The government of Canada welcomes and supports the union of family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, as well as citizens registered in Canada as “Indians” under the Canadian India Act.

The Family Class category allows the following three categories to sponsor their family members to become Canadian permanent residents:

• Canadian citizens
• Canadian permanent residents
• Persons registered in Canada as “Indians” under the Canadian Indian Act of 1985

The following persons can be sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident:

• Spouse
• Common-Law Partner/Conjugal Partner
• Parents
• Grandparents
• Dependent Children
• Adopted Children

The government of Canada had concluded many years back that the presence of immediate (close) family members in Canada are vital for the person’s happiness as well as enhanced contribution to the Canadian economy. Entertaining this fact in the background, the government launched the Family Class Sponsorship program, whereby Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their immediate family members to come and explore the Canadian way of life. Family Class applications are prioritized applications in any Canadian visa office as well as Centralized Intake Offices (CIOs). To learn about spouse or common-law partner sponsorship requirements in detail, click here.

Outland Spousal or Common-Law Partner Sponsorship

The outland spousal/common-law partner sponsorship is not an immigration program on its own. It is a part of the Spousal Sponsorship program which falls under the Family Class immigration category. Under this program, any Canadian citizen or permanent resident may sponsor his or her spouse or common-law partner to obtain Canadian permanent residence status in Canada regardless of where his or her spouse of common-law partner is residing at the time the application is made. However, for the sponsored person to receive the permanent residence (PR) visa, both the sponsor as well as the sponsored person need to be approved by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC). To learn more about outland spousal/common-law partner sponsorship program, click here.

Inland Spousal or Common-Law Partner Sponsorship

The inland spousal/common-law partner sponsorship, like the outland version, is not an immigration program by its own. It is a part of the Spousal Sponsorship program which falls under the Family Class immigration category. Under this program, any Canadian citizen or permanent resident may sponsor his or her spouse of common-law partner to obtain Canadian permanent residence status in Canada if the couple had been living together in Canada at the time the application is made. However, for the sponsored person to receive the permanent residence (PR) visa, both the sponsor as well as the sponsored person need to be approved by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

To learn more about inland spousal/common-law partner sponsorship program, click here.