Motive of this category

Spouse Sponsorship Program is part of family sponsorship program that enable Canadian citizen or Permanent resident to sponsor their spouse/common law partner parents/grandparents and dependent children to come and settle in Canada Family Sponsorship program is designed for family reunification. To be eligible to apply under spouse sponsorship category, both sponsor and spouse have to prove that their relationship is genuine, and sponsor has to prove he fulfils all the requirements to sponsor his/her spouse/common law partner or conjugal partner. Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident can sponsor their Spouse/ Common law Partner or conjugal partner if they are in Canada or outside Canada. The spouse sponsorship application is based on two basic steps. First Step Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident has to apply to become a sponsor or signing undertaking.

Understanding the term “Sponsor”:

It is sponsor’s responsibility to make sure, those you are sponsoring won’t ask any assistant or financial support from the government. However, this is sponsor’s liability to payback all social assistant to the government that spouse/common law partner will receive during sponsorship tenure if they apply and receive any social assistance form the government. You (sponsor) will not be able to sponsor anyone else until you payback all the social assistance.
The sponsorship undertaking is an agreement between the government and sponsor that sponsor is responsible to support spouse or common law partner during the entire period of sponsorship.

The undertaking cannot be cancelled even:

the person you are sponsoring becomes a Canadian citizen
the relationship breaks down due to divorced or separation
Sponsor or spouse/common law partner moves to another place inside or outside Canada
Sponsor has financial problems

Sponsorship Duration:

The length of time you are legally responsible for the person you sponsor is depend on the type of family member you are sponsoring, and it is either 3 or 10 years for residents living anywhere in Canada other than Quebec. As Quebec has different undertaking criteria.

Eligible Sponsor:

You can sponsor your spouse/common-law partner if you are
-At least 18 years old
-Canadian Citizen, Permanent resident of Canada or
-A person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
-A Canadian citizen living outside Canada (at the time of application), you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your spouse/ common law partner becomes permanent resident.
-Able to successfully prove that you’re not receiving any social assistance other than disability.
-Able to provide basic needs to your spouse/common law partner such as shelter, food, clothing, and other needs for everyday living.

Ineligible Sponsor:

You cannot sponsor your spouse/common-law partner if

-You are under 18 years old
-you won’t live in Canada when your spouse/common-law partner become permanent resident
-you’re not a Canadian citizen/ permanent resident of Canada
-you’re not a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
-you’re a temporary resident visiting, studying or working in Canada
-your permanent residence application is still in process
-you don’t have enough money to financially support the persons you want to sponsor
-you were sponsored by a spouse/common-law partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago
-you are still financially responsible for a previous spouse/common-law partner that you previously sponsored.
-you have applied to sponsor your spouse/common-law partner and waiting for the decision of the application
-you have filed bankruptcy
-are in jail, prison, or a penitentiary
-you have not repaid an immigration loan, performance bond or family support payments
-you are failed to financially support a previous spouse or common-law partner
-you were convicted of attempting or committing a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside/outside Canada
-you are not allowed to stay in Canada legally due to removal order