Canada visas
Canada spousal sponsorship: bring your spouse or partner to Canada
A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner for permanent residence.
- Sponsor
- Citizen or PR living in Canada
- Who
- Spouse, common-law, conjugal
- Outcome
- Permanent residence
Who it suits
Is this visa for you?
- You are married to, or in a relationship with, a Canadian citizen or PR
- The relationship is genuine and can be shown with evidence
- The sponsor lives in Canada
The basics
What the authorities look for
- The sponsor is at least 18 and a citizen, PR or registered Indian living in Canada
- The sponsor signs a sponsorship agreement and undertaking
- The relationship must be genuine, not entered to gain status
- Medical, police and background checks for the person sponsored
- A sponsor who sponsored a previous partner may have to wait before sponsoring again
A summary of the published rules. The full rules have more conditions, and they change. Last reviewed October 2026. IRCC: sponsor your spouse, partner or children
Take care
Where cases go wrong
- **Thin relationship evidence.** Photos alone are rarely enough. Show a shared life over time.
- **Gaps and mismatches.** Dates that do not agree across forms cause delays and refusals.
- **Quebec has its own steps.** Sponsors living in Quebec have an extra process.
- **Misrepresentation.** One wrong answer can bar you for years.
Your case has details a web page cannot cover.
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Spousal sponsorship questions
Does the sponsor need a minimum income?
Usually not for a spouse or partner. An income test applies in limited cases, such as when dependent children have children of their own.
Can a PR sponsor from outside Canada?
No. A permanent resident must live in Canada to sponsor.
Can my spouse work while the application is processed?
In some situations an open work permit is available for a spouse already in Canada. Check the current conditions.
Keep reading
Other Canada visa pages
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