Sponsor Your Spouse, Common-Law Partner or Conjugal Partner
Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act who are at least 18 can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner (lived together at least 12 consecutive months) or conjugal partner for permanent residence, from abroad or under the in-Canada class. There is no points system, language test or education requirement; IRCC assesses whether the relationship is genuine and not entered into mainly to gain status, and whether the sponsor is eligible and not subject to a sponsorship bar. Intake for spouses and partners is not capped or invitation-based.
Open
Status
Job offer
How you apply
Key requirements
| Age | Sponsor must be at least 18; the sponsored spouse or partner must also be at least 18 |
| Education | No education requirement for the sponsored spouse or partner |
| Language | No language test requirement for the sponsored spouse or partner |
| Work experience | No work experience requirement |
| Job offer | Not required |
| Where you must live | Sponsor generally lives in Canada; a Canadian citizen living abroad may sponsor a spouse or partner if they will live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. Quebec sponsors also meet Quebec's sponsorship requirements |
| How you apply | Direct application when you meet the requirements |
| Money — funds, net worth, investment | No settlement funds for the sponsored person; the sponsor signs an undertaking to support the spouse or partner for 3 years |
Summary only — requirements change and details decide real cases. Always confirm the full criteria on the official program page before applying: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/spouse-partner-children/who-you-can-sponsor.html (this record was verified against that source on 23 Oct 2026). This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
Guides for this program
Guide: Family sponsorship: spouses, children, parents, and other relatives
Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor a spouse or partner, a dependent child, a parent or grandparent, or, in special cases, another relative.
Not sure this is your program?
Answer a few questions and get a free eligibility assessment from a licensed consultant.
How long will it take?
Current IRCC processing-time estimates, recorded daily.