Sponsorship of a spouse is an important part of Canada’s immigration procedure for those who are married. Many of you may wonder how you can submit an application to IRCC to obtain permanent residence for your wife or husband.
Canada plans to admit 80,000 new immigrants per year for the Spousal, Partner, and Children category under its Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023. The bulk of these immigrants will be spouses or partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
While the coronavirus pandemic has caused delays in the processing of spousal sponsorship applications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) should be able to get back on track once COVID-19 has been contained.
Here is information on how you can sponsor a loved one for immigration to Canada if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Sponsorship process
Citizens and permanent residents of Canada can sponsor their spouses to become permanent residents of the country. The sponsor (a Canadian citizen or permanent resident) and the foreigner (the “sponsored person”) must both be approved by IRCC. To be approved, the sponsor and sponsored individual must show that their relationship falls into one of the following categories (note that Canada recognizes same-sex relationships) to the IRCC:
- Spouse
- Common-law partner
- Conjugal partner
Who can sponsor?
If they match the following qualifications, Canadian citizens and permanent residents may be eligible to sponsor:
- with their partner once they become permanent residents,
- They show that unless they have a disability, they are not eligible for social assistance,
- They are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or they are an Indian who is registered with the Canadian Indian Act. Canadian nationals residing abroad must show IRCC that they intend to return to Canada ,
- They are over the age of 18 years,
- They are able to meet the sponsored person’s financial demands.
Who can be sponsored
Sponsorship is available for any of the three types of applicants listed below. All people that are being sponsored must be at least 18 years old:
- Spouse: The sponsor’s spouse must be legally married to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Common-law partner: If the partner is not officially married to the sponsor, they must have lived with him or her for a minimum of 12 months.
- Conjugal Partner: IRCC may consider the connection as a conjugal partnership if the partner is not legally married to the sponsor but has been in a relationship with the sponsor for at least one year, lives outside of Canada, and is unable to marry the sponsor.
How to apply for spousal sponsorship
The sponsorship application and the permanent residency application must be submitted at the same time, according to the IRCC. It could be done in the following steps:
Step 1: Identify whether or not you are eligible to sponsor.
Step 2: Download the application package from the IRCC.
Step 3: Visit the IRCC website to pay the required costs. Processing costs, right of permanent residency costs, and biometrics fees are all common expenses.
Step 4: Send the two applications to IRCC together.
Responsibilities after IRCC approves the application
Once the IRCC has approved their application, the couple must fulfill the following obligations:
- For at least 3 years, sponsors are financially responsible for their loved ones,
- Sponsored individuals are prohibited from sponsoring another person for a period of five years following their sponsorship.
The immigration plan of 2021 to 2023 details
| 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan | |||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| project admissions – Targets | 401,000 | 411,000 | 421,000 |
| project admissions – Ranges | HIGH LOW | HIGH LOW | HIGH LOW |
| Federal economic, Provincial nominees | 153600 208,500 | 167,500 213,900 | 173,500 217,500 |
| Refugees, Protected, humanitarian and compassionate | 43,500 68000 | 47,000 68,0000 | 49,000 70,500 |
| Family reunification | 76000 105,000 | 74000 105,000 | 74000 106,000 |
Canada announced exceptional measures for immigrants recently
First of all, IRCC has taken and adapted all possible measures to reach the immigration quota target of this year. For example, the following are some of the steps which have proven it:
- Canada welcomed 39,500 immigrants immigrants in July 2021,whereas as total of 184,000 newcomers so far this year,
- This week, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced a one-year extension to the federal government’s immigration agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador,
- Candidates of permanent residency programs having approved PR status will now be able to travel to Canada from 21 June 2021,
- Fully vaccinated tourists from all countries can enter September 7,
- Meanwhile 9 airports accepting international flights,
- Fully vaccinated U.S. tourists can enter Canada starting August 9,
- Lifting flight ban from the flights from Pakistan,
- Hotel quarantine policy ending August 9.
- Fully vaccinated children of Canadians, and other exempt travellers to have amended quarantine starting August 9,
- Immigrants support Canada is on, as the federal government reserved CAD100 Million for the integration of the newcomers.