Common-Law Partner

If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada interested in sponsoring a spouse to Canada, our immigration team can help you bring your loved one to Canada within 12 months! This process is part of our Spousal Sponsorship to Canada. If you are in a relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, our immigration team can help you become a permanent resident.

You are a common-law partner—either of the opposite sex or the same sex—if:

• you have been living together in a conjugal relationship for at least one year in an ongoing 12-month period (you are allowed short absences for business travel or family reasons).

You will need proof that you and your common-law partner have combined your affairs and set up a household together. This can be in the form of proof of:

• joint bank accounts or credit cards.
• joint ownership of a home.
• joint residential leases.
• joint rental receipts,
• joint registration or payment of utilities (electricity, gas, telephone),
• joint management of household expenses,
• joint purchases, especially of household items, or
• mail addressed to either person or both people at the same address.