Are you thinking about sponsoring your partner to Canada? Then, you have stepped into the right place. Canadian immigration scheme is based on a prime goal of family togetherness. Thus, the country welcomes nearly 80,000 immigrants to live in Canada permanently every year. Through the Canadian spousal sponsorship, the permanent residents or citizens can sponsor their spouse, conjugal partner, or common-law partner to Canada. Learn here everything about getting Canadian sponsorship.
General outlook on Canadian spousal sponsorship process
The majority of immigrants apply for spousal sponsorship to obtain the status of permanent residents. The Department of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the main authority to approve the overall process. Both the sponsor, i.e., permanent resident or Canadian citizen, and the sponsored fellow, i.e., the foreigner, need to show evidence on behalf of their relationship of the following categories
- Common-law partner
- Spouse
- Conjugal partner
Please note that the Canadian government also acknowledges homosexual relationships. The application for open work permit for spouse in Canada will be valid after meeting the minimum eligibility criteria.
Eligibility criteria to be the sponsor
You must meet the below-mentioned criteria to get the status of the sponsor:
- Must be of minimum 18 years old
- Show evidence that you are not acquiring any social assistance unless you possess a disability.
- You must be categorized as a permanent resident, Canadian citizen, or Indian under Canadian Indian Act. As a Canadian citizen, if you are living abroad presently, you have to showcase IRCC that you want to settle in Canada with your spouse to get permanent resident status. Permanent residents who intend to sponsor ensure living in Canada for submitting the spousal sponsorship application.
- You must provide details that you can meet the financial requirements of your sponsored one.
How to be the sponsored person?
For being the sponsored individual under the Canadian spousal sponsorship, you must be a minimum of 18 years old and fall under any of the following categories.
Spouse: The sponsor must be maintained a legal marital status with you.
Conjugal partner: The partner is not officially married to the sponsor, but being in a relationship for a minimum of one year, living outside Canada, and incapable of marrying the sponsor for religious, cultural, or legal issues are recognized as conjugal partner by IRCC.
Common-law partner: Under this category, the partner is not lawfully married to the sponsor but has been residing with the sponsor for a minimum of 12 months at a stretch.
How to apply for Canadian spousal sponsorship?
If you intend to apply for spousal sponsorship, you must submit two applications at once. One is a sponsorship application, and another is a permanent residence application. To process the overall application for open work permit for spouse in Canada takes a maximum of 4 months. Let’s get into the following steps to make your application approved by IRCC.
· Step 1: Get confirmation of whether you are eligible to be the sponsor.
· Step 2: Acknowledge the application package from the official website of IRCC.
· Step 3: Reimburse all essential fees on IRCC’s site. The fees include the right of permanent residence, processing fee, and biometric fees.
· Final step: Send both applications to IRCC via email.
Obligations couples must fulfill
After the applications get approved by IRCC, partners must carry out certain responsibilities. The sponsor has to take financial responsibility for the loved one for a minimum of three years. Once the sponsors get eligible for taking sponsorship, they can’t sponsor another individual for five years.
Get prepared to sponsor your partner to Canada
During the COVID 19 pandemic, the standard processing of spousal sponsorship has hampered much. However, the IRCC tries its best to get back to the standard track for processing the application for open work permit for spouse in Canada as fast as possible. Considering the nature of the application, it takes approximately 3 years to complete the overall spousal sponsorship procedure. To ensure the quick processing of Canadian immigration, ensure the appointment of experienced legal professionals to help you bring your partner to Canada without much hassle.
Moreover, the sponsor doesn’t need to exhibit any basic income amount to become eligible for financial support to the family member. Prepare the strongest application for Canadian spousal sponsorship to get approved without unnecessary delay.
