FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Are you looking to sponsor your spouse?
This spouse sponsorship consultant or lawyer guide walks you through eligibility, documents, timelines, forms, and local legal insights to help you succeed.
Who is Eligible to Sponsor?
To sponsor a spouse, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 years old.
- Currently live in Canada or elsewhere in Ontario (if you’re a permanent resident).
- Demonstrate financial stability and not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than disability.
- Not be under a removal order, bankrupt, or currently sponsoring someone else.
Types of Sponsorship
There are two main types of sponsorship:
- Inland sponsorship is for when your spouse is already in Canada, such as on a visitor visa, study permit, or work permit. Inland applicants can also apply for an Open Work Permit while their application is being processed.
- Outland sponsorship is for when your spouse lives outside of Canada. This route allows them to travel freely during processing and provides the option to appeal a refusal.
Required Documents
What You Need
To complete a spouse sponsorship application, you will need several key documents:
Sponsor’s forms:
- IMM 1344 (Application to Sponsor) and other Family Class forms.
Applicant’s forms:
- IMM 0008, IMM 5688, and forms proving the relationship.
Proof of identity:
- Passports, birth certificates, and relationship photos.
- Legal status documents: Required if your spouse is already living in Canada.
- Marriage certificate or proof of a common-law relationship.
- Proof of cohabitation: Joint leases, utility bills, and photos taken together.
- Relationship evidence: Emails, travel itineraries, and sworn affidavits.
Financial documentation:
- Pay stubs, CRA Notices of Assessment, and bank statements.
- Medical exams and police clearance certificates for the applicant.
- Sponsor undertaking: Promise to support your spouse for three years after they become a permanent resident.
How to Apply
Start by downloading the IMM 5289 Guide and ensure that you’re using the online application system. Complete all the required forms and organize your documents clearly. You will need to pay fees total estimate $6,490+, which covers the sponsorship, permanent residence processing, biometrics, and more. Once you have everything ready, submit your application through the IRCC secure portal, making sure to follow the checklist.
After submission:
- Inland applicants may be asked to provide biometrics and can apply for an Open Work Permit.
- Outland applicants will receive a file number and instructions for visa processing.
Processing Times
As of early 2025, inland sponsorship applications take approximately 28 months, while outland sponsorship applications take around 10 months. These timelines can change depending on application volumes and whether your documents are complete and correct. It is important to avoid delays by ensuring your application is accurate from the start.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
There are several mistakes that applicants commonly make:
- Submitting incomplete or incorrect documentation. Always double-check your forms and ensure all necessary documents are included.
- Providing weak evidence of a genuine relationship. Use a variety of proof, such as photos, communication records, and joint financial accounts.
- Failing to report changes in circumstances, like moving within Vaughan or Ontario.
- Attempting the process without legal help, which can lead to avoidable issues.
Having our team immigration consultant or lawyer review your application can prevent costly errors.
Why Hire an Immigration Consultant or Lawyer
Hiring a local consultant or lawyer can make a significant difference in your sponsorship journey. Our team immigration consultant or lawyer can:
- Offer personalized advice on whether inland or outland sponsorship is right for your situation.
- Review your documents thoroughly to catch any mistakes before submission.
- Guide you in collecting strong relationship evidence.
- Handle legal issues such as past criminal records, prior sponsorships, or immigration complications.
- Represent you in appeals or resubmissions if your application is refused.
Post-Approval Steps
Once your application is approved, your spouse will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and, if needed, a Permanent Resident visa. As the sponsor, you are financially responsible for your spouse’s basic needs for three years after they receive permanent residency. Your spouse can now settle in Canada, access healthcare, find work, and eventually apply for Canadian citizenship.
Northfield & Associates-Specific Tips for Success
To strengthen your application:
- Use your Canadian address consistently on leases, utility bills, and bank statements.
- Submit clear scans or notarized copies of international documents.
- Include affidavits from friends, family, or community leaders to support your relationship. Work with a local consultant and lawyer who understand IRCC processing trends in Canada and the Greater Toronto Area.
Book a Consultation with Northfield & Associates
Your Trusted Partner in Spousal Sponsorship
Sponsoring a spouse is both a deeply personal commitment and a complex legal process. Understanding eligibility requirements, preparing the correct documentation, and avoiding common pitfalls are essential to a successful application.
At Northfield & Associates, our experienced immigration consultants and lawyers specialize in spousal sponsorship. We provide strategic advice and tailored support to help you navigate the process with clarity and confidence.
Whether you prefer to meet in person at one of our offices or connect remotely, we make consultations convenient and accessible. During your session, we’ll assess your situation, review your documents, and guide you through each step of the sponsorship process.
Let us help you bring your spouse home and begin the next chapter of your life together with trusted legal guidance by your side.
Contact us today to book your consultation.
At Northfield & Associates, we understand the complexities of your situation and know how to navigate them effectively. Our experienced team will conduct a thorough review of your case and offer clear, honest guidance tailored to your needs. With a proven track record of helping clients overcome challenging circumstances, we bring a combination of skill, insight, and compassion to every case we handle.
At our firm, we are committed to empowering clients through clear, practical legal guidance tailored to their individual needs. Our experienced attorneys and consultants work closely with you to develop strategic solutions that align with your specific goals. Contact us today to learn how we can support you in navigating your legal challenges with confidence.
Serving Clients Across Canada and Beyond
At Northfield & Associates, we are proud to provide dedicated legal and consulting services to clients across Canada and internationally. Whether you’re navigating a family dispute, facing criminal charges, managing business-related legal matters, or seeking support with immigration law and consulting, our experienced team is here to assist you.
We approach every case with care, integrity, and a commitment to achieving the best possible outcome. Our lawyers and consultants will thoroughly assess your situation and offer clear, honest guidance tailored to your needs. With a proven track record of helping clients overcome complex legal challenges, we combine skill, experience, and compassion in everything we do.
Book a Consultation with Northfield & Associates Today
If you’re seeking legal guidance or consultation, we welcome you to connect with the team at Northfield & Associates. With extensive experience, in-depth knowledge, and a commitment to excellence, we are here to support you through every stage of your legal matter.
We offer personalized consultations to assess your unique situation and clearly outline your available legal options. Appointments can be scheduled in person or via secure video conferencing—whichever is most convenient for you.
Based outside of Canada? No problem. Many of our clients choose to travel or meet virtually because they recognize the strategic advantage of working with a firm known for delivering results.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward resolving your legal concerns with confidence.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice. Readers should seek tailored legal advice in relation to their personal circumstances.
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About Northfield
Northfield & Associates International Corporation is a global strategic advisory and consulting firm partnering with private equity, sovereign, and institutional investors to deploy capital, manage regulatory, supporting senior leadership, boards, and capital providers across Cambodia, Canada, and international markets operating in complex regulatory, economic, and geopolitical environments, and drive enterprise value creation across complex global markets.
We advise boards, executives, entrepreneurs, and public-sector decision-makers on business strategy, institutional transformation, and high-stakes market challenges requiring disciplined judgment, capital efficiency, and execution certainty. Our work is concentrated across priority global sectors, including agribusiness, aviation and automotive, energy and natural resources, financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, real estate, immigration, education, and information technology.
Our platform integrates sector-specific intelligence with multidisciplinary advisory capabilities. Clients benefit from coordinated access to consulting, legal and regulatory counsel, financial management, risk assessment, real estate advisory, immigration, education, and technology expertise. This integrated model supports informed capital allocation, regulatory-compliant investment structuring, and execution-ready strategies designed to optimise returns, preserve downside protection, and enhance risk-adjusted performance.
Northfield combines consulting rigor with legal and regulatory judgment to support capital markets-aligned decision-making in complex, regulated, and rapidly evolving environments. We partner with private enterprises, institutional investors, family offices, and public-sector entities to structure, deploy, and manage capital effectively; strengthen governance; mitigate regulatory and geopolitical risk; and drive sustainable enterprise value creation.
Our engagements span strategy formulation, operational optimisation, organisational design, and change execution. We deliver measurable outcomes that improve financial performance, support disciplined growth, enhance valuation, and generate durable returns on investment for investors, shareholders, and institutional stakeholders. We operate with independence, precision, and accountability, aligned with long-term value creation and fiduciary standards.
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This news release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historic fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future constitute forward-looking information.
This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company.
Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: the failure to finalize negotiations concerning the increase of the Loan or to close such transaction and the failure of the Company to complete the acquisition of the Company Facility; operating performance of facilities; environmental and safety risks; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; unavailability of plant, equipment or labour; inability to retain key management and personnel; changes to regulations or policies affecting the Company’s activities; and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s amended annual information.
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