Spousal & Common-Law Sponsorship
Sponsor your spouse or partner for Canadian PR.Refused before? You may have a right to appeal.
Bring your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner to Canada as a permanent resident. Licensed RCIC consultants guide you through inland and outland sponsorship, the spousal open work permit, and proving a genuine relationship — and, where a sponsorship has been refused, we assess your right to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division.
- Spouse, common-law & conjugal partner sponsorship
- Spousal open work permit — work while you wait
- Refused before? We assess your IAD appeal rights
Rated 4.9 from 468 verified Google reviews
What we handle
Spousal & common-law sponsorship
Spouse, partner or conjugal
Inland sponsorship + work permit
Live & work together in Canada
Outland sponsorship
Partner abroad or needs to travel
Refused sponsorship & IAD appeals
We're licensed to appeal
4.9★
Average Google rating
468
Verified client reviews
1,000s
Clients helped to Canada
3
Offices across Canada
Licensed & Recognized
Regulated, recognized, and rated #1 in Winnipeg
Spousal sponsorship essentials
From eligibility to approval — and appeals if it's gone wrong
Most spousal applications succeed or fail on two things: choosing the right stream, and proving a genuine relationship. Here's what matters, and where our RCIC team makes the difference.
Who you can sponsor
If you're a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner for permanent residence. We confirm your eligibility as a sponsor and your partner's eligibility before you file.
Inland (in-Canada) sponsorship
Best when you're already living together in Canada and your partner holds valid status. It also opens the door to a spousal open work permit. The trade-off: leaving Canada during processing can create complications, so timing matters.
Outland sponsorship
Processed through a visa office, and often the better route when your partner is abroad or needs to travel during processing. We assess inland vs outland against your status, travel needs and timelines — not a one-size-fits-all answer.
Spousal open work permit
A sponsored spouse or common-law partner in Canada can often apply for an open work permit and start working while the sponsorship is processed. We confirm your eligibility and file it correctly so you're not waiting idle.
Proving a genuine relationship
IRCC not being satisfied the relationship is genuine is the single most common reason spousal applications are refused. We build your file to demonstrate a genuine, continuing relationship — the right evidence, organized the way officers expect.
Refused before? Appeals (IAD)
If a family-class sponsorship is refused, the sponsor may have a right to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division — a process many representatives don't handle. As a licensed RCIC authorized for appeals, we assess your grounds and deadlines.
Spousal sponsorship wins
Families reunited — even after a refusal
Real files our RCIC team handled for spouses and partners — a spousal open work permit approved after an earlier refusal, a Ukrainian family reunited during their PR, a couple split across two countries brought back together, and a whole family kept in status with a spousal work permit. Select a file to see the situation, the strategy, and the outcome. Past results — never a guarantee of a future one.
Refused spousal open work permit → approved in under 70 days
- The refusal
- This wasn't the client's first application. An earlier spousal open work permit had been refused, leaving them discouraged about ever reuniting with their spouse in Canada.
- Our strategy
- We went through everything carefully, rebuilt the case, and made sure it was solid before re-filing — applying from outside Canada under LMIA-exemption code C-41 of the International Mobility Program.
- The outcome
- The application was approved in less than 70 days, clearing the way for the client to reunite with their spouse in Canada and start building their life together.
<70 days
Turnaround
C-41 (IMP)
Basis
SOWP approved
Outcome
Reunited in Canada → 3-year work permit during spousal PR
- The refusal
- A Ukrainian national and their spouse came to us for family reunification. Their spousal sponsorship for permanent residence was being processed from outside Canada, leaving the couple separated while they waited.
- Our strategy
- We used a layered strategy — first securing a visitor visa so the couple could reunite and live together in Canada during processing, then preparing and submitting a work permit application so the applicant could work legally and access healthcare while the PR was decided.
- The outcome
- On September 18, 2025 the work permit was approved for three years, letting the applicant work in Nova Scotia and access healthcare — the family together and stable throughout the PR process.
3-year WP
Permit
Visitor visa → WP
Route
Halifax, NS
Office
Couple in different countries → spousal work permit + PR together
- The refusal
- When this couple first came to us they were living in two different countries, and rule changes during the process kept shifting the ground under their application.
- Our strategy
- We ran the full sequence — a PGWP for the principal applicant, a spousal open work permit for the spouse from outside Canada, the provincial nomination in Canada, a closed work permit when the PGWP was expiring, and finally the permanent residence application for the couple together — adapting at each rule change.
- The outcome
- Every application was approved, reuniting the couple in Canada and securing their permanent residence together.
PR approved
Outcome
SOWP from abroad
Spouse
Manitoba PNP
Stream
Family kept together → spousal work permit + study permit during PR
- The refusal
- This family held only one-year work permits while their Manitoba PNP-based PR was in process — a tight timeline that risked the whole family falling out of status at once.
- Our strategy
- After securing the PNP approval and filing for PR, we extended the principal applicant's work permit, obtained a spousal open work permit for the partner, and a study permit for their child — keeping every family member authorized together.
- The outcome
- On September 17, 2025 the principal's work permit extension was approved to 2027, the spouse received a new work permit, and the child a study permit — the entire family staying in Canada without interruption while PR continues.
2027
WP valid to
Open work permit
Spouse
Study permit
Child
Verified Google Reviews
What families say about working with us
Real, verified Google reviews from clients we've helped reunite with their spouses and partners in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spousal sponsorship questions, answered
Common questions about spousal and common-law sponsorship, inland vs outland, the spousal open work permit, refusals and appeals.
- Can my spouse work in Canada while we wait?
- In most cases, yes. A spouse or common-law partner being sponsored from within Canada can usually apply for a spousal open work permit and start working while the sponsorship application is processed, rather than waiting idle for a final decision. Eligibility depends on your partner's status and how the application is filed — we confirm it and submit the work permit correctly alongside the sponsorship.
- Inland or outland sponsorship — which is better?
- Inland (in-Canada) sponsorship suits couples already living together in Canada where the sponsored partner has valid status, and it opens the door to a spousal open work permit. Outland sponsorship is processed through a visa office and is often the better choice when your partner is abroad or needs to travel during processing, because inland applicants can face complications if they leave Canada. The right route depends on your status, travel needs and timelines — we assess both before you commit.
- What counts as a common-law partnership?
- Generally, a common-law partnership means you have lived together continuously in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 months. You'll need strong proof of that cohabitation — shared leases or mortgages, joint accounts and bills, mail to the same address, and more. We help you assemble evidence that meets IRCC's expectations so the relationship isn't questioned.
- Why do spousal sponsorship applications get refused?
- By far the most common reason is IRCC not being satisfied that the relationship is genuine. Thin documentation, inconsistencies between the partners' accounts, limited communication history, or a rushed application all raise red flags. We build your application from the start to demonstrate a genuine, continuing relationship, which is exactly what prevents these refusals.
- Our sponsorship was refused — can we appeal?
- Often, yes. If a family-class sponsorship is refused, the sponsor may have a right to appeal the decision to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD). As a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant authorized to handle appeals, we review the refusal, assess your appeal rights and deadlines, and identify the strongest grounds. Some refusals — such as certain misrepresentation findings — limit appeal rights, so it's important to act quickly and get advice before the deadline passes.
- Are you a licensed (RCIC) immigration consultant?
- Yes. Verge Immigration Services is led by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing with the CICC and authorized to represent you with IRCC, including family-class sponsorship appeals. We serve clients from our Winnipeg, Halifax and Moncton offices and worldwide.
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Learn moreBook a Consultation
Talk directly with a licensed RCIC about your sponsorship or appeal.
Learn moreLet's talk about your case
Book a consultation and get a straight answer on your options, your odds, and a fixed fee — before any work begins.