three years.
During this commitment period, you must ensure that the sponsored individual has access to essential needs, including:
- nourishment, clothing, protect, and other necessities for day by day living,
- dental care, eye care, and other health services not covered by public health programs.
Should the individual you are sponsoring receive social assistance from the Canadian government during the term of your undertaking, you will be held financially responsible for that assistance.
FAQ's
You should prepare to submit the following documents as part of your Canadian spousal sponsorship application, which include, but are not limited to:
- Required immigration forms from IRCC
- Evidence of identity
- Verification of status in Canada
- Documentation of your relationship
- Records of previous relationships
- Additional family information and relevant documents
- Police clearance certificates
- Medical examination results (to be submitted after processing)
The expense associated with spousal sponsorship in Canada amounts to CAD$1,050 for the purpose of immigration, which applies equally to common-law and conjugal partners. This fee encompasses the essential immigration charges, detailed as follows:
- CAD$75 – Sponsorship Fee
- CAD$475 – Processing Fee
- CAD$500 – Fee for the Right of Permanent Residence
Additionally, it is important to anticipate other expenses linked to the immigration procedure, such as those incurred for document acquisition, mailing, and the potential engagement of an immigration representative, should you opt to utilize their services.
