Canada’s Immigration Goals and Spousal Sponsorship

Canada aims to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants each year. Of these, approximately 60% are targeted as economic class skilled workers, followed by family class immigrants and refugees. In the family class category, Canada seeks to welcome around 80,000 individuals annually under the Spouses, Partners, and Children category.

Spousal Sponsorship

Spousal sponsorship is a significant component of Canada’s immigration system. The Canadian government allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are in a relationship with a foreign national to sponsor that person to join them and become a permanent resident of Canada. You can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner. There are two main options for sponsorship: Outland and Inland.

Eligibility for Sponsorship

You can be a sponsor if you:

• Are 18 years of age or older.
• Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident living in Canada, or a person registered under the Canadian Indian Act.
• Live in Canada or are a Canadian citizen planning to return to the country.
• Are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
• Can provide for your basic needs, those of your spouse or partner, and, if applicable, those of dependent children.

Requirements to Sponsor in Canada

Sponsorship involves a commitment to provide financial support to the sponsored person, including any dependent children. As a sponsor, you will need to sign an undertaking to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person. These basic needs include:

• Housing, including utility bills.
• Food and personal hygiene products.
• Clothing and other items necessary for daily living.
• Medical expenses not covered by public health insurance, such as dental and eye care.

Income Requirements

You must demonstrate that you have sufficient income or assets to support your spouse or partner once they arrive in Canada. You must not be receiving income support benefits from any province or be undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.

Who Can I Sponsor?

To qualify under this immigration program, you and your foreign spouse or partner must prove that you are in an authentic relationship falling into one of the three categories:

• Spouse: You are legally married.
• Common-law Partner: You have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 consecutive months.
• Conjugal Partner: You have been in a continuous and committed relationship for at least 12 months but have faced significant obstacles preventing cohabitation (e.g., cultural, religious, or immigration barriers).

The person you are sponsoring must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Pass all background, security, and medical checks.
• Both the Canadian citizen or permanent resident and the foreign national must be approved by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) before the sponsored person can receive a visa.

Two Types of Sponsorship Programs in Canada

Couples can choose between two types of sponsorship applications:

1. Outland Sponsorship
   • Typically used when the sponsored person lives abroad and the Canadian sponsor resides in Canada. The foreign spouse or partner may enter and leave Canada during the application process if they are from a visa-free country or obtain the appropriate Canadian visa. Applications are processed by the visa office serving the applicant’s country of origin or where the applicant has been legally residing for at least one year.
2. Inland Sponsorship
   • Used when both spouses are living together in Canada, and the foreign spouse or partner has temporary status as a worker, student, or visitor. The sponsor and applicant must live together in Canada for the duration of the application process. Foreign spouses in Canada with legal temporary status may apply for an Open Work Permit (OWP) while their Inland sponsorship application is processed, allowing them to work for any Canadian employer.

Where to Submit Your Spousal Sponsorship Application

Applications can be submitted either:

• Outside Canada: At a visa office abroad.
• In Canada: At a local immigration office.

Sponsorship applications for conjugal partners can only be submitted through an application process outside of Canada.

Processing Time

The standard processing time for spousal sponsorship applications is approximately 12 months.