Sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner to Canada allows them to obtain permanent resident status and build a life with you in Canada. If you're a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, understanding the sponsorship process, eligibility requirements, and current processing timelines is essential for a successful application in 2026.
What is Spousal Sponsorship in Canada?
Canada's spousal sponsorship program falls under the Family Class immigration category, designed to reunite families by allowing Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their partners for permanent residence. The program recognizes three types of relationships: legally married spouses, common-law partners (couples who have lived together for at least 12 consecutive months), and conjugal partners (couples in committed relationships who cannot marry or live together due to circumstances beyond their control).
When you sponsor your partner, you sign a legal undertaking promising to financially support them for three years from the date they become a permanent resident, even if your relationship ends.
Sponsor Eligibility Requirements
To qualify as a sponsor for your partner, you must meet specific criteria set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Basic Requirements
-
Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered under the Canadian Indian Act
-
Prove your ability to financially support your spouse for three years
-
Not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
-
Not be in default of previous sponsorship undertakings or immigration loans
Financial Requirements
Unlike other sponsorship categories, spousal sponsorship does not require you to meet a minimum income threshold. However, you must demonstrate that you can provide for the basic needs of your family through employment letters, pay stubs, tax documents (Notice of Assessment), bank statements, or other sources of income like rental income or investments.
Sponsored Person Requirements
The person you're sponsoring must also meet certain conditions.
-
Be legally married to you or in a common-law relationship for at least 12 months
-
Provide proof of a genuine relationship through photos, joint financial documents, and communication history
-
Complete medical examinations with an IRCC-approved panel physician
-
Obtain police certificates from all countries where they lived for six months or more since age 18
-
Not have serious inadmissibility issues such as criminal records
Inland vs. Outland Sponsorship: Choosing Your Application Stream
One of the most important decisions you'll make is whether to apply through the inland or outland process.
Inland Sponsorship
Inland sponsorship requires both the sponsor and sponsored person to reside in Canada throughout the application process. This option allows the sponsored person to apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) after receiving Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR), which typically takes 4-8 weeks from submission. The work permit itself processes in 3-4 months, meaning your spouse can potentially start working 4-6 months after the initial application submission.
However, inland applications have no appeal rights if denied, and travel outside Canada during processing is risky. Based on 2025 tracker data, inland processing times average 12-28 months, with some applications taking up to 29 months depending on background check complexity.
Outland Sponsorship
Outland sponsorship can be initiated whether your partner lives inside or outside Canada. This option offers greater travel flexibility, appeal rights for denied applications, and significantly faster processing times. Current data shows outland applications averaging 5-6 months for optimal cases, roughly half the official IRCC service standard of 10-12 months.
You can apply outland even while living together in Canada using the "dual intent" strategy, combining faster processing with the ability to remain together.
2026 Processing Times: What to Expect
Processing times vary significantly based on your application stream and individual circumstances.
Application TypeCurrent AverageIRCC Service StandardOutland (optimal cases)5-6 months 10-12 months Inland (standard)12-15 months 12-15 months Inland (complex cases)18-28 months 12-15 months Quebec (inland)36 months Significantly delayed
The most significant processing delay affects Quebec spousal sponsorship applications submitted through the inland stream, which experienced a 16-month increase and now faces average processing times of 36 months. Real-world processing data from Immitracker shows outland applications currently processing at roughly half the official service standard in optimal cases.
Required Documents Checklist
Thorough documentation is critical for application success.
Core Relationship Documents
-
20-30 dated and captioned photos spanning your entire relationship
-
Chat history samples (10-15 pages covering different time periods)
-
Proof of visits if long-distance, including boarding passes and hotel bookings
Financial and Legal Documents
Sponsor Financial Documentation
-
Notice of Assessment (NOA) from Canada Revenue Agency for past 1-2 years
-
Bank statements demonstrating ability to support your spouse
-
Documentation of other income sources (rental income, investments, pension)
Total Cost Breakdown for 2026
The actual cost to sponsor your spouse ranges from $1,600 to $9,000 depending on your situation and whether you use professional assistance.
Federal Government Fees (Mandatory)
Additional Costs
Quebec residents must pay an additional $328 provincial fee, though new undertaking applications were closed as of July 2025 until June 2026. Third-party costs include medical examinations, police certificates, translation services, and document certification. If you choose professional assistance, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) typically charge $3,000-$5,000 for standard spousal sponsorship cases, while review-only services cost $550-$850.
Application Process: Step-by-Step
The spousal sponsorship application follows a structured four-step process.
-
Obtain the complete application package from the IRCC website, which includes the guide with instructions and all required forms
-
Gather all required documents according to the checklist, ensuring relationship proof is comprehensive
-
Pay the online application fees including processing fees, Right of Permanent Residence Fee, and biometrics fees
-
Submit your complete application online and upload all supporting documents
-
Wait for Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR), which typically arrives 4-8 weeks after submission
-
Receive decision and, if approved, your spouse becomes a permanent resident with PR card arriving by mail within 4-6 weeks
Proving Your Relationship is Genuine
The most critical part of your application is providing extensive and convincing proof of a genuine relationship. IRCC assesses relationship genuineness through four pillars of evidence.
Financial Ties
Provide joint bank accounts, joint bills under both names, joint lease or mortgage documents, beneficiary designations, and documented money transfers between partners with explanations.
Social Evidence
Include wedding photos from ceremony and reception with family gatherings, and statutory declarations from family and friends who know your relationship.
Communication History
Submit samples of communication throughout your relationship, particularly important for long-distance relationships.
Cohabitation Proof
For common-law partners, proving 12 consecutive months of cohabitation through joint leases and bills is essential.
Common-Law and Conjugal Partner Definitions
Common-law partners are couples who have lived together continuously for at least 12 months in a conjugal relationship. Conjugal partners are in committed relationships but cannot marry or live together due to circumstances beyond their control, such as living in a country where same-sex marriage is illegal or immigration barriers prevent cohabitation. Both relationship types require significant evidence of emotional and interpersonal ties demonstrating a serious, committed relationship with intention to remain together long-term.
The 3-Year Undertaking Obligation
When you sign the Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking, you commit to financially supporting your spouse for three years from the date they become a permanent resident. If your spouse receives social assistance during this period, the government can legally require you to repay those amounts. This obligation continues even if you separate or divorce, and defaulting makes you ineligible to sponsor anyone else in the future.
Key Considerations for 2026 Applications
Canadian citizens can sponsor from abroad, provided they demonstrate intention to return to Canada once permanent residence is granted. Outland sponsorship provides appeal rights as a safety net if your application is denied, while inland applications have no appeal option. The Spousal Open Work Permit requires the correct LMIA exemption code A74 for Family Class applicants in Canada—using the wrong code (such as A75 for Bridging Open Work Permits) will cause processing delays or refusals.
Add comment
Comments