Spousal Sponsorship to Canada

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can sponsor your legally married spouse to become a permanent resident of Canada.

What Is Spousal Sponsorship?

Spousal sponsorship is a pathway under Canada’s Family Class immigration program that allows a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (the sponsor) to bring their legally married spouse to live permanently in Canada. It is one of the highest-priority categories in the Canadian immigration system, which means applications are generally processed before most other immigration streams.

Both opposite-sex and same-sex marriages are recognized. If the marriage was performed outside Canada, it must be valid under the laws of the country where it occurred and must not fall into any category that Canadian law treats as invalid.

Which Marriages Are Recognized?

A marriage is generally accepted for immigration purposes if it is legally valid in the country where it was performed. However, the following types of marriages are not recognized for sponsorship, even if valid in the country where they took place:

• Polygamous marriages – only the first spouse may be recognized.
• Proxy marriages that occurred at a foreign mission located in Canada.
• Marriages involving a minor – where either party was under age 16 at the time when the marriage was contracted.

Who Can Be a Sponsor?

To sponsor your spouse you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident living in Canada, or a registered Indian under the Indian Act.
• If you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must demonstrate that you intend to live in Canada when your spouse becomes a permanent resident.
• Permanent residents living outside Canada cannot sponsor a spouse.
• Be financially capable of providing basic needs for your sponsored spouse for three years from the date they become a permanent resident.

Circumstances That Bar You from Sponsoring

You are not eligible to sponsor if any of the following apply to you:

• You are receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
• You have declared bankruptcy and have not yet been discharged.
• You are currently in prison.
• You have been convicted of a sexual offence, a violent crime, an assault against a family member, or any offence punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 or more years.
• You have failed to pay court-ordered alimony or child support.
• You failed to fulfil a previous sponsorship undertaking.
• You were yourself sponsored as a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, and you became a permanent resident of Canada less than five years ago.
• You are currently sponsoring another person and that sponsorship has not yet been completed.
• You have an outstanding immigration loan, or have made late or missed payments on one.

Requirements for the Sponsored Spouse

The person being sponsored must:

• Be legally married to the sponsor.
• Be admissible to Canada (no serious criminal history, no medical inadmissibility, no active immigration ban).
• Not be in an existing immigration proceeding that bars them from applying.

Any dependent children of the sponsored spouse can be included in the same application. Even if children are not coming to Canada, they must be declared on the application — failing to do so may prevent them from being sponsored later.

Inland Sponsorship vs. Outland Sponsorship

Two ways to sponsor your spouse in Canada — pick the best fit for your situation.

Inland sponsorship: Use this route if your spouse already lives in Canada, no matter their current immigration status. Even if they’re out of status, they may still apply for permanent residence from inside Canada under the in-Canada spouse/common-law category. Note: “lack of status” doesn’t cover other serious issues like prior deportation, or entry with fraudulent or improperly obtained travel documents, or having used documents for misrepresentation — those can make someone inadmissible. If your case is complex, it’s strongly advised you consult an experienced immigration lawyer or consultant.

You can still opt for outland even when your spouse is in Canada in certain cases — for example, if they must travel frequently during processing or you want to preserve the right to appeal a refusal.

Outland sponsorship: Choose this when your spouse lives abroad and will apply for a PR visa through a Canadian visa office overseas. If an outland application is refused, you can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) within 30 days of the refusal letter — an appeal route not available for inland refusals (those typically need to be challenged in Federal Court within 15 days).

One more important point: regardless of which sponsorship stream you pick, if your spouse is in Canada with a valid temporary status (visitor, student, or work permit), they can apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit once IRCC has officially received your sponsorship application. That permit lets them work legally in Canada while the sponsorship is being processed.

Need help deciding? Talk to a qualified immigration professional before you apply.

How to Apply

The sponsorship application package is guided by IRCC’s guide IMM 5525. The process involves the sponsor and the sponsored spouse each completing separate forms, gathering supporting documents, and paying the required fees.

Application Steps:

1. Determine whether you are applying inland or outland, then obtain the correct document checklist from IRCC’s website.
2. Complete all required forms. Validate all forms that require online validation before printing and signing.
3. Gather your supporting documents. Have all non-English/non-French documents translated by a certified translator with a sworn affidavit.
4. Pay all required fees.
5. Submit the completed application. Optionally, link your application to an online IRCC account to monitor progress.
6. Your spouse will need to do a medical examination and may be required to attend a visa interview — attend these when scheduled.
7. Once approved, your spouse arrives at a Canadian port of entry and becomes a Permanent Resident.

Required Forms

Sponsor completes and signs:

• Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking [IMM 1344]
• Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire [IMM 5532]
• Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] — only if using a representative

Sponsored spouse completes and signs:

• Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking [IMM 1344] — must be validated online
• Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008] — must be validated online
• Additional Dependants/Declaration [IMM 0008DEP] — only if there are more than five children
• Schedule A – Background/Declaration [IMM 5669] — must be validated online; each dependent child must complete their own copy
• Additional Family Information [IMM 5406]
• Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire [IMM 5532]
• Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] — if the sponsored spouse wants all correspondence directed to the sponsor in Canada

Required Documents

Proof of the Sponsor’s Status and Identity:

• Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residence
• Government-issued photo identification

Sponsored Spouse Must Provide (photocopies):

• Valid passport
• Proof of legal immigration status in Canada (inland applications only)
• Birth certificate
• Additional national identity documents
• Original marriage certificate (plus a certified translation if not in English or French)
• Divorce decree or annulment certificate for any previous marriages of either party
• Police certificate for the country of current residence and any country where the sponsored spouse spent six or more months since age 18
• Proof of military service, if applicable
• Two passport-sized photos meeting IRCC specifications

Additional Evidence of the Relationship:

• Wedding photos, honeymoon and travel photos
• Evidence of shared financial accounts or shared property
• Shared residential lease or utility bills in both names
• Letters, emails, or call logs documenting ongoing communication
• Testimonial letters from family and friends who know the couple
• A joint relationship letter written by both spouses

Application Fees

Sponsorship fee: $90 Principal applicant processing fee: $570 Right of Permanent Residence fee: $600 Total for spouse: $1,260 Each dependent child (processing fee): $180 Dependent child over 22 (overage processing): $570. Biometrics fee per individual: $85. Biometrics fee per family of 2 or more people: $170.

Fees are set by IRCC and may change. Confirm current amounts at canada.ca before submitting.

Your Obligations as a Sponsor

When you sign the sponsorship undertaking, you agree to provide for the basic needs of your sponsored spouse — including food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities — for three years from the date they become a permanent resident. This obligation continues even if your circumstances change (for example, if you separate or divorce). If your sponsored spouse goes on social assistance during the undertaking period, you may be placed in sponsorship default and may not be permitted to sponsor anyone else in the future.

Your own spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the undertaking to help you meet income requirements. Other family members cannot act as co-signers. The co-signer is assessed under the same eligibility rules and is equally liable for the obligations.

Processing Time

IRCC publishes a target processing time of approximately 12 months for spousal sponsorship applications, though actual timelines vary considerably based on the visa office processing the application, the country of origin, and whether any complications arise (medical, security, criminal history, or incomplete documentation).

What If the Application Is Refused?

Common reasons for delay or refusal include:

• Medical, criminal, or security inadmissibility
• Doubts about the genuineness of the marriage
• Misrepresentation or inconsistent information
• Previous removal from Canada
• Incomplete documentation or missed deadlines

Appeal Options:

• Outland application refused: You may appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) within 30 days of receiving the refusal letter.
• Inland application refused: You may apply for leave and judicial review to the Federal Court within 15 days of receiving the refusal letter.