Effective April 28, 2017, IRCC Canada has ended the regulation that some sponsored spouses or partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents were required to live with their sponsor in order to keep their permanent resident status.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
The Government of Canada does not want any sponsored spouse or partner who is in an abusive situation to remain in it for fear of losing their status in Canada.The change also supports family reunification, which is a key immigration commitment of the Government of Canada. Removing the condition recognizes that the majority of marriages are genuine and most spousal sponsorship applications are made in good faith.
Per IRCC family sponsorship regulations, you can sponsor a spouse or partner to become a permanent resident of Canada if:
- you are a Canadian citizen, registered in Canada as an Indian, or a permanent resident of Canada
- you're 18 years old or older
- you live in Canada
- If you live in Quebec, you must also meet Quebec’s conditions to be a sponsor.
- you have can prove you have enough income to provide basic needs for your spouse or partner’s dependent children.
The new policy applies to anyone who has applied for Canada spousal sponsorship even if they previously had the 2-year rule: applicants do not have to take any actions. The Canadian government will continue to investigate allegations of marriage fraud and convenience for immigration reasons, which is a crime in Canada.
