Spousal Sponsorship Canada: Inland vs Outland in 2026

Spousal sponsorship lets a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner for permanent residence. As of October 2026, the government fee is $1,260. You can apply under one of two routes: outland (Family Class) or inland (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class). Outland has recently been the faster of the two. Inland gives the sponsored partner access to an open work permit while they stay in Canada.

Key points

• IRCC’s fee list (updated September 21, 2026) shows $1,260 to sponsor a spouse or partner, including the right of permanent residence fee (RPRF). Without the RPRF it is $660.
• In most cases there is no income requirement for spousal sponsorship.
• Processing times reported from IRCC data in August and September 2026 were about 17–18 months outland and 26–27 months inland (outside Quebec). Check the live IRCC tool before you plan.
• Inland applicants can usually get an open work permit, which IRCC normally processes within four months.
• You sign a 3-year undertaking to support your spouse or partner after they become a permanent resident.

Who can sponsor a spouse or partner

According to IRCC’s eligibility page, you can sponsor if you:

• are at least 18 years old
• are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada under the Indian Act
• live in Canada (a citizen living abroad can sponsor if they show they will live in Canada once the partner becomes a permanent resident; a permanent resident living abroad cannot sponsor)
• sign an undertaking and sponsorship agreement

Who cannot sponsor

IRCC lists several reasons you may be ineligible. These include:

• You were sponsored as a spouse or partner yourself and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago.
• You signed an undertaking for a previous spouse or partner and 3 years have not passed since they became a permanent resident.
• You receive social assistance for a reason other than disability.
• You are behind on court-ordered family support, an immigration loan or a performance bond.
• You are an undischarged bankrupt, in prison, under a removal order, or convicted of certain violent, sexual or family-related offences.

Is there an income requirement?

Usually not. IRCC states that “in most cases, there isn’t an income requirement” to sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child. The exception is when the person you sponsor has a dependent child who has their own dependent child. Quebec is different: sponsors living in Quebec must also meet Quebec’s eligibility and income rules and sign an undertaking with the Quebec government.

Who you can sponsor

IRCC recognizes three types of relationship. All three require the partner to be at least 18 and the relationship to be genuine, meaning it was not entered into mainly to get immigration status.

Relationship	Definition (summarized from IRCC)
Spouse	Legally married to you
Common-law partner	Not married, but you have lived together continuously for at least 12 consecutive months in a conjugal relationship
Conjugal partner	Exclusive, interdependent relationship for at least 1 year, but you could not live together or marry for legal, immigration, religious or similar reasons. Must live outside Canada

Short, temporary periods apart, such as business travel or family obligations, do not break common-law status. You can include your partner’s dependent children in the same application.

Inland vs outland: the main differences

The choice of route matters. Guide 5289 explains when each class applies.

	Outland (Family Class)	Inland (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class)
Where the partner lives	Outside Canada, or in Canada but not staying during processing	Lives with you in Canada
Status needed	None in Canada	Valid temporary resident status (or covered by a public policy)
Conjugal partners	Yes (only route)	No
Open work permit while waiting	Not through this route	Usually yes
Travel during processing	Partner can live abroad	Leaving Canada is risky: they may not be allowed back, especially if they need a visa
If refused	Sponsor can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division	Partner must leave at the end of their authorized stay; IRCC directs people who want appeal rights to the Family Class
Reported processing (Aug–Sep 2026, outside Quebec)	About 17–18 months	About 26–27 months

Guide 5289 says to use the Family Class if “you plan to appeal if the application is refused.” This is one of the main reasons some couples who live together in Canada still choose the outland route.

Processing times, with caveats

IRCC updates its processing times every month, and they reflect how long it took to finish most past applications, not a promise. Secondary trackers citing IRCC data reported about 17 months outland and 27 months inland in August 2026, and about 18 months outland and 26 months inland in early September 2026. Quebec-bound files take longer because Quebec adds its own stage.

IRCC’s 2026 transition binder for the Deputy Minister describes wait times for the inland class as growing. Spouses, partners and children have a target of 69,000 admissions in 2026 under the Immigration Levels Plan, falling to 66,000 in 2027 and 2028. When more people apply than the plan allows, queues get longer.

Use the IRCC processing times tool for the current figure.

Spousal sponsorship fees in 2026

These are IRCC government fees, in Canadian dollars, from the IRCC fee list as of October 2026.

Item	Fee
Sponsor a spouse or partner (with RPRF)	$1,260
Sponsor a spouse or partner (without RPRF)	$660
Each dependent child	$180
Biometrics, per person	$85 (family max $170)
Open work permit (inland spouse)	$155 work permit + $100 open work permit holder fee

The RPRF rose to $600 on April 30, 2026. It is refunded if the person does not become a permanent resident, and dependent children do not pay it. Budget separately for medical exams, police certificates, translations and, if you use one, a licensed representative. For every IRCC fee in one place, see our Canada immigration fees 2026 table.

The open work permit for inland spouses

A spouse or common-law partner living in Canada and being sponsored under the inland class can usually apply for an open work permit. It lets them work for almost any employer while the PR application is in process.

• You normally need an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) for the PR application first.
• IRCC allows an application without the AOR if the partner’s current status expires within 2 weeks and the PR application is already submitted.
• IRCC says these permits are “normally processed within four months.”

This permit is separate from the open work permit for spouses of foreign workers and students, which was narrowed on January 21, 2025. If your partner’s eligibility depends on your own work or study permit instead, read our guide to the spousal open work permit.

How to apply: step by step

1. Confirm eligibility for you as sponsor and for your partner, using the IRCC pages above.
2. Choose the route (inland or outland) based on where your partner will live, their status, travel plans and whether appeal rights matter to you.
3. Gather documents. These include proof of status, relationship evidence (marriage certificate, proof of living together, photos, communication history), identity documents and police certificates.
4. Pay the fees online and submit the sponsorship and PR applications together through the IRCC online portal.
5. Give biometrics when asked, and complete the medical exam.
6. Inland only: apply for the open work permit once you receive the AOR.
7. Respond quickly to any requests from IRCC. Delays in sending documents add to processing time.
8. Final steps: if approved, your partner confirms PR. If they are outside Canada, they receive a visa (if needed) and land.

Common reasons applications run into trouble

IRCC does not publish a single list of refusal reasons, but the requirements point to the obvious risk areas:

• Weak relationship evidence, especially for short relationships or couples who have spent little time together.
• Sponsor ineligibility that the couple missed, such as the 5-year bar for people who were themselves sponsored as spouses.
• Loss of status inland. If your partner’s temporary status lapses and no public policy covers them, the inland route may not be available.
• Leaving Canada during an inland application and then being refused entry.

If any of these apply to you, speak to a licensed immigration lawyer or regulated Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC) before you file. This article is general information, not legal advice.

What to do next

• Check the current processing times for both routes in the IRCC tool.
• Decide on inland or outland using the comparison table above.
• Start collecting relationship evidence now. It usually takes the longest to assemble.
• If you are also thinking about bringing parents, note that the Parents and Grandparents Program is paused.
• See all Canada pathways on our Canada hub and track rule changes on immigration updates.