3. Learn the rules about income guidelines
Question & Answer
Can I sponsor my spouse or partner who’s living with me in Canada?Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has income guidelines that say what minimum necessary income a sponsor must have.
The guidelines don’t usually apply if you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner, or their dependent children.
But they will apply if your or partner has a who has a dependent child of their own.
When the guidelines apply, you will also have to complete a Financial Evaluation form.
Special rules for minimum necessary income during COVID-19
As of October 2, 2020, IRCC will be more flexible in applying the minimum necessary income for sponsors relying on income for the 2020 tax year. But they must also meet the conditions outlined in the policy.
When figuring out the minimum necessary income that applies to you, IRCC will also include income from:
- Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
- regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
- other COVID-related benefits
The minimum necessary income you need to be a sponsor depends on:
- the number of people in Canada who you already have a responsibility to support financially, plus
- the number of people you want to sponsor.
You're not eligible to sponsor if you're getting social assistance. But you can sponsor if you're getting disability benefits.
Follow these steps to open and save an IRCC form in PDF format, using Adobe Acrobat Reader for both PC and Mac users. You can't open the forms on your phone or tablet.
Relying on social assistance
Sometimes IRCC will refuse a spouse or partner's application for permanent residence if they think that the person may need to rely on social assistance in Canada.
