Spousal sponsorship lets a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner for permanent residence. It's the most common family-class application — no minimum income requirement, no labour market test, and your spouse can usually work in Canada during processing.
Spousal sponsorship at a glance
- Application fee: CAD $1,205 ($85 sponsorship + $545 PR + $575 RPRF if 22+)
- Biometrics: CAD $85 per person
- Processing time: 10–14 months (typical, varies by visa office)
- Financial undertaking: 3 years (10 years in Quebec)
- No income requirement — unlike PGP
- Inland or Outland — you choose; both lead to permanent residence
Who can sponsor
- Canadian citizen OR permanent resident, age 18+
- Currently in Canada (or planning to return when sponsored partner lands) — citizens can sponsor from abroad if they prove intent to return
- Not in default on any prior sponsorship undertakings, immigration loans, or social assistance (other than disability-related)
- Not under removal order, in prison, or charged with a serious offense
- Not bankrupt (undischarged)
- Did not become a PR through their own sponsorship in the past 5 years
Who can be sponsored
| Relationship type | Definition | Key proof |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Legally married (recognized by Canada) | Marriage certificate, joint life evidence |
| Common-Law Partner | 12+ months continuous cohabitation in a marriage-like relationship | Joint lease, shared bills, joint bank accounts spanning 12+ months |
| Conjugal Partner | In a marriage-like relationship 1+ year but unable to live together due to extraordinary circumstances (immigration barriers, country laws) | Communication records, visits, attempts to live together; rarely approved |
Common-Law in depth
Common-law sponsorship is for couples who haven't married but have lived together continuously for at least 12 months in a relationship of permanence. "Continuous" means uninterrupted — short absences (work travel, visiting family) are OK, but extended separations break the clock.
Required common-law evidence (the 12 months must be documented)
- Joint residential lease or mortgage with both names
- Joint utility bills (electricity, internet, gas) showing both names at same address
- Joint bank account statements
- Joint insurance policies (health, life, auto)
- Driver's license showing same address as partner
- Tax returns declaring common-law status
- Government IDs at the shared address
- Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409)
Conjugal Partner
The conjugal partner category is rare and difficult to win. It's only for couples who:
- Have been in a marriage-like relationship for at least 1 year
- Cannot live together AND cannot marry due to extraordinary circumstances:
- One partner has not been allowed to enter the other's country
- Same-sex relationships in countries where homosexuality is illegal
- Marital status barriers (e.g., divorce not granted in religious-law jurisdictions)
- Imprisonment or political persecution preventing cohabitation
If you simply chose not to live together yet, conjugal does NOT apply — you don't qualify. IRCC scrutinizes these applications heavily. Refusal rates are high.
Inland vs Outland — which stream to choose
| Aspect | Inland | Outland |
|---|---|---|
| Partner's location | Must be in Canada with valid status | Can be in Canada OR abroad |
| SOWP eligibility | Yes — Spousal Open Work Permit available | No SOWP (until landing) |
| Travel during processing | Strongly discouraged — leaving may abandon application | Can travel freely |
| Right to appeal refusal | No (judicial review only) | Yes — IAD appeal rights |
| Processing speed | Same target (12 months) | Often slightly faster |
| Best for | Partners already in Canada, want OWP immediately | Partner abroad, or wants ability to travel + appeal rights |
Step-by-step spousal sponsorship
- Sponsor eligibility check — confirm sponsor isn't excluded (bankrupt, on social assistance, etc.)
- Gather relationship evidence — marriage certificate OR 12-month cohabitation documentation
- Complete forms — IMM 1344 (Sponsorship Application), IMM 0008 (Generic PR Application), IMM 5532 (Relationship Information), and the dreaded IMM 5669 (Schedule A)
- Gather supporting documents — police certificates, medical exams, birth certificates, biometrics, photos, financial documents
- Pay fees — $1,205 total typical (sponsorship + PR + RPRF + biometrics)
- Submit application online via IRCC portal
- If inland and SOWP eligible — apply for Spousal Open Work Permit at the same time
- Wait for processing — 10–14 months typical. Respond to any clarification requests within 30 days.
- Decision — if approved, principal applicant becomes PR. If outland and refused, file IAD appeal within 30 days.
The genuineness test — IRCC's biggest scrutiny area
IRCC closely examines whether the relationship is genuine — not entered for immigration purposes. Even bona fide couples can struggle with the documentation. Officers look at:
Strong genuineness indicators
- Long relationship history with consistent documentation
- Joint financial commitments spanning time
- Photos across multiple events / years / locations
- Communication records (texts, calls, video calls) — especially during separations
- Knowledge of each other's families, jobs, daily routines
- Travel history together
- Meeting each other's family / friends with documented gatherings
- Future plans together (signed lease, joint savings goals, named beneficiary designations)
Red flags that trigger interviews
- Short relationship history (under 6 months before marriage)
- Large age gap with no apparent connection (15+ years)
- Significant cultural / language barrier without bridge
- Previous spousal sponsorship attempt (any party)
- Sponsor or applicant met through marriage broker / arrangement
- No shared social media presence as a couple
- Inconsistencies between sponsor and applicant statements
- Limited or staged photos
Documents you'll need
- Marriage certificate (legally recognized) OR 12-month common-law evidence
- Sponsor's Canadian citizenship/PR proof
- Both partners' passports (every page)
- Birth certificates (long-form)
- Police certificates from every country lived in 6+ months since age 18 (applicant)
- Medical exam by IRCC panel physician (applicant)
- Sponsor's tax notices of assessment (last 3 years)
- Photos of relationship — events, family gatherings, travel
- Communication evidence — call logs, message screenshots, video call records
- Statutory declarations from family/friends attesting to relationship genuineness (recommended but not required)
- Children's birth certificates if any (strong genuineness evidence)
Common refusal reasons
- Insufficient genuineness evidence — most common refusal
- Sponsor ineligible — outstanding immigration loans, social assistance, prior sponsorship default
- Misrepresentation — undisclosed prior relationships, undeclared dependents, incorrect information
- Excluded relationship class (R117(9)(d)) — applicant was previously sponsored's family member but not declared on prior PR application; lifetime ban
- Inadmissibility — applicant has criminal record, medical inadmissibility, or security concerns
- Sponsor default — prior sponsorship undertakings not fulfilled
Right to appeal — IAD
If your Outland sponsorship is refused, you have 30 days to file an appeal with the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD). The IAD can overturn refusals based on:
- Legal errors in the visa officer's decision
- Humanitarian and compassionate considerations
- Subsequent evidence of genuineness
IAD hearings take 12–24 months and have a success rate of ~40–50% with proper representation. Inland refusals have no appeal — only judicial review at Federal Court.
Useful official resources
- IRCC — Sponsor your spouse, partner or children
- IRCC — Application Guide 5289 (Complete Sponsorship Guide)
- IAD — Immigration Appeal Division procedures
Planning a spousal sponsorship? The genuineness test is where most cases fail — even genuine ones. We map every documentation gap before filing and prepare your case to withstand IRCC scrutiny. Book a free spousal assessment.
