The Government of Canada supports keeping families together and family reunification whenever possible. Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Spousal Sponsorship program is a subsection of the Family Class immigration category.
Spousal Sponsorship
A Canadian citizen or permanent resident may sponsor a spouse or common-law partner for Canadian Permanent Residency.
The most common delay in processing spousal sponsorship applications are incomplete and inaccurate applications. Let our expert consultants at SYMY help you through the complex process of your spousal sponsorship application to make sure your application is complete and accurate, thereby ensuring your greatest chances of success, sooner.
At SYMY Immigration Consultants and Recruitment we understand the stresses of being separated from your loved ones. We will do our best to ensure you and your partner get together and stay together.
To be eligible to apply under the Family Class Spousal Sponsorship Program, you and your partner must prove that your relationship qualifies under one of three categories:
- Spouse
- Common-law Partner
- Conjugal Partner
Furthermore, as a sponsor you must meet certain sponsorship eligibility criteria. In order to sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner (partner), you must be:
- Canadian citizen or a
- permanent resident of Canada.
- To be a sponsor, you must be 18 or older.
- Agree to support them financially. This means you have to meet certain income guidelines.
There are certain factors that may make you ineligible to sponsor your partner. You may not be eligible to be a sponsor if you:
- did not meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement in the past,
- did not pay alimony or child support even though a court ordered it,
- get government financial help for reasons other than being disabled,
- were convicted of a serious criminal offence
- were sponsored as a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner in the past and became a permanent resident of Canada less than five years ago
- did not pay back an immigration loan, made late payments or missed payments,
- have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it yet.
If you are eligible to apply under the Family Class Spousal Sponsorship Program. There are two streams to consider:
In-Canada vs Outside of Canada Applications
Spousal sponsorships can be completed both if the person to be sponsored is living within Canada, or if they currently live abroad. While processing times are generally faster for applications made outside of Canada, many couples wish to remain together in Canada during the sponsorship process.
In Canada Processing
In Canada Processing is available if both the sponsor and the applicant are living in Canada.
CIC processes spousal sponsorship applications in two stages. Once the first stage of the application has been approved, the person being sponsored is eligible to apply for an Open Work Permit. An individual holding an Open Work Permit may work for any employer in Canada, or may be self-employed, while they wait to hear the results of their permanent residency application.
Outland Sponsorships
Outland sponsorship follows a two-stage structure similar to that of Inland sponsorship. However, unlike the Inland process, the first stage of Outland sponsorship does not make the sponsored spouse eligible for an Open Work Permit. A foreign spouse in this situation can still apply for a temporary work permit, but he or she will be subject to general requirements for work permit eligibility.
To find out which avenue is best for you, contact us at immigration@symyimmigration.com
The application process:
As part of the application process, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will ask you to complete numerous forms, they will ask for supporting documents and for evidence that your relationship is genuine. Compiling a complete and compelling application is the key to receiveing a positive decision. At SYMY Immigration Consultants and Recruitment, we take pride in our ability to submit applications of only the highest quality ensuring the greatest chances of success. We want to see you start your happily ever after as soon as possible.
After Sponsorship:
Permanent Residency granted under the Spousal Sponsorship program comes with some conditions and it is important to be aware of these conditions.
- The sponsor is financially responsible for the person sponsored for three years after the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.
- A two-year legitimate relationship regulation applies to spouses/partners who have been in a relationship for two years or less and who have no children in common with their sponsor at the time of application submission. Once in Canada, the sponsored person must live with their spouse/partner in a ‘legitimate relationship’ for two years, or face the possibility of having their Permanent Residency revoked. Exceptions will be made for sponsored spouses or partners who are suffering from abuse or neglect.
- Individuals who come to Canada as spouses are banned from sponsoring a spouse in turn for five years after receiving Canadian Permanent Residency.
For more information please contact us today. To find out if you and your partner are eligible for spousal sponsorship, please fill out our free online assessment.
