Can I sponsor my spouse or partner who’s living with me in Canada?
You may be able to sponsor your or in Canada to apply for status if you're:
- a Canadian citizen, or
- a permanent resident.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a policy that allows people who are defined as Status Indians under the Indian Act to sponsor relatives and family members. This policy was created because it was left out of the law.
You must also be:
- at least 18 years old, and
- living with your spouse or common-law partner in Canada.
There are many other rules about who can be a sponsor that apply regardless of who you want to sponsor. Read more in Can I be a sponsor for a member of my family? This includes rules about financial responsibilities and your status, for example, you cannot be a sponsor if you've been convicted of certain crimes.
And there are rules about when your partner qualifies to meet the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class. For example, they must live in Canada with the sponsor.
If you’re a protected person
If you're a , for example, a or a , you might not need to do a sponsorship application. There's a different process that you can use if it's been less than a year since you became a permanent resident.
And if you're applying for permanent resident status, you may be able to include your spouse or common-law partner in your application. You must list them in the application.
Get help if you need it
The rules about sponsoring someone are complicated.
If you're not sure about something, ask for information from a community agency or get legal help.
