Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner for permanent residence. This immigration pathway is designed to reunite families and enable couples to build their lives together in Canada.
At Unified Immigration Lawyers, we provide full-service support for spousal sponsorship—from initial eligibility assessments to assembling strong applications tailored to your unique situation.
Spousal Sponsorship Requirements
You can sponsor the following persons and their dependent children (21 or younger) for Canadian Permanent Residence
- Spouse: Husband, wife, partner via marriage (proxy marriages are not permitted)
- Common-law Partner: Person you are living with for at least 12 months continuously
- Conjugal Partner: If your partner does not qualify under the Spouse or Common-Law category but you are in a committed relationship equal to that of a marriage for at least one year, there must be extenuating circumstances why you cannot live together. Things like job location, studying abroad, and inability to obtain a visa to Canada are NOT good enough reasons.
Canada recognizes same-sex marriages and partners and are eligible to apply under these 3 categories.
To be a sponsor:
- You must be a Canadian Citizen, or Permanent Resident (living in Canada)
- You must be 18 years of age or older
- You cannot be in prison, bankrupt, under a removal order (if a permanent resident) or charged with a serious offence
- You, yourself, cannot have been sponsored to Canada as a spouse within the last 5 years.
The spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner being sponsored:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must not be too closely related by blood to the Sponsor
For your sponsorship application to be approved:
- Your relationship must be genuine (real) and not entered into primarily for the purpose of acquiring Permanent Residence
- If your spouse or common-law partner is applying in the Spouse or Common-law Partner “In Canada class”, he or she must cohabit (live) with you in Canada
How to Apply for Spousal Sponsorship
All applications for both Inland and Outland Sponsorship are submitted online. Once an application is deemed to be complete with all required forms and documents, and the sponsor is eligible, the application is forwarded then forwarded to the responsible visa office for further processing. Incomplete applications are returned 3 months later.
There are two types of applications for spouse and common Law sponsorship:
- Outland Sponsorship: Your application will be processed through the visa office in the sponsored spouse’s country of citizenship or where they legally reside (if outside Canada). If you and your Spouse/Common-law partner live together in Canada, you can still apply under this category. Applying under this category will make you eligible to appeal a refusal at the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD).
- Inland Sponsorship (Spouse or Common-Law in-Canada category): Your application will be processed in Canada and you and your sponsor MUST live together at the time of applying and during the process. The sponsored partner may also be eligible for an Open Work Permit if they have valid status in Canada. For individuals that do not have valid status, they are still able to be sponsored for PR via a special public policy, or by using H&C inside the application (in cases where they have been issued a removal order by CBSA). Inland sponsorship does not have rights to appeal if it is refused.
What to Expect After Applying
On average, processing times for spousal sponsorship applications are between 8 to 12 months, depending on the visa office responsible for processing the application. Some larger visa offices such as the USA can process applications as fast as 4 to 6 months.
If your spousal sponsorship application is approved:
- The sponsor is financially responsible for the person sponsored for three years after the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.
- Individuals who come to Canada as spouses are themselves barred from sponsoring a spouse in turn for five years after receiving Canadian permanent residence.
If you separate from your spouse within the 3-year period after they become a permanent resident through sponsorship and no longer want to assume financial responsibility for them, contact our immigration lawyers for assistance.
If your spousal sponsorship application is refused:
Some applications are refused due to criminal history, immigration violations, or misrepresentation. Others are denied if IRCC believes the relationship is not genuine.
If you or your partner has a past criminal conviction or was found inadmissible, you may still be eligible under certain conditions. Our firm can assist with:
- Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) – Allows entry into Canada for a limited time despite inadmissibility
- Criminal Rehabilitation – Permanently resolves inadmissibility due to past offences
- Humanitarian and Compassionate Consideration – Applies in exceptional cases where refusal would cause undue hardship
Important information on Refused Spousal Sponsorship applications
Schedule a Consultation with a Spousal Sponsorship Lawyer
If you’re ready to sponsor your spouse or partner—or need help with a refusal, inadmissibility, or appeal—contact Unified Immigration Lawyers to schedule a personalized consultation. We’ll evaluate your eligibility, documentation, and strategy to help you move forward with confidence.
Your consultation fee is fully credited toward legal fees if you choose to retain our firm.