Next to economic immigration, family reunification is the second most common class of immigration for newcomers, especially those who have spouses or family members residing outside the country. In 2024, the IRCC expects about 114,000 new permanent residents to use the family reunification pathways, which can include sponsorships for spouses, parents, children, grandparents, and other dependents. In this post, we’ll discuss how to sponsor a spouse in Canada.
What Does Sponsoring a Spouse Mean?
As a Canadian citizen or resident, you can sponsor a spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner to join you in Canada. Once they meet eligibility requirements, they can eventually become permanent residents like you. For the spousal sponsorship, the sponsor can apply in Canada or outside the country. We call this two pathways Inland Sponsorship (if the applicant applies inside the country) and Outland Sponsorship (if the applicant applies outside of Canada.)
You must meet the eligibility requirements to get an approval from the Immigration. You must be:
- At least 18 years of age
- A Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada
- A resident who hasn’t sponsored someone else within the last five years
- Financially able to sponsor, which means you shouldn’t be bankrupt, in prison, or charged with a serious offense
As the sponsor, you must also be willing to sign a financial undertaking stating that you can and will support your spouse financially. You must have the capacity to fully support your spouse or common-law partner—support means you must be able to provide them with their basic needs for up to three years, even if you decide to discontinue the relationship.
So, what basic needs are considered by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada? They include food, shelter, clothing, and other basic needs. You may also need to provide them with eye and dental care and other health needs not covered by public health services.
The IRCC also has another relationship requirement for applicants. For the spouse, you and your partner must be legally married, and you must show proof that you are indeed legally married.
