Canada · Spouse visas
Canada Spouse of a permanent resident
Family Class Sponsorship - Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner of a permanent resident
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a permanent resident is a spouse visas route for Canada. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- CAD 1,260 ≈ $880 · CAD 180 ≈ $130
- Processing
- 12 months
Cost, time and long term
Government feesCAD 1,260 ≈ $880 · CAD 180 ≈ $130
- CAD 1,260 (≈ $880)Sponsorship fee, processing fee and right of permanent residence fee for a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, whether the partner is abroad or in Canada.
- CAD 180 (≈ $130)Fee for each dependent child included in the application.
CitizenshipAfter 3 years as a permanent resident
Needs 1,095 days physically in Canada in the 5 years before applying, including at least 730 days as a permanent resident. Each day as a temporary resident before permanent residence counts as half a day, up to 365 days of credit.
Processing12 months
The service standard for overseas spouse, partner and dependent child applications is 12 months; there is no service standard for the in-Canada class.
Presence rulesAt least 730 days
A permanent resident must be physically in Canada at least 730 days in any 5-year period to keep the status.
What you'll need
Who can apply8
- Sponsor is a permanent resident aged at least 18 and living in Canada.
- A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor.
- Spouse: legally married to the sponsor, at least 18 years old, and in a genuine relationship.
- Common-law partner: lived with the sponsor in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months.
- Conjugal partner: in an exclusive, interdependent relationship for at least 1 year and living outside Canada.
- The sponsored person must not be inadmissible to Canada.
- A sponsor may be ineligible if they were sponsored as a spouse or partner and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago, or if a previous spouse or partner they sponsored became a permanent resident less than 3 years ago.
- A sponsor may also be ineligible if they are in prison, behind on an immigration loan, a performance bond or court-ordered family support, an undischarged bankrupt, on social assistance for a reason other than disability, convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or under a removal order.
What you must show1
- No minimum income applies, unless a dependent child of the partner has dependent children of their own.
Steps2
- Sponsor signs an undertaking and sponsorship agreement with the application.
- Partners living in Quebec also need Quebec's eligibility approval and a separate undertaking with Quebec.
After you arrive2
- Sponsor must support the sponsored partner financially for 3 years after they become permanent residents.
- The undertaking cannot be cancelled or shortened once the partner is a permanent resident.
What happens at day 183
How Canada decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a calendar yearDay count used in the CRA residency decision flow (page wording: fewer than 183 days versus more than 182 days throughout the year); significant ties and treaty residence are assessed together with it.
- At least 183 days in a tax yearA person who sojourned in Canada in the year for 183 days or more is deemed resident for the whole year (Income Tax Act s.250(1)(a))
- Foreign-source income
Worldwide income for residents; Canadian-source income for non-residents
All tax rules for Canada Tax records checked
Full official text
For the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of a permanent resident of Canada living in Canada. The sponsored partner becomes a permanent resident. 1 2 3 4 5
What you must show and pay
- A fee of CAD 1,260 (≈ $880) · Sponsorship fee, processing fee and right of permanent residence fee for a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, whether the partner is abroad or in Canada. 5
- A fee of CAD 180 (≈ $130) · Fee for each dependent child included in the application. 5
Requirements
- Sponsor is a permanent resident aged at least 18 and living in Canada. 2
- A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor. 2
- Spouse: legally married to the sponsor, at least 18 years old, and in a genuine relationship. 3
- Common-law partner: lived with the sponsor in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months. 3
- Conjugal partner: in an exclusive, interdependent relationship for at least 1 year and living outside Canada. 3
- The sponsored person must not be inadmissible to Canada. 3
- A sponsor may be ineligible if they were sponsored as a spouse or partner and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago, or if a previous spouse or partner they sponsored became a permanent resident less than 3 years ago. 2
- A sponsor may also be ineligible if they are in prison, behind on an immigration loan, a performance bond or court-ordered family support, an undischarged bankrupt, on social assistance for a reason other than disability, convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or under a removal order. 2
- No minimum income applies, unless a dependent child of the partner has dependent children of their own. 2
- Sponsor signs an undertaking and sponsorship agreement with the application. 2 4
- Partners living in Quebec also need Quebec's eligibility approval and a separate undertaking with Quebec. 2 4
- Sponsor must support the sponsored partner financially for 3 years after they become permanent residents. 4
- The undertaking cannot be cancelled or shortened once the partner is a permanent resident. 4
Stay
- Permanent residence on approval; sponsorship undertaking lasts 3 years after the partner becomes a permanent resident.
Work
An open work permit is available to a sponsored spouse or partner living in Canada with the sponsor, after the application is acknowledged as received.
Family
Dependent children of the partner can be included in the same application.
Official sources
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: Optional open work permit in Canada · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: Check if you're eligible · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-06-23
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: Who you can sponsor · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: What it means to be a sponsor · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Apply for citizenship: who can apply (physical presence) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- IRCC service standards · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status? · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a permanent resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a permanent resident | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Mexico | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Partner of a citizen Colombia | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Costa Rica | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a permanent resident?
A fee of CAD 1,260 (≈ $880). Sponsorship fee, processing fee and right of permanent residence fee for a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, whether the partner is abroad or in Canada. A fee of CAD 180 (≈ $130). Fee for each dependent child included in the application.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Permanent residence on approval; sponsorship undertaking lasts 3 years after the partner becomes a permanent resident.
How long does the Spouse of a permanent resident take to process?
The service standard for overseas spouse, partner and dependent child applications is 12 months; there is no service standard for the in-Canada class.
Can I work on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Yes. An open work permit is available to a sponsored spouse or partner living in Canada with the sponsor, after the application is acknowledged as received.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Dependent children of the partner can be included in the same application.
How are Spouse of a permanent resident holders taxed in Canada?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a permanent resident. The standard rules apply: Tax obligations follow residency status decided on all facts, mainly significant residential ties; residents report world income from all sources.
More in Canada
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 8 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: Optional open work permit in Canada · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: Check if you're eligible · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-12
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: Who you can sponsor · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Sponsor your spouse, partner or children: What it means to be a sponsor · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Apply for citizenship: who can apply (physical presence) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- IRCC service standards · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status? · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.