More than 64,000 wives, common-law partners, and matrimonial partners were sponsored to immigrate to Canada in 2021.
Most of them have come from India. Around 10,715 Canadian sponsored their loved ones from India in 2021, as per the immigration data from IRCC. The second most popular country of origin was the US, from which about 4,810 spouses and partners migrated.
The list of top 10 source countries is given below for new immigrants through spousal and common-law sponsorship programs for 2021.
Top countries of sponsorship
India: There are 10,715 sponsored immigrants from India.
US: 4,810 sponsored immigrants.
Philippians: 4,805 sponsored immigrants.
China: 4,265 sponsored immigrants.
Pakistan: 2,740 sponsored immigrants.
Vietnam: 1,945 sponsored immigrants.
UK: 1,905 sponsored immigrants.
Mexico: 1,575 sponsored immigrants.
Jamaica: 1,345 sponsored immigrants.
France: 1,125 sponsored immigrants.
Sponsoring spouse or immigration
Citizens of Canada permanent residents are eligible to sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, and matrimonial partners to immigrate to Canada.
Spouses are required to marry their sponsor in a personal ceremony. Virtual marriages are not valid for the purpose of immigration.
Common-law partners who want to immigrate to Canada must have to require to display that they have been living together for at least one year in Canada.
Those consanguineous partners who are living outside Canada and they are in a relationship with each other for at least one year. They need to display that there is legal or social fencing that is stopping them from marrying each other or living together.
Sponsors and their partners both have to qualify for the basic eligibility requirement. The age of the sponsor must be at least 18 years old and also, they have citizenship in Canada or permanent status in Canada. Sponsors have to prove that they are not getting any social helping hand and that they are eligible to support their families economically.
Citizens of Canada are able to apply to sponsor their spouses who live outside of Canada, but they have to display an intent to return after IRCC has decided on their file. Sponsors who have permanent residence status must sponsor their spouses from inside of Canada. Also, there are numerous conditions that can make a person ineligible for sponsorship, such as not being granted bankruptcy leave.
The age of foreign spouses and partners must be at least 18 years old to be eligible for the sponsorship of immigration to Canada. It will be checked by the IRCC that the Sponsored Partner is acceptable by background security check and medical check. Candidates who have found any criminal convictions in their past history then they are not allowed to travel to Canada, but there maybe they have options to overcome criminal incapacitation.
An immigration officer who is handling the file will also check that the candidates are in a serious relationship with their partners. The aim of this is to avoid those people who are getting married for the purpose of immigrating to Canada.
Once it is confirmed that the candidate meets all eligibility requirements, couples are able to apply for the Sponsorship from the government of Canada.
The IRCC has standard 12-month processing on applications for spousal sponsorship, although this can take a long time. Applicants are able to track and update their application status online on the website of IRCC, till IRCC decides on their application.
