x
Contact us

Contact Information

1 (403) 452-9515

1 (800) 932-1190

Learn how we can help you

More Options...

Canada Is Accepting Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Resident Applications During COVID Restrictions

Blog posted on by Evelyn Ackah in Family Class and Spousal Sponsorship

Canada Is Accepting Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Resident Applications During COVID Restrictions

The Canadian government has put in place travel restrictions and cut back on some immigration services to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has enacted special procedures to help reduce the spread of the virus and protect Canadians. IRCC is open and is accepting and processing Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Resident Applications during this period.

IRCC special procedures during COVID provide for extra time to submit required spousal sponsorship PR application required supporting documentation. According to the IRCC website,

No application in progress will be closed or refused due to a lack of documentation. We’ll automatically give you an extra 90 days to complete these steps. Once you’re able to, complete the steps as soon as possible to avoid delays.

Ackah Business Immigration Law's virtual offices are open
and we are accepting new clients and processing spousal sponsorship applications.

Facts About Spousal Sponsorship During the Coronavirus Crisis

  • IRCC is open and processing Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Resident Applications during the COVID special procedures restrictions.
  • Canada has implemented national travel restrictions between March 18 and June 30, 2020.
  • Canada is allowing immediate family of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to enter Canada provided they follow COVID quarantine restrictions:
    • Immediate family members must show that they’re coming to Canada for essential reasons and not reasons that are optional or discretionary, such as tourism, recreation or entertainment.
    • If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check conducted by airlines before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
    • When you arrive in Canada, we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must have a plan to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada. This is mandatory, even if you have no symptoms. If you don’t have a plan, you’ll be quarantined in a facility designated by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.

Who Can Travel to Canada During COVID-19 Restrictions?

IRCC has confirmed that the following individuals can continue to travel to Canada between now and June 30. IRCC has asked that exempted individuals continue to monitor the federal government’s website before they book their return travel to Canada:

  • Canadian citizens
  • Permanent residents
  • Immediate family of Canadian citizens and permanent residents including spouses and common-law partners
  • Permanent resident applicants who had been approved for permanent residence prior to March 16 and who had not yet travelled to Canada
  • Temporary foreign workers
  • International students who held a valid study permit or had been approved for one as of March 18
  • Transiting passengers

What Is The Definition of Immediate Family?

According to IRCC, immediate family means:

  • Spouse or common-law partner
  • Dependent child
  • Grandchild
  • Parent or step-parent
  • Guardian or tutor

FREE DOWNLOAD: HOW TO SPONSOR YOUR SPOUSE TO MOVE TO CANADA


What Are Spousal Sponsorship Requirements to Move to Canada?

The Family Class Application (Spousal Sponsorship path) is a way for a permanent resident or citizen of Canada to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner (including same-sex partner), parents, grandparents and dependent children to immigrate to Canada.

There are three main categories of immigration for loved ones who are citizens of other countries:

  • Spousal Sponsorship
  • Common-Law Sponsorship
  • Conjugal Sponsorship

You can become a spousal sponsor if you meet the following qualifications:

  • At least 18 years old
  • A Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident living in Canada
  • If you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative(s) become(s) a permanent resident.
  • You can’t sponsor someone if you are a permanent resident living outside Canada.
  • Able to prove that you are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
  • Can provide for the basic needs of any person you are sponsoring (and in some limited situations, that you meet the low-income cut-off).

Spousal sponsorship to immigrate to Canada can be a complex area and each situation is unique. Legal advice from an experienced immigration lawyer can save you time and money and prevent application delays or denials.

Get a Jumpstart on Post-Coronavirus Backlog
Start Your Spousal Sponsorship Immigration Application Today

Call Today (403) 452-9515

• Accepting Referrals and New Clients
• Video and Phone Consultations


Evelyn L. Ackah, BA, LL.B.

Founder/Managing Lawyer

Ms. Ackah is passionate about immigration law because it focuses on people and relationships, which are at the core of her personal values. Starting her legal career as a corporate/commercial ...

More About Evelyn L. Ackah, BA, LL.B.

Spousal Sponsorship 2024: A Guide to Bringing Your Partner to Canada

Spousal sponsorship remains one of the most popular immigration pathways for families in Canada. In 2024, the process continues to offer a way for Canadian citizens and permanent ...

Read More

Canada Pledges to Prioritize Family Reunification Despite Provincial Hurdles

In a move emphasizing the human element of immigration, Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) Minister, Marc Miller, has announced a renewed focus on family reunification. ...

Read More

Episode 71: Family Reunification Made Easy: Family Program In Canada

Calgary immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah discusses family reunification in Canada through family immigration programs. On the Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast, ...

Read More

Episode 68 Family Class Sponsorship: Reuniting Loved Ones

On the Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast, Calgary immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah discusses reuniting loved ones in Canada through family class sponsorship. ...

Read More

IRCC is still working through backlogs from the pandemic, and some groups are paying the price, says Calgary Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah

Calgary immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah told CBC Calgary the frustrating delays a local Calgary man is experiencing waiting 5 years to reunite with his parents as their permanent ...

Read More

Canada Updates Super Visa Policy

BOOK YOUR FREE CASE EVALUATION The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa program allow Canadian permanent residents and citizens to invite their non-resident parents and grandparents ...

Read More

Very informative and definitely a go-to for NAFTA US immigration questions and concerns.

M.G.

View All Testimonials