Spousal, common-law and conjugal sponsorship
Family sponsorship is listed with IRCC’s active programs. Read on IRCC’s page on November 9, 2026.
Spousal sponsorship lets a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor their spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner for permanent residence. It is for couples in a genuine relationship. The sponsor signs an undertaking to support the partner for three years after they become a permanent resident.
Who is eligible
- Sponsor: a citizen or permanent resident, 18 or older, living in Canada. A citizen abroad can sponsor a spouse or partner if they will live in Canada when the partner lands (IRPR s 130).
- Partner: a spouse, a common-law partner (cohabiting in a conjugal relationship for at least one year), or a conjugal partner living outside Canada (IRPR s 1(1), s 2).
- The relationship must be genuine and not entered into primarily to gain status (IRPR s 4(1)).
- A sponsor who was themselves sponsored as a spouse or partner must wait five years before sponsoring a new one (IRPR s 130(3)).
- Sponsors with certain convictions, defaults or a bankruptcy can’t sponsor (IRPR s 133(1)). No minimum income applies to a partner with no dependent children of their own (IRPR s 133(4)).
Steps
- Decide between the in-Canada class (partner living with you in Canada with temporary status) and the family class (outside Canada).
- Submit the sponsorship and permanent-residence applications together.
- Respond to requests for biometrics, medicals, police certificates or an interview.
Documents you’ll usually need
- Proof of the sponsor’s status.
- Marriage certificate or proof of cohabitation.
- Evidence the relationship is genuine (photos, communication, shared finances, visits).
- Police certificates and medicals.
What the law says
“on the basis of their relationship as the spouse, common-law partner, child, parent or other prescribed family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident”
The family class is based on the relationship to a citizen or permanent resident.
“was entered into primarily for the purpose of acquiring any status or privilege under the Act; or (b) is not genuine”
Bad-faith relationships don’t count.
“must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who (a) is at least 18 years of age; (b) resides in Canada”
Who can sponsor.
“on the last day of the period of three years following the day on which the foreign national becomes a permanent resident”
The undertaking for a spouse or partner lasts three years from landing.
“are the spouse or common-law partner of a sponsor and cohabit with that sponsor in Canada”
The in-Canada class: cohabiting in Canada with temporary status.
Official IRCC pages
Program rules not written in the statute, plus current fees and processing times, are on IRCC’s own pages:
- IRCC: Sponsor your spouse, partner or children
- IRCC: Family sponsorship
- IRCC fee list (current fees)
- IRCC processing times (live)
Common mistakes
- Thin relationship evidence — officers look at whether the relationship is genuine.
- Leaving out a previous marriage, a child or a past refusal. Omitting material facts can be misrepresentation.
- Not knowing the undertaking survives a breakup: it runs for three years regardless.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a spousal sponsorship undertaking last?
Three years from the day your spouse or partner becomes a permanent resident (IRPR s 132(1)(b)(i)).
Is there an income requirement to sponsor a spouse?
Not when the spouse or partner has no dependent children, or has a dependent child who has no children of their own (IRPR s 133(4)).
What counts as common-law?
Cohabiting in a conjugal relationship for at least one year (IRPR s 1(1)).
Questions answered in depth
- How long are you banned from Canada for misrepresentation — and what the Act actually says
Five years, under IRPA s 40(2)(a). When the five years start, what counts as misrepresentation, the innocent-mistake exception, and what to do next.
Policy analysis
- Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan: what changed, and what it means if you’re already here
The 2027–2029 plan holds permanent admissions at 380,000 a year and new temporary arrivals at 370,000, and adds a one-time 2027 measure for up to 200,000 people already in Canada.
Related streams
- Open work permits (including spousal) Check IRCC
Work permits not tied to one employer — who can get one, including spouses in Canada.
- Sponsoring dependent children Open
Sponsoring a child under 22 (or older and dependent because of a condition) for permanent residence.
- Parents and grandparents (and the super visa) Paused
Sponsoring parents or grandparents for permanent residence, and the super visa for long visits.