Skilled workers pursuing PR should use our Express Entry program page - this page covers Family Class spousal (or partner) sponsorship only.
Family Class
Home/ Pathways/ Spousal Sponsorship
Family Class · Spouse or common-law partner

Sponsor your spouse
or partner for
permanent residence

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or (in some cases) conjugal partner in the Family Class. GetNorthPath automates and validates your file-IMM 5540 and relationship evidence-with consultant sign-off. Need skilled-worker PR (Express Entry) instead? See Express Entry - it is a different pathway.

Start for $499 CAD How sponsorship works
$499 CAD flat fee
Inland or outland
AI-assisted forms & evidence
12–24 month target (spousal)
Expert consultant review
Spousal sponsorship
IMM 5540 · Family Class
$499 CAD
Flat fee for your sponsorship file · IRCC government fees extra
Relationship & eligibility reviewed in your first call
1
Free consultation - confirm sponsor eligibility, inland vs outland, and evidence plan
2
AI-assisted IMM 0008, IMM 5540, and supporting schedules from your uploads
3
Relationship package assembled - photos, cohabitation, financial ties, and declarations
4
Consultant approves; submit through your IRCC account with real-time status tracking
No obligation · ~45 minutes · Inland and outland supported
What this page covers

Spousal and partner sponsorship in Family Class

Spousal sponsorship is for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to bring a spouse, common-law partner, or in limited cases a conjugal partner to Canada as a permanent resident. The sponsor files under the Family Class-typically using IMM 5540 (sponsor) and a linked PR application for the partner. Processing often falls in a 12–24 month range, depending on office and whether the case is inland (partner in Canada) or outland (abroad).

That is not the same as Express Entry. Express Entry is a separate economic program (FSW, CEC, FST) for skilled workers. If the partner who needs PR is the one with skilled work, language, and experience-and your family strategy is to pursue an ITA-our dedicated Express Entry product is the right place. This service line focuses on Family Class sponsorship of a partner by a qualified sponsor in Canada.

At a glance - spousal sponsorship
Primary forms (typical)IMM 0008, IMM 5540
SponsorCanadian citizen or PR, 18+, undertaking
PartnerSpouse / common-law / (conjugal if applicable)
Processing (typical)12–24 months
InlandSpouse in Canada; may include OWP stream
OutlandPartner outside Canada; visa office
GetNorthPath fee$499 CAD (flat)
Skilled PR (EE, ITA)See Express Entry →
Choose the right program

Family Class sponsorship vs. Express Entry

GetNorthPath offers both - on separate pages. Mixing the names confuses people; the rules, timelines, and forms are different.

This page: Spousal sponsorship
Family Class

A Canadian citizen or PR sponsor files to bring a spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner. Success depends on a genuine relationship and a complete sponsorship + PR file.

Sponsor is Canadian citizen or PR
Focus on relationship evidence, eligibility, and undertakings
Inland and outland strategies; possible OWP for in-Canada partners
Not this page: Express Entry
Economic PR

Express Entry (FSW, CEC, FST) is for people who can compete in the CRS pool, receive an ITA, and submit a PR application. It is a different product in our app - and on this site you should read the dedicated Express Entry guide.

For skilled workers: language, NOC, education, and CRS - not a sponsor/5540 file
A spouse can be a dependent in EE - that is still handled in the EE flow, not the sponsorship flow

Open Express Entry

The GetNorthPath process

How spousal sponsorship works on GetNorthPath

Five steps from consultation to a consultant-approved sponsorship package - with AI supporting the heavy forms and document checks. Express Entry is a separate end-to-end flow in our product if that is the better fit for your case.

1
Sponsorship & strategy
Consultation covers sponsor eligibility, outland vs inland, relationship timeline, and a realistic evidence list - no mix-up with EE unless you are also buying that product separately.
Consultant-led
2
IRCC application structure
We structure IMM 0008, sponsor and principal-applicant information, and IMM 5540 so it matches the live portal - AI pulls data from your uploads to reduce retyping.
AI-powered
3
Relationship & civil docs
Marriage, common-law proof, financial ties, and police/medical are validated as you add them, with clear flags when something is missing or out of date.
AI-powered
4
Consultant review
Your file is not submitted until a regulated consultant is satisfied the sponsorship and PR package is defensible to IRCC.
Consultant-led
5
Submit & track
Submit from your account and track milestones in the portal. Ongoing messages from IRCC are triaged in one place.
Consultant-led
Common sponsorship scenarios
Outland (partner abroad)
Sponsor in Canada, partner living outside. Visa office abroad processes the application. Strong, dated evidence of a real relationship and travel/communication history matters.
Most common for newlyweds
Inland (partner in Canada)
Partner in Canada; sometimes eligible for a work permit while a decision is pending, when criteria for that stream are met. Different evidence emphases and processing considerations.
OWP / status planning
Common-law and conjugal
Cohabitation and timeline proof for common-law, or the higher bar and careful narrative for some conjugal cases. We help you show the relationship, not just fill blanks.
Evidence planning
Traditional firm approach
High flat or hourly rates for the same checklists
Manual re-entry of the same data across PDFs
Slow back-and-forth for missing evidence
GetNorthPath (this pathway)
$499 CAD flat for spousal sponsorship file management
AI-assisted IMM packages from your documents
One portal for status and next steps
EE clients use the EE product, not a merged “EE + sponsorship” name
Do I qualify?

Eligibility for spousal sponsorship (Family Class)

Sponsors, partners, and the relationship must meet different tests. A consultant confirms the latest rules for your file. Express Entry eligibility and CRS are covered on this page instead.

Sponsor & relationship
Partner (sponsored person)
Express Entry (separate product)
Sponsor must…
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older
If a PR: normally reside in Canada (or commit to returning when the partner is ready to land)
Sign a 3-year undertaking for a sponsored spouse, partner, or (where applicable) dependent children
Meet sponsorship history / bar requirements (e.g. prior sponsorship undertakings)
Not be ineligible to sponsor due to certain social-assistance, bankruptcy, or criminal/immigration bars (case-specific)
Relationship (genuineness)
Married spouses, or common-law partners (usually 12+ months cohabitation), or in limited cases conjugal partners, must show a bona fide relationship - not one entered into primarily for immigration status
IRCC will read photos, communications, joint finances, and statutory declarations. Your file should tell a coherent, dated story.
Partner requirements (overview)
Be a spouse, common-law partner, or in limited cases conjugal partner as defined by IRCC, with a file that supports that category
Admissible to Canada: medical, criminality, and security (police checks, possible interviews)
Some prior immigration refusals, misrepresentations, or inadmissibility issues require specialist advice
Inland vs outland
Outland - partner is abroad; an overseas visa office often processes the application; TRV/visitor access while waiting is case-specific and should not be assumed
Inland - partner in Canada; different processing office and, where eligible, an open work permit (OWP) stream for spouses in certain in-Canada cases
Powered by AI

AI for your Family Class file

CRS scores, the EE pool, and eAPR are handled in our Express Entry product. On this pathway, AI helps you build a strong sponsorship and PR package: forms, relationship evidence, and defensibility.

Structured IMM packages
Sponsor and principal applicant information is mapped to the right schedules and questions, with fewer copy-paste errors when information appears in more than one form.
Relationship evidence pass
AI highlights gaps in photos, cohabitation proof, and financial tie documentation before an officer ever sees the file - with plain-language next steps.
Civil and background checks
Passport, police certificate, and medical exam timing is checked so you are not surprised by an expired document at submission or during processing.
Consultant sign-off
Nothing is submitted to IRCC until a regulated consultant is satisfied the package is ready. If you are also a client for Express Entry, that file is reviewed in that program - not merged under a single “EE + spousal” name.
What to gather

Required documents - spousal sponsorship (Family Class)

These lists are for Family Class sponsorship. Language tests, ECAs, and work letters for a federal skilled-worker PR file are on the Express Entry page. AI tags indicate auto-fill fields.

Family Class - Sponsor
Required Canadian passport or PR card (all pages) AI
Required Proof of Canadian citizenship or PR status AI
Required CRA Notice of Assessment - most recent year AI
If applicable Proof of current employment or income
Family Class - Relationship
Required Marriage certificate AI
Required Photos together spanning the relationship (15+)
Required Communication records (chat logs, call history)
Required Financial ties (joint accounts, transfers, shared expenses)
Recommended Statutory declarations from witnesses
Admissibility - partner
Required Valid passport - all pages (partner) AI
Required Police certificate from country of citizenship + each country of 6+ month residence
Required Medical exam by IRCC-designated physician
One upload portal for your sponsorship file
Documents tagged AI are processed by the GetNorthPath Document Validator in under 10 seconds, with data mapped into the right IMM and sponsor fields - without duplicating a separate Express Entry working file unless you are also a client in that product.
What to expect

Timeline - spousal sponsorship (Family Class)

Economic programs such as Express Entry can have shorter processing after an ITA; the timelines are listed on that page, not here.

Typical spousal sponsorship
1
Application submitted Family Class
Sponsor and partner forms plus relationship package submitted in the portal.
Weeks 1–2
2
IRCC processing & requests
AOR, sponsor review, RPRF/biometrics/medical as requested, background checks for the partner.
Ongoing (varies)
PR decision
Many family-class spousal files complete in a 12–24 month range; inland, outland, and backlogs differ.
Indicative only
Looking for a ~6 month PR track?
That is the Express Entry / ITA / eAPR sequence - not something we describe on this spousal sponsorship service page as a “combo” with Family Class.
IRCC fees (sponsorship - order varies)
Sponsorship + processing + RPRF/biometrics + medical. Amounts and payment sequence change with class and fee schedule - your consultant confirms the live numbers.
Transparent pricing

$499 CAD for spousal sponsorship support

This flat fee is for a Family Class sponsorship and partner file on GetNorthPath. Express Entry is priced and described separately - we no longer market a single “spousal + Express Entry” bundle on this page.

Spousal sponsorship (Family Class)
IMM 5540 / 0008 package · Inland and outland · All nationalities where eligible
$499 CAD
IRCC government fees paid separately
What's included
Initial consultation to confirm sponsor, partner, and stream (inland vs outland)
AI-supported preparation of the sponsorship and PR information forms in line with the live IRCC portal
Relationship evidence plan and quality checks (photos, cohabitation, financial ties, declarations)
AI Document Validator on every upload, with clear fix instructions
Consultant review and sign-off before you submit in your IRCC account
Not included (see other pages / pay IRCC)
IRCC processing, RPRF, biometrics, medical, policePer IRCC schedule
Express Entry profile, ITA, eAPREE product
Wider family sponsorship? See Family Sponsorship for other relatives.
Secure payment via Stripe · Receipt emailed · No subscription
Start for $499 CAD
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as Express Entry?
+
No. This page and fee are for Family Class sponsorship of a spouse, common-law, or (where appropriate) conjugal partner. Express Entry is a separate program for economic immigration - see the Express Entry product page. If your best strategy is to pursue an ITA, that work happens there, not under a merged “spousal + EE” label.
Inland or outland - which am I?
+
Generally outland if your partner is abroad and the overseas office processes the case, and inland if the partner is already in Canada with a strategy that matches an in-Canada class. OWP and TRV issues are case-specific. Your consultation confirms the right stream.
What proves a genuine relationship?
+
A coherent, dated file of marriage or common-law evidence: shared life, financial ties, communication, photos over time, and (where used) strong statutory declarations. Officers assess whether the relationship is real - the platform and consultant help you avoid thin or inconsistent packages.
Why $499 for this spousal page?
+
The fee matches end-to-end preparation of a sponsorship + partner file with AI assistance and consultant sign-off. Other GetNorthPath family products use different price points. Express Entry is priced on the Express Entry page.
Where can I read about CRS and ITA?
+
On our Express Entry page - we keep CRS, draws, and eAPR detail there so this sponsorship page stays focused on Family Class rules and evidence.

Start your spousal sponsorship with confidence.

Book a consultation. We will confirm whether Family Class is the right route, or whether you should open an Express Entry file instead (or in addition as a separate engagement).

Book Free Consultation Express Entry (economic PR)
Spousal sponsorship (Family Class)
$499 CAD flat · EE is a separate page
Start for $499 CAD