{"id":3915,"date":"2026-06-11T17:39:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T17:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/canada-spousal-immigration-guide-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T12:48:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:48:55","slug":"canada-spousal-immigration-guide-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/canada-spousal-immigration-guide-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada Spousal Sponsorship in 2026: Inland, Family Class, Work Permits and Fees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Content reviewed: 2026-09-14<\/p>\n

Choosing inland or outland spousal sponsorship takes more than checking where the applicant is today. Neither route guarantees a faster work permit. The formal categories are the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class and the Family Class. IRCC\u2019s IMM 5289 guide<\/a> ties that choice to the relationship, living arrangements and plans to stay in Canada. Permanent residence and permission to work are separate applications.<\/p>\n

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AI-generated editorial illustration for Let\u2019s Canada; not real applicants, an official document or an approved case.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Start with the relationship category. A spouse needs a legally recognized marriage; a marriage abroad must be valid both where it took place and in Canada. Common-law partners must have lived together for at least 12 consecutive months, with only short, temporary absences during that period. A conjugal partner is a separate category: the sponsored person lives outside Canada, has an exclusive, mutually interdependent relationship of at least one year, and must document obstacles to marriage or cohabitation. Dating for a year alone does not establish eligibility. All three partner categories require the sponsored person to be at least 18, apply to couples of any gender, and include IRCC\u2019s admissibility requirements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The sponsor must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered in Canada under the Indian Act. A permanent resident living abroad cannot sponsor; a citizen abroad must show plans to live in Canada when the partner becomes a permanent resident. The sponsor eligibility rules<\/a> also cover previous sponsorships, defaults, certain criminal convictions and social assistance other than for a disability. Usually there is no minimum income threshold, but one may apply when the sponsored partner\u2019s dependent child has a dependent child of their own. No threshold does not mean no support obligation. An undecided sponsorship for the same partner also prevents using another application as a backup.<\/p>\n

Outside Quebec, the undertaking for a spouse or partner lasts three years from the day they become a permanent resident, not from submission. Under the undertaking rules<\/a>, separation, divorce, financial difficulties or the sponsored person becoming a citizen do not automatically end it. The sponsor may have to repay social assistance received during that period. Consider that responsibility alongside the practical differences below.<\/p>\n

Consideration<\/th>Inland: Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class<\/th>Outland: Family Class<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Living arrangements<\/td>Live together in Canada; temporary status or an applicable public policy must meet the requirements.<\/td>For partners abroad; eligible spouses or common-law partners in Canada can also choose this class.<\/td><\/tr>
Open work permit<\/td>Available only if the in-Canada cohabitation, acknowledgement and status requirements are met.<\/td>Eligible applicants living with their sponsor in Canada may also apply; being abroad does not confer a right to work.<\/td><\/tr>
Travel<\/td>Re-entry is not guaranteed. Inability to return can affect the required cohabitation in Canada.<\/td>An option when the applicant does not plan to remain in Canada during processing; entry and temporary stay have separate rules.<\/td><\/tr>
IAD appeal after refusal<\/td>Outside the Family Class sponsorship appeal route.<\/td>The sponsor may have a right to appeal, subject to legal exclusions; not every refusal is appealable.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n

The open work permit is not exclusive to inland sponsorship. The policy for sponsored partners living in Canada<\/a> also covers eligible Family Class applicants who live with their sponsor in Canada. Normally, the sponsor must first receive the AOR confirming that the permanent residence application is complete; a submission confirmation alone is different. The applicant must meet the policy\u2019s status conditions, such as valid temporary status, maintained status, or having applied and being eligible for restoration. The exception allowing an application without an AOR requires a work or study permit or temporary status expiring in two weeks or less, plus a submitted permanent residence application in a specified class.<\/p>\n

Being eligible to apply does not authorize work. IRCC\u2019s work guidance<\/a> says to wait for approval; someone with an existing work permit can continue only if they meet the conditions for maintained worker status. An applicant without valid temporary status whose permanent residence case is processed under the inland spousal public policy must wait for approval in principle and follow the paper work permit process. This sponsored-partner policy does not accept work permit applications at a port of entry, and open permits still carry restrictions. Filing for permanent residence does not itself extend a visitor\u2019s stay; extension or restoration is a separate process. For employer-based options, see our LMIA and work permit guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Checked on September 14, 2026, the main federal fees for one spouse or partner without children total CAD 1,260: CAD 90 for sponsorship, CAD 570 for processing and CAD 600 for the right of permanent residence fee (RPRF). These reflect the April 30, 2026 changes<\/a>. If individual biometrics are required, add CAD 85, bringing that example to CAD 1,345. An eligible open work permit application generally adds CAD 155 for the permit and CAD 100 for the holder fee, or CAD 255. The IRCC fee list<\/a> treats medical exams, translations, children\u2019s applications, status restoration and Quebec provincial fees separately from this example.<\/p>\n

The RPRF is not the only fee that can ever be refunded. IMM 5289<\/a> says it is refundable if the applicant does not become a permanent resident; processing fees may also be refunded in certain sponsor-ineligibility and withdrawal situations, and overpayments have their own refund procedure. The RPRF can be paid later, but must be paid before permanent residence is granted, and delaying payment can delay processing. Refunds depend on the stage and circumstances, rather than a blanket promise that every fee is refundable or non-refundable.<\/p>\n

Use the IRCC processing-time tool<\/a> with the appropriate partner category, intended residence inside or outside Quebec, and whether you have already applied. Check permanent residence and work permits separately. The result is an estimate, not a guaranteed approval deadline. Processing starts when IRCC receives a complete application, and estimates can change. An incomplete application that is returned and later resubmitted enters processing according to the new complete submission date; a request for additional documents during processing does not automatically restart the entire queue.<\/p>\n

Quebec adds a provincial undertaking process. MIFI\u2019s current intake rules<\/a> allow up to 13,300 spouse, common-law and conjugal partner undertaking applications from July 2, 2026 to June 30, 2028, with phased access based on IRCC document dates. As checked, the September 1 phase covers qualifying documents dated no later than January 31, 2025; the next phase, November 1, covers documents through June 30, 2025. An inland AOR used for this purpose must identify that class and be addressed to the sponsor. Applicants must meet the document, mailing-date and other requirements. If the category reaches its cap early, further intake stops.<\/p>\n

Build the evidence around the applicable IRCC checklist and country-specific requirements<\/a>: select the relationship, country of residence and document-issuing country, then assemble marriage or cohabitation evidence, identity records and relevant relationship history. Follow the instructions for police certificates, medical exams and English or French translations; more photographs do not replace required documents. Declare all required family members, including children who will not accompany the applicant. If a required item cannot be obtained, provide the detailed explanation the guide calls for rather than silently omitting it.<\/p>\n

The legal test is not a document count. Section 4 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations<\/a> treats a relationship entered into primarily for immigration status or privileges, or a relationship that is not genuine, as separate grounds for exclusion. Both do not have to be established together. Do not fabricate leases or communication records or conceal material facts. A refusal also does not, by itself, establish that someone committed a crime.<\/p>\n

After a Family Class refusal, the IAD\u2019s eligibility rules and exclusions<\/a> determine whether the sponsor can appeal. The IRB\u2019s filing instructions<\/a> require a Notice of Appeal and the refusal letter within 30 days of the family member receiving that letter. Inland spousal applications do not use this Family Class sponsorship appeal route. Other remedies and their deadlines depend on the actual decision and call for prompt, qualified legal advice. An appeal option is not an approval guarantee when choosing a route.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Compare inland and Family Class spousal sponsorship, open work permit eligibility, current federal fees, financial undertakings and Quebec\u2019s application intake schedule.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12307,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lc_last_content_reviewed_at":"2026-07-20T10:00:00Z","_lc_last_fact_checked_at":"2026-07-20T10:00:00Z","_lc_fact_check_status":"verified","_lc_source_grade":"A","_lc_source_titles":"","_lc_source_publish_dates":"","_lc_source_accessed_at":"2026-09-15T12:48:55+00:00","_lc_claims_checked":"date_time: 2026-06-11 | money_price: $85 \/ $545 \/ $575 \/ $1,290 \/ $255 \/ $155 \/ $100 | law_policy: \u6cd5\u5f8b \/ law \/ \u4fdd\u96aa \/ \u5b89\u5168 | sports_result: 2026-06 \/ \u7d00\u9304 | superlative_record: \u5b98\u65b9 \/ \u6700\u5927 \/ \u552f\u4e00 | opening_hours_fare: \u8cbb\u7528","_lc_claims_corrected":"Unsupported material claims removed from public display; original content retained in protected post meta; URL retained as noindex historical archive.","_lc_unresolved_claims":"","_lc_correction_note_required":"1","_lc_reviewer_notes":"","_lc_fact_check_source_urls":["https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/services\/immigrate-canada\/family-sponsorship\/spouse-partner-children\/eligibility.html","https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/services\/application\/application-forms-guides\/guide-5289-sponsor-your-spouse-common-law-partner-conjugal-partner-dependent-child-complete-guide.html","https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/services\/immigrate-canada\/family-sponsorship\/spouse-partner-children\/who-you-can-sponsor.html","https:\/\/ircc.canada.ca\/english\/information\/fees\/fees.asp","https:\/\/ircc.canada.ca\/english\/information\/fees\/fee-changes.asp","https:\/\/ircc.canada.ca\/english\/helpcentre\/answer.asp?qnum=1163","https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/services\/immigrate-canada\/family-sponsorship\/spouse-partner-children\/spouse-common-law-partner-canada-open-work-permit.html","https:\/\/www.quebec.ca\/en\/immigration\/permanent\/sponsor-family-member\/rules-reception-applications","https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/services\/application\/check-processing-times.html","https:\/\/irb-cisr.gc.ca\/en\/making-immigration-appeal\/Pages\/immapp-a2.aspx","https:\/\/irb-cisr.gc.ca\/en\/making-immigration-appeal\/Pages\/immapp-a1.aspx","https:\/\/laws-lois.justice.gc.ca\/eng\/regulations\/SOR-2002-227\/section-4.html"],"_lc_affiliate_widget_allowed":"","_lc_affiliate_widget_type":"","_lc_affiliate_widget_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[159,122],"lc_primary_section":[775],"lc_location":[808],"lc_topic":[822],"lc_freshness":[829],"class_list":["post-3915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visa-immigration-tips","tag-159","tag-newcomer","lc_primary_section-canada-life","lc_location-canada","lc_topic-identity-visa","lc_freshness-annual"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3915"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11846,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3915\/revisions\/11846"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3915"},{"taxonomy":"lc_primary_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lc_primary_section?post=3915"},{"taxonomy":"lc_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lc_location?post=3915"},{"taxonomy":"lc_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lc_topic?post=3915"},{"taxonomy":"lc_freshness","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lets-canada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lc_freshness?post=3915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}