Spousal Sponsorship Canada: Bring Your Partner Home
You can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner to become a permanent resident if you are a citizen or PR living in Canada. In most cases there is no income test. Your partner can apply from outside Canada (outland) or from inside Canada with you (inland), and the route changes your wait, your travel and your appeal rights.
since 1991
What is spousal sponsorship?
Spousal sponsorship lets a Canadian citizen or permanent resident bring a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner to Canada as a permanent resident. Two applications go in together: your sponsorship application and your partner’s permanent residence application. Your partner, as the principal applicant, submits both online through IRCC’s PR Portal.
How do inland and outland differ?
Outland gives you appeal rights and freedom to travel, and it works whether your partner is abroad or in Canada. Inland suits couples who live together in Canada. Either way, a partner living in Canada with valid status can apply for an open work permit once you have your acknowledgement of receipt.
Why the route matters
- Wait: IRCC shows different times for inside and outside Canada
- Appeals: a refused outland application can go to the Immigration Appeal Division
- Living arrangement: inland needs your partner to live with you in Canada
- Work: a partner in Canada can apply for an open work permit after the AOR
Which route fits you?
Answer these honestly before you pay any fees.
- Your partner lives outside Canada
- Your partner is in Canada and may need to travel
- You want the option to appeal a refusal
- You have a complex or sensitive case
- Your partner lives with you in Canada
- Your partner has valid temporary status
- You can stay together in Canada throughout
- You accept that a refusal has no appeal to the IAD
Not sure? Compare the two routes in our inland vs outland guide, open the inland page or the outland page, or see the current wait times.
Spousal sponsorship requirements
Both of you are assessed: you for eligibility as a sponsor, and your partner for admissibility. Source: IRCC.
Sponsor status
You must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, PR or person registered under the Indian Act, and live in Canada. A citizen living abroad must show a plan to live in Canada. A PR living abroad cannot sponsor.
Genuine relationship
You are legally married, have lived together for 12 continuous months, or are in a conjugal relationship of at least 12 months. IRCC looks at evidence over time.
Undertaking
You sign an undertaking to support your partner for 3 years after they become a PR. You cannot cancel it, even if your relationship changes.
Sponsorship bars
You cannot sponsor if you receive social assistance other than for disability, are in jail, have an undischarged bankruptcy, or became a PR through a spouse sponsorship less than 5 years ago.
Admissibility
Your partner gives biometrics, a medical exam and police certificates when IRCC asks. You must declare every family member in the application.
Not sure you qualify?
Traps like the 5-year bar and old undertakings catch people out. We check both of you before you pay fees.
Who you can sponsor
Spouse
You are legally married. The marriage must be valid where it took place and under Canadian law. Bring your marriage certificate and proof that the relationship is real.
You have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 consecutive months. Any gender qualifies. Joint leases, shared bills and mail show it.
You have had a genuine relationship for at least 12 months but could not marry or live together for reasons beyond your control. IRCC looks for a strong, interdependent bond. It is the narrowest category.
Proof of a genuine relationship
Officers want proof that your relationship is real and lasting. Thin evidence puts a file at risk. A mix of the items below works best.
How spousal sponsorship works, step by step
Six stages from checking eligibility to landing in Canada.
Check eligibility and choose a route
We check both of you, including the 5-year bar and past undertakings, and pick outland or inland.
Gather relationship proof and documents
Marriage or common-law proof, photos over time, communication history, police certificates and passports.
Submit through the PR Portal
Your partner submits both applications together online, with the fees and every document. IRCC rejects an incomplete file.
Acknowledgement, biometrics and medical
IRCC sends an acknowledgement of receipt, then asks your partner for biometrics within 30 days and a medical exam.
Review and background checks
IRCC checks your eligibility, your partner’s admissibility and the relationship. It may ask for more documents.
Your partner becomes a PR
If approved, your partner receives permanent residence and plans arrival or landing. If refused, you may have appeal rights.
Costs and timelines
Government fees for a spouse with no dependent children. IRCC fee list updated 21 September 2026. Last updated: October 2026.
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Spousal sponsorship FAQs
Who can sponsor a spouse?
You must be at least 18, be a Canadian citizen, PR or person registered under the Indian Act, and live in Canada. A citizen living abroad must show a plan to live in Canada. See our family sponsorship hub for every route.
Is there an income requirement to sponsor a spouse?
In most cases, no. IRCC only asks for income proof if the child you sponsor has children of their own, or your partner has a dependent child who does. You still sign an undertaking to support your partner for 3 years.
Can I sponsor my spouse if I have no income?
In most cases yes, unless you receive social assistance for a reason other than disability. Showing savings or other support helps your case. Read our guide on what no income requirement really means.
What is the difference between inland and outland?
Outland is open to a partner abroad or in Canada, and it gives appeal rights. Inland is for a partner living with you in Canada, and a refusal has no appeal to the IAD. See our inland vs outland guide.
How long does spousal sponsorship take?
IRCC publishes different times for inside and outside Canada and updates them every month. See our family processing times page for the current figures.
How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse?
IRCC fees are $1,260 for sponsorship, processing and the right of permanent residence fee, plus $85 for biometrics, so $1,345 in total. Each dependent child is $180. See our full cost breakdown. Read our guide to sponsoring a child or relative.
Can my spouse work while we wait?
A spouse or partner living in Canada with you can apply for an open work permit once IRCC has sent the acknowledgement of receipt. They need valid temporary status and a genuine relationship. See our spousal open work permit guide.
Can my spouse visit Canada while we wait?
Yes. IRCC says a sponsored spouse can apply for a visitor visa while the PR application is processed. If it is approved, they can then apply for an open work permit on arrival. Read our visitor visa for a spouse guide.
What proof of relationship do I need?
IRCC wants consistent proof over time, such as photos, messages, travel records, joint finances and a shared home. Common-law partners also show 12 months living together. See our proof of relationship guide.
What if my application is refused?
For an outland refusal, the sponsor can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division within 30 days of receiving the refusal. For either route you can ask the Federal Court for judicial review, within 15 days if the decision was made in Canada and 60 days if outside Canada. Talk to a licensed professional right away. Read our spousal sponsorship refusal and appeal guide.
Do I need an interview?
Not always. IRCC may ask for one if it has concerns about the relationship or your documents. Strong, consistent evidence lowers the chance. See the red flags that trigger scrutiny.
What is a common-law partner?
A common-law partner is someone you have lived with in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 consecutive months. Any gender qualifies. A statutory declaration, a joint lease and shared bills help prove it. Read our common-law and conjugal partner guide.
Can I sponsor a new spouse after a divorce?
Yes, unless you became a PR through a spouse sponsorship less than 5 years ago, or you are still under an undertaking for a previous partner. See our guide to sponsoring a new spouse after divorce.
What if I live in Quebec?
You also meet Quebec’s sponsor rules and sign an undertaking with Quebec after IRCC asks you to. IRCC cannot decide until Quebec decides on your undertaking. Do not send it before IRCC tells you to.