Inland Spousal Sponsorship Open Work Permit
Inland sponsorship allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner who is legally residing with them in Canada. To qualify for Inland sponsorship, the foreign spouse or partner must have valid temporary status, such as a worker, student, or visitor permit. Both the Canadian sponsor and the foreign spouse or partner must receive approval from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the foreign spouse to gain permanent resident (PR) status through Inland sponsorship.
Who can apply under Inland sponsorship?
To be eligible to sponsor a loved one through Inland sponsorship, sponsors and their spouses or partners must meet specific conditions
- The sponsor and their spouse or partner must be living together in Canada.
- The spouse or partner must hold valid temporary resident status, such as a visitor, worker, or student permit.
Additional requirements for Inland sponsorship also apply to both the sponsor and the sponsored individual:
- The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Both the sponsor and sponsored person must be at least 18 years of age.
- The relationship must be either:
- Spousal: Legally married, with a marriage valid in both the country where it occurred and under Canadian law.
- Common-law: Living together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 consecutive months.
Additional requirements for Inland sponsorship also apply to both the sponsor and the sponsored individual:
- Further eligibility criteria include:
- The sponsored person must not have been sponsored as a spouse in the past five years.
- Neither partner can be in prison, facing serious criminal charges, or be bankrupt.
- Inland sponsorship does not apply to conjugal partnerships, such as those where religious or legal barriers prevent the couple from living together or marrying.
