Spouse Sponsorship

Family Sponsorship

Your relatives can live, study and work in Canada if they become permanent residents of Canada. You can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada if you’re at least 18 years old and a:

• Canadian citizen or
• person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or
• permanent resident of Canada

Sponsor your spouse, partner or child: about the process

About the process
If you’re eligible, you can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children to become permanent residents of Canada.
If you do, you must be able to:

• support them financially
• make sure they don’t need social assistance from the government

Fees
Sponsor a spouse, partner from $1,080, or a child from $150

These fees increased on April 30, 2022.

Processing time
The persons you sponsor may need to give biometrics after they apply. This processing time includes the
time they need to give their biometrics.

Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: check if you’re eligible

Who is eligible to sponsor their spouse, partner or child
You can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child if:

• You’re at least 18 years old
• You’re a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
  • If you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents.
  • You can’t sponsor someone if you’re a permanent resident living outside Canada.
• You’re able to prove that you’re not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
• you can provide for the basic needs of any persons you want to sponsor

If you live outside Quebec

To become a sponsor, you must promise to financially take care of the persons you are sponsoring for a period of time. We call this promise an undertaking.

The undertaking commits you to:

• providing financial support for your sponsored family members, starting when they become permanent residents
• repaying any provincial social assistance your sponsored family members get during that time

Also, you and your sponsored family members need to agree to certain responsibilities during the undertaking period. We call this the sponsorship agreement.

The sponsorship agreement means that:

• you’ll provide for the basic needs of your sponsored family members
• the person you sponsor will make every effort to support themselves and their family members

When you apply, you’ll have to complete and sign a form that includes the undertaking and the
sponsorship agreement.

Income requirement

In most cases, there isn’t an income requirement to sponsor your spouse or partner or dependent child. You only need to show that you have enough money to meet the income requirements if:

• you’re sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own, or
• you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more children of their own.

The Financial Evaluation form instructions explain how much money you’ll need and how to fill out the form.

You’ll get the form when you download your application package.

If you live in Quebec

You must meet Quebec’s immigration sponsorship requirements after we approve you as a sponsor. You must sign an undertaking with the province of Quebec.

The Quebec ministry in charge of immigration will assess your income.

Who can’t sponsor their spouse, partner or child

You can’t sponsor your spouse, partner or child if:

• you’re less than 18 years old
• you won’t live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents
• you’re not a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
• you’re a temporary resident, that is you’re visiting, studying or working in Canada on a visa or permit
• your permanent residence application is still in process
  • You must have permanent resident status at the time you submit your sponsorship application.
• you don’t have enough money to support the persons you want to sponsor (if applicable)

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner if you:

• were sponsored by a spouse or partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago
• are still financially responsible for a previous spouse or partner that you sponsored. This means you’re still bound by the 3 year undertaking to take care of this person.

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child if you:

• you have already applied to sponsor the spouse, parent or child you are currently seeking to sponsor and a decision on that application hasn’t been made
• are in jail, prison, or a penitentiary
• didn’t pay back:
  • an immigration loan
  • a performance bond
  • court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support (not applicable if you live in Quebec)
• didn’t give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past (not applicable if you live in Quebec)
• declared bankruptcy and are not discharged (not applicable if you live in Quebec)
• receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability
• you were convicted of attempting, threatening to commit or committing a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada
• can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order

There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your spouse, partner or child. If we
determine you’re not eligible to sponsor, we’ll tell you why.

Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: who you can sponsor

Who you can sponsor
You can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent children.

Your spouse
Your spouse can be either sex and must be:

• legally married to you
• at least 18 years old

Your common-law partner

Your common-law partner:

• isn’t legally married to you
• can be either sex
• is at least 18 years old
• has been living with you for at least 12 consecutive months, meaning you’ve been living together continuously for 1 year in a conjugal relationship, without any long periods apart
  • Any time spent away from each other should have been
    • short
    • temporary

If you or your common-law partner choose to end the relationship, we consider the relationship to be over.

You’ll need to give proof of your common-law relationship.

Your conjugal partner

Your conjugal partner:

• isn’t legally married to you or in a common-law relationship with you
• can be either sex
• is at least 18 years old
• has been in a relationship with you for at least 1 year
• lives outside Canada
• can’t live with you in their country of residence or marry you because of significant legal and immigration reasons such as
  • their marital status (for example, they’re still married to someone else in a country where divorce isn’t possible)
  • their sexual orientation (for example, you are in a same-sex relationship, and same-sex relationships are not accepted, or same-sex marriage is illegal where they live),
  • persecution (for example, your relationship is between different religious groups which is not accepted and they may be punished legally or socially)

You’ll need to give proof that you could not live together or get married in your conjugal partner’s country (for example, proof of refused long-term stays in each other’s country).

Dependent children

Children qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:

• they’re under 22 years old
• they don’t have a spouse or common law partner

Children 22 years old or older qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:

• they are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition
• they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22

With the exception of age, your dependent child must continue to meet these requirements until we finish processing your application.

If they qualify as a dependent child, you can sponsor

• your own child
  • If you’re a Canadian citizen, your child may also be a Canadian citizen, even if they weren’t born in Canada. You can’t sponsor your child for permanent residence if they’re Canadian citizens already. Check if your child is already a Canadian citizen.
  • If you’re sponsoring just your child, without sponsoring your spouse or partner, you’ll name your child as the principal applicant in the application. You’ll have to show that the other parent or legal guardian agrees to your child immigrating to Canada. See your checklist for what you’ll need to provide.
  • If the child you want to sponsor has a child of their own (your grandchild), you’ll include your grandchild as a dependant in the application.
  • If you want to sponsor your adopted child or an orphaned family member, follow the instructions to sponsor your adopted child or orphaned family member instead.
• your spouse or partner and their child
  • If you’re sponsoring your spouse or partner and a child (either their own child or a child you’ve had together), you’ll name your spouse or partner as the principal applicant and the child as the dependant in the application.
  • If the child you want to sponsor has a child of their own, you’ll include the grandchild as a dependant in the application.

Eligibility of the people you’re sponsoring

To show they meet the eligibility requirements, your spouse, partner, dependent child and their dependent children (if applicable) must provide:

• all required forms and documents with their application
• any additional information we request during processing, including
  • medical exams
  • biometrics

You can’t sponsor someone who is inadmissible to Canada. This means they’re not allowed to come to Canada.

Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: how to apply

To apply to sponsor your spouse, partner or child, there are 2 applications:

1. You must apply to become a sponsor.
2. Your spouse, partner or child must apply for permanent residence.

If you want to sponsor your adopted child or an orphaned family member, follow the instructions to sponsor your adopted child instead.

If you live in Quebec, find out the steps to take to sponsor your spouse, partner or child in Quebec.

There are 4 steps to sponsor your spouse, partner or child:

1. Apply to sponsor

The sponsor must

• download and complete the PDF forms in the application package
• digitally sign, along with the person you’re sponsoring (principal applicant)

The person you’re sponsoring (principal applicant) will

• upload them to their online application
• electronically sign for the entire application, including those of any other family members

Get the application package

The application package includes the:

• document checklist for you and the persons you want to sponsor
• forms you and the persons you want to sponsor need to fill out
• instruction guide to help you and your family members fill out the forms correctly

Read the guide carefully before you complete the application form. The sponsorship application fee for processing your application can’t be refunded.

2. Apply to be sponsored (permanent residence)

Sign in or create a Permanent residence online application portal account.

You must fill out these digital forms online

• Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)
• Schedule A – Background/Declaration (IMM 5669)
• Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)
• Supplementary Information – Your travels (IMM 5562)

Photo specifications

You need one photo for each person on your application.

Follow the instructions in the online application to scan and upload both sides of your photo.

Technical issues

If you’re having technical issues applying, contact us using the web form

• under type of application/enquiry, choose technical difficulties from the drop-down menu
• in the text box, specify the program you’re applying under
• upload screenshots from your account that show us
  • the page where you’re having problems
  • the error message(s) you get

If you need to upload a number of images, find out how to combine them into 1 document.

Working in Canada

If you already have a work permit, you can keep working as long as the permit is valid.

You may be eligible to apply for an open work permit if

• you live in Canada with the person sponsoring you
• you got an acknowledgement of receipt letter that says your permanent residence application is being processed

We’ll refuse your open work permit application if you submit it with your application for permanent residence in the Permanent Residence Portal.
If you want to appoint someone to do business with us on your behalf, you must

• download a Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] (PDF, 1.48 MB) or Authority to release personal information to a designated individual form [IMM 5475] (PDF, 2.2 MB) – which ever applies
• complete it
• sign it digitally or by hand and get your immigration representative to do so also
• upload it with your application

An immigration representative (an immigration consultant or lawyer) can give you advice and help you with your application for a fee. But they can’t

• open a portal account on your behalf
• electronically sign the application for you
• sign into the portal using your username and password

A representative can fill out forms and communicate with us on your behalf through their own account.
They can also

• help you prepare the documents you need to upload
• answer questions about the forms

After you read the declaration, you must be the one who types your name. This is the legal requirement for your application to be considered “signed,” according to Canada’s immigration law.

3. Pay your application fees

Your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)

Book your biometrics collection appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays. Find out how to give biometrics.
In most cases, your fees will include:

• processing fees for you, the persons you’re sponsoring and their dependants
• the right of permanent residence fee
• the biometrics fee

You have to pay your fees online (opens in a new tab).
Biometrics fee
In most cases, you must pay a biometrics (fingerprints and photo) fee when you submit your application. Otherwise you may experience delays. The biometrics fee covers the cost of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.
Third-party fees
Depending on your situation, you may need to pay third parties for:

• your medical exam
• a police certificate

4. Send us additional information during processing

During processing, we’ll ask the person you’re sponsoring to submit their:

• medical exams
• police certificates
  • You need to include police certificates when you apply.
  • You need them for the person being sponsored and each family member 18 or older (who isn’t already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident).
  • Police certificates are generally valid for 1 year from the date they’re issued.
    • Depending on processing times, we may ask you for new certificates.
• biometrics
  • When the biometrics fee is paid, we’ll send your family members a letter asking them to give their biometrics.
  • Your family members must show this letter when they give their biometrics.
  • They have 30 days to give their biometrics in person at their closest collection point.

Temporary changes to biometrics
Book your biometrics appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays.

If you can’t book an appointment by the deadline given on your biometrics instruction letter, there may be temporary measures in place to help you.

We’ll send instructions and let your family members how much time they have to send us this information.

You must tell us of any change in circumstances, such as:

• birth or adoption of children
• marriage or divorce or separation
• death of an applicant or a dependant

5. Submit your online application

Before you submit your application, make sure you:

• answer all questions
• electronically sign your application (type your full name exactly as shown on your passport)
• include your processing fee receipt
• upload all the supporting documents

If your application is incomplete, we’ll reject it. You’ll have to fix any errors and then re-submit it.

6. Get updates about your application online

If you and the person you are sponsoring meet the eligibility requirements, we will mail or email you a
request to link your application to an online account.

Sponsor your spouse, partner or child: After you apply

We’ll review your sponsorship application and return it to you if:

• it’s incomplete
• fees are missing

If we begin to process your application, we’ll:

• send you an:
  • application number
  • acknowledgment of receipt
• assess your eligibility as a sponsor
• assess if the person you’re sponsoring is eligible for permanent residence

If we refuse you as a sponsor
If we refuse you as a sponsor, you can choose to have us continue processing the application for
permanent residence for your family members.

• If you choose to withdraw your application, you won’t get the $75 CAN sponsorship fee back. You’ll get all other fees back.
• If you want us to continue processing, you won’t get any fees back.

If you’re approved as a sponsor
We’ll assess the eligibility of the person(s) you want to sponsor.

Your family members can link their application to their online account
When we start processing their application, we’ll send your family members a letter with their application number.
After they get this letter, they can link their application to their online account. This way, they can communicate with us quickly and securely and get updates and messages about their application online.
You (the sponsor) can link their application for them if you’re handling your family member’s application and you’re designated as their representative.
The people you’re sponsoring must send us supporting documents

Your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)

Book your biometrics collection appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays. Find out how to give biometrics.
During processing, we’ll ask the people you’re sponsoring to submit their:

• medical exams
• police certificates
• biometrics
  • When the biometrics fee is paid, we’ll send your family members a letter asking them to give their biometrics.
  • Your family members must show this letter when they give their biometrics.
  • They have 30 days to give their biometrics in person at their closest collection point.

We’ll send instructions and let your family members know how much time they have to send us this information.
You must tell us of any change in circumstances, such as:

• birth or adoption of children
• marriage or divorce or separation
• death of an applicant or dependant

If you live in Quebec

You must do the following steps before we assess the eligibility of your family members:

• The person you’re sponsoring must complete and sign the Demande de sélection permanente – Catégorie du regroupement familial (Application for permanent selection – Family reunification class) form and return it to you promptly.
• You must enclose this form with your undertaking application to the Government of Quebec.

If the Government of Quebec approves your undertaking application, they’ll send us the information we need to process your family members’ permanent resident application.
If we approve your family members’ permanent residence application
To finish processing their application, your spouse, partner and child, and their dependants who are immigrating to Canada with them (if applicable), will have to send us:

• their passports, or photocopies of their passports (we’ll let you know which one they should send)
• 2 photos
• proof of payment for the right of permanent residence fee, if you haven’t sent it to us already.

We’ll let them know where to send this information.
Documents your family members will get
If your family members are outside Canada
We’ll send them these documents once we finish processing their application:

• a document confirming they have been approved to become Canadian permanent residents
  • We call this document the Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
• a permanent resident visa, if required
  • If the persons you’re sponsoring are from countries whose citizens need a visa to travel to Canada, we’ll give them a permanent resident visa in their passport. We’ll do this even if they’re already in Canada.

Once your family members receive these documents, they can travel to Canada. Make sure to check the expiry dates on the permanent resident visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence. Your family members must meet an officer at a Canadian port of entry before their documents expire. The officer will make the final decision to allow your family members to enter Canada as permanent residents.

Find out more about how your family members can prepare for arrival.
If your family members are inside Canada
They have to meet an immigration officer to receive their Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
We’ll send them a letter to schedule their appointment and we’ll let them know what documents to bring. The officer will make the final decision to allow your family members to stay in Canada as permanent residents.

If we refuse your family members’ permanent residence application
If we refuse their permanent residence application, we’ll let you know:

• Why we refused it.
• How to appeal the decision, if you’re sponsoring a spouse, partner or child from outside Canada.
• You can’t appeal our decision if you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner who’s inside Canada.

Track and update your application

During processing, track your application and make sure it’s up to date by:

• checking the status of your application
• updating your address or other information, if necessary
• adding or changing your representative or getting access to your family’s information, if necessary
• withdrawing your application, if desired
• paying the right of permanent residence fee or requesting a refund

Check the status of your application

If you’re a sponsor
You can use the Application Status tracker (opens in a new tab)

• to find out where we are with your application
• only after you get an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter or email
  • You’ll get an AOR after we receive your application and check that it’s complete.

Due to COVID-19, it’s taking us longer to

• check that your application is complete
• send you an AOR letter or email with your application number

As the sponsor, if you want to check on the application status for your spouse, partner or child, you must first request to get access to their information.

If you’re being sponsored
You can check your application in 2 ways:

In your online account
Follow these steps:

1. Get the application number. You’ll receive this by mail when we’ve started processing your application.
2. Create an online account.
3. Link your application to the account.

In the Application Status Tracker
You can also use the Application Status tracker (opens in a new tab) .

If your processing time has passed
If your application is complex, it may take us longer than normal processing times to process it.
Do not contact us about your application status if you don’t have an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter.

Keep your information up to date

To avoid delays in processing, make sure your contact information and your application details are up to date.
Tell us about changes in your application, such as:

• marriage or divorce or separation
• birth or adoption of a child
• death of an applicant or dependant
• contact information updates, including
  • email
  • phone number
  • mailing address

Don’t mail us changes for your contact or application information. If you do, we won’t acknowledge your request and we won’t update your application. This could lead to a delay in processing your application.
If you change your contact information, make sure you check your old contact information until we update your application.

Add or change a representative or get access to your family member’s information
Even as the sponsor, you don’t automatically get access to your family members’ information. You have to request it.

If you want to handle your spouse’s, partner’s or child’s application for them
You’ll be acting as a representative if you want to:

• fill out and submit your family member’s application for them
• communicate with us on their behalf

To become a representative for your spouse, partner or child, complete, sign and save the form to appoint or change a representative. The person(s) you’re sponsoring must also sign the form.

Include it with your application. If you’ve already submitted your application, send it to us.

In your request, include your:

• full name
• date of birth
• country of birth
• application number (if you know it)
• relative’s Client ID Number (UCI) (if you know it)

You can upload the form after you’ve completed all the required fields.

If you want to check on your spouse’s, partner’s or child’s application status
As the sponsor, you may want to access your family members’ information without being in charge of their application. For example, you may want to check their application status on their behalf, but not act as their representative.

To protect their privacy, they need to give us their written consent before we’ll share any of their personal information with you or give anyone access to their application information.

Find out how the persons you’re sponsoring can give you access to their information.

Withdraw your sponsorship application

You can withdraw your sponsorship application at any time before the person you’re sponsoring becomes a permanent resident of Canada.

You may be able to get a refund if we haven’t started processing your application.

Use our Web form to request the withdrawal of your sponsorship application.

In your request, include your:

• full name
• date of birth
• country of birth
• application number (if you know it)
• relative’s Client ID Number (UCI) (if you know it)

Submit your right of permanent residence fee or request a refund

The right of permanent residence fee must be paid before the persons you’re sponsoring can become permanent residents. If it wasn’t paid, we’ll contact the persons you’re sponsoring to explain how they can pay the right of permanent residence fee online.

You can request a refund for the right of permanent residence fee if:

• you’re withdrawing your sponsorship
• your family member was refused
  • We can only issue refunds once you decline your right of appeal.

To send us the proof of payment or to request a refund

Use our Web form. In your request, include the:

• full name
• date of birth
• country of birth
• application number (if you know it)
• relative’s Client ID Number (UCI) (if you know it)
• copy of the official receipt
• copy of signed right of appeal (if you have one)

For proof of payment, you can upload the official receipt after you’ve completed all the required fields.

For refunds, use the “Your enquiry” box to let us know that you’re requesting a refund.

Sponsor your spouse, partner or child: prepare for arrival

When your sponsored family members arrive at the port of entry to Canada, they must show the border services officer their:

• Confirmation of Permanent Residence
  • This is the document we sent when we approved their application
• valid passport or travel document
• permanent resident visa (if we issued one), which must be valid
• Quebec Selection Certificate, if they’re going to live in Quebec
• any other document we issued to them and told you to bring

If your family members are already in Canada

They’ll have to meet an immigration officer to receive their permanent residence. We call this a landing interview. We’ll send them instructions about what documents to bring with them, and the time and place of their interview.

What happens at the border
The border officer will:

• check that their permanent resident visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence haven’t expired
• ask your family members to confirm information that they gave in their application

Your sponsored family members must tell the officer of any funds they’re bringing into Canada, including:

• cash
• stocks
• bonds
• money orders
• traveller’s cheques

Get more information on the documents your family members need and the interview process when crossing the Canadian border.

If satisfied that they meet the requirements to enter Canada, the officer will:

• allow them to enter Canada as a permanent residents
• start the process to mail their permanent resident card to the address on their Confirmation of Permanent Residence
  • Make sure their Canadian address is correct.

Open Work Permit : Applying as a sponsored or common-law partner in Canada

Who can apply
You can apply for an open work permit if you’re one of the following:

• a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner living in Canada who’s being sponsored for permanent residence
• an accompanying dependent child of the principal applicant

Principal permanent residence applicants
When you apply for your open work permit, you must also be

• in a genuine relationship with your sponsor
• included in an application for permanent residence, and have an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter confirming that your permanent residence application is being processed
• living in Canada with your sponsor

Minimum age to work
Before your dependent child works in Canada, check the minimum age required to work in the province/territory and in the job type they plan to work in. Canadian employers are responsible for meeting the requirements of the provincial labour laws.

Open work permit holders must also comply with federal, provincial or territorial labour laws to work.

If you’re an accompanying dependent child

To be eligible for an open work permit as a dependent child, both of the following criteria must be met:

• The principal applicant you’re accompanying must be
  • in a genuine relationship with their sponsor
  • included in an application for permanent residence, and have an AOR letter confirming that their permanent residence application is being processed
  • living in Canada with their sponsor
• You must be living with your family member (the principal applicant) and their sponsor.

Who can’t apply at this time
You can’t apply for an open work permit under this public policy if either

• your application for permanent residence has been refused, withdrawn or returned
• you plan to apply for your work permit at a port of entry