How to Sponsor Your Spouse for Permanent Residence in Canada

To sponsor your spouse for permanent residence in Canada, you must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident living in Canada, or a person registered under the Indian Act. You file the sponsorship and your spouse's PR application together, show the relationship is genuine, and pay IRCC's fees. A citizen living abroad can sponsor if they will live in Canada once the spouse becomes a PR.

By Yulia Kan, RCIC (licence #R707601), Founding Immigration Advisor, Canada, at Concord Visa. This article is general information about Canadian immigration law as at October 2026. It isn't advice for your situation and doesn't promise any outcome; your options depend on your own facts.

Who can sponsor a spouse in Canada?

The right to sponsor comes from section 13(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), and the family class itself from section 12(1). The detail is in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). Section 130 requires the sponsor to be a citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 and resides in Canada, with a carve-out allowing a citizen living abroad to sponsor a spouse or partner. Section 133 then sets the bars: the sponsor must intend to meet the undertaking, must not be subject to a removal order or imprisoned, and must not have certain criminal convictions, unpaid support or defaulted undertakings.

In my experience, most sponsors meet these rules without difficulty. The two that catch people are the five-year bar on sponsoring a new spouse if you were yourself sponsored as a spouse, and an outstanding undertaking for a previous partner. I'd check both before anything else. Spousal sponsorship has no minimum income requirement in most cases; the main exception is where your spouse has a dependent child who has children of their own.

Who counts as a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner?

A spouse is legally married; a marriage performed abroad must be valid where it took place and under Canadian law. A common-law partner has lived with you continuously for at least 12 months. A conjugal partner has been in a committed relationship with you for at least 12 months but couldn't marry or live together because of legal or immigration barriers, and must live outside Canada. Your spouse's dependent children can be included on the same application.

What if you're still on a work permit?

You can't sponsor anyone until you are a permanent resident or citizen; a work permit doesn't qualify under IRPR section 130. For people relocated on a work permit, I'd look at two other routes. Your spouse may qualify for an open work permit linked to your job, although IRCC has narrowed which jobs qualify. And when you apply for your own PR, for example through Express Entry, you can include your spouse as an accompanying family member, which avoids a separate sponsorship later.

Inland or outland: which route should you choose?

IRCC uses one application package, but the legal classes differ. The inland route is the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class under IRPR section 124: your partner must cohabit with you in Canada and hold temporary resident status. The outland route is the family class; your partner can live inside or outside Canada, and section 63(1) of IRPA gives the sponsor a right of appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division if the PR visa is refused. Conjugal partners must use the family class.

My practical view is that the decision turns on two questions: where your partner will live while the application is processed, and how much a right of appeal matters to you. Inland applications don't carry that appeal right.

How much relationship evidence is enough?

This is the question I'm asked most often. IRPR section 4 excludes a relationship that was entered into primarily to acquire immigration status or that isn't genuine, so the evidence has to show a real, continuing relationship. Joint leases or mortgages, shared bills at the same address, joint accounts or insurance naming each other, photos over time with family and friends, and communication during periods apart all help. What I'd prioritise is consistency: dates, addresses and relationship history should match across every form, because discrepancies are one of the reasons officers start asking questions. Translate any document not in English or French and include the translator's affidavit.

What does it cost, and how long does it take?

As of October 2026, IRCC's fee list shows CAD 1,260 to sponsor a spouse or partner (including the CAD 600 right of permanent residence fee), CAD 180 per dependent child, and CAD 85 per person for biometrics (CAD 170 maximum per family). Fees are indexed, so check before paying.

Processing estimates moved noticeably during 2026. I'd use IRCC's processing times tool on the day you plan and build a buffer into any relocation date.

Can your spouse work while the application is processed?

Often, yes. Under IRCC's spousal open work permit guidance, a sponsored spouse or common-law partner living with the sponsor in Canada can generally apply once the PR application has an acknowledgement of receipt, under either the inland or the family class. They need valid temporary status (or maintained status) and must live at the same address as the sponsor. They can apply without the acknowledgement only if their status expires within two weeks.

How spousal sponsorship compares with sponsoring a dependent child or parents and grandparents under the family class (IRPA s. 12(1)):

DimensionSpouse or partnerDependent childParents and grandparentsWhen you can applyAny timeAny timeNew intake paused since 15 July 2026Minimum income testNo, in most casesNo, in most casesYes, over several tax yearsOpen work permit while processingYes, if eligible and living in CanadaNo dedicated optionNo dedicated optionMain evidence focusGenuine relationship (IRPR s. 4)Parent-child relationshipIncome and relationshipSponsor undertaking3 yearsLonger, tied to the child's ageLongest of the threeRight of appeal if refusedFamily class (outland) only, IRPA s. 63(1)Generally yesGenerally yesProcessing timesPublished on canada.caPublished on canada.caPublished on canada.ca

FAQ: spousal sponsorship in Canada

Can I sponsor my spouse if I'm on a work permit in Canada?

No. Only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people registered under the Indian Act can sponsor a spouse. A work permit holder can include their spouse in their own PR application instead.

Is there an income requirement to sponsor a spouse in Canada?

In most cases, no. There's no minimum income test for spousal sponsorship unless your spouse's dependent child has children of their own.

Can a permanent resident living outside Canada sponsor a spouse?

No. IRPR section 130 requires a permanent resident sponsor to reside in Canada. A Canadian citizen living abroad can sponsor a spouse or partner if they will live in Canada once the spouse becomes a PR.

What is the difference between inland and outland spousal sponsorship?

Inland sponsorship requires the couple to live together in Canada and the spouse to hold temporary status. Outland sponsorship allows the spouse to live anywhere and gives the sponsor a right of appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division if the application is refused.

How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse in Canada in 2026?

As of October 2026, the IRCC fee is CAD 1,260 including the right of permanent residence fee, plus CAD 85 per person for biometrics. Dependent children cost CAD 180 each.

Get a Concord pre-assessment before you file

Concord's pre-assessment is informational. It helps you see where you and your spouse stand on sponsor eligibility, the inland and outland routes, and whether your spouse may be able to work while you wait.