The Canadian government allows citizens of Canada and permanent residents who are in a relationship with a foreign national to sponsor that person to join them and eventually become Canadian residents. You can sponsor your partner, common-law spouse, or conjoint partner. There are two major options from which to choose when sponsoring: Outland and Inland sponsorship. Having said that, here is Canadian spousal sponsorship, everything you need to know to pertain to the same.
Number of spouses Canada welcomes each year
Canada aims to welcome about 400,000 new immigrants per year through its Immigration Levels Plan. Individuals from three economic classes, family class, and refugee immigrants, make up 60% of these annual admissions. Canada then aims to admit around 80,000 and 200,000 spouses, partners, and children, respectively, of immigrants under the Spouses, Partners, and Children category. So, when it comes to Canadian spousal sponsorship, everything you need to know about it, this particular aspect is worth checking out.
Eligibility Criteria to Become a Sponsor
You can become a sponsor only if you have complied with the criteria given below.
- When you can provide for the rudimentary needs of your spouse as well as a partner. If required, you need to do the same for your kids as well.
- When you do not get any sort of social aid for certain reasons apart from physical impairment
- If you stay in Canada or are a citizen of Canada, an individual who is registered for the Canadian Indian Act
- In case, you are eighteen years old or more than that
Apart from these criteria, there are some additional criteria too which you need to adhere to as a sponsor. These include your ability to support your concerned partner properly. Aside from that, you also need to make sure that your partner doesn’t need any sort of social aid from the government’s end.
Things that you need to sponsor imperatively
A spouse’s sponsorship in Canada entails a commitment to provide a financial boost to strengthening the sponsored person, including any dependents. As a sponsor, you are legally required to sign an agreement vowing to provide for the sponsored person's basic requirements. A checklist of these fundamental requirements can be considered below.
- Medical health costs that aren’t covered by the public health insurance, like eye care and dental expenses etc.
- Clothing and some associated things required imperatively for daily living
- Personal and food hygiene products and
- Bills about utility such as housing etc.
Your duties as a sponsor start when you're in charge of the task. The duration of the challenge is 3 years from the date of your partner's immigration to the United States as a permanent resident.
Eligibility to sponsor same-sex partner or spouse
Canada legally recognizes same-sex marriages and relationships, and your marriage or partner may be eligible to apply in one of the three categories provided it meets all the requirements. If you are legally married and the same-sex marriage occurred outside of Canada, it must also be legally recognized in the country where it occurred.
Who are eligible to be sponsored?
You, your spouse or your companion will be provided with a visa under this immigration scheme if you have demonstrated a legitimate relationship in one of the three categories: friend, spousal sponsor, or fiancé.
- Marital Partner: You and your spouse must have been in a committed relationship for 12 months or more, but have had major obstacles that prevented you from living with one another (such as cultural, religious or immigration restraints).
- Common-law-partner: If for at least 12 months you have been with your partner in a spouse like a relationship.
- Spouse: Your marital partner whom you’ve married legally
Besides, the person whom you would sponsor should be eighteen years old at the least. Most importantly, the individual should have qualified in all the medical and security checks successfully.
The genuineness of your common-law relationship
Validate the duration and nature of your commitment by submitting documents like the ones following:
- Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Questionnaire. This implies participating in a question-and-answer session about your profession in the spotlight.
- Evidence that proves your relationship such as social media, emails and letters etc.
- Evidence that proves your shared costs substantially between that of your partner and you
- Proof that you have and continue to function as common-law partners, such as through insurance or employment documentation.
- You and your common-law partner’s photos prove the relationship between you two.
- Your birth and marriage certificates, or adoption records, as well as those of any child you or your partner adopted or has jointly given birth to.
Note, that the sponsorship application won’t be considered acceptable if it is found that the relationship between you two is ingenuine.
Which option to choose: outland or inland?
Each of the options needs about a year for its processing, nonetheless they differ from each other in certain ways including:
Outland
It's possible to submit an Outland application even if your partner is outside the country. This option may be the best if your partner can transmit to the continent, but is not authorized to stay in the location during the processing of the application.
Inland
An advantage of filing an inland application is that one's partner is permitted to apply for an open work permit as the applications are being handled. Keep in mind that it takes about 4 months to receive an open work permit. This permit permits your spouse to work in various occupations in Canada during the application process.
Income threshold to sponsor your partner or spouse
There is no strict income requirement to sponsor your partner or spouse to Canada. However, you need to earn certain minimum financial resources to sponsor your spouse or partner to Canada including:
- You must not receive any state income support benefits or be in bankruptcy proceedings to receive these benefits.
- You need to ensure that your spouse or partner arrives in Canada with money or assets that prove you have properly supported them.
In case you receive employment- or health-related benefits distributed by the Employment Insurance program, you may still be eligible for benefits to support a common-law partner, spouse, or partner.
Final Note!
So, to attain a comprehensive understanding of Canadian spousal sponsorship, everything you need to know, read the guide given above properly. Also, to get matchless immigration assistance about this visa option, reach out to VCANXL right away.
