Sponsoring your spouse or partner in Québec.

Who can sponsor?

You must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, a person registered as an Indian, or a permanent resident of Canada. A permanent resident living outside Canada can't sponsor; a Canadian citizen living abroad must show they plan to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.

You may not be eligible if, for example, you were yourself sponsored as a spouse or partner and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago, or if 3 years haven't passed since the undertaking you signed for a previous spouse or partner.

Who can be sponsored?

• Spouse: a person legally married to you, at least 18 years old
• Common-law partner (de facto spouse): a person who has lived with you in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months, without long periods apart
• Conjugal partner: an exclusive relationship of at least 1 year with a person who lives outside Canada and can't live with you or marry you for legal, immigration, social, cultural or religious reasons

In every case, the relationship must be genuine and not mainly for the purpose of obtaining status, and the person must not be inadmissible to Canada. Dependent children accompanying the sponsored person must be included in the application.

The steps in Québec

1. Federal eligibility: you first submit the sponsorship application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
2. Québec undertaking: with IRCC's eligibility letter, you submit an undertaking application to Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI).
3. Permanent residence: the sponsored person completes their permanent residence application with the federal government.

What you commit to

In Québec, the undertaking for a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner lasts 3 years, starting when the person obtains permanent residence. During this period, you commit to meeting their essential needs.

• The undertaking doesn't end with separation, divorce, the sponsored person becoming a citizen, or moving to another province.
• If the sponsored person receives social assistance during the undertaking, you will have to repay it.
• For accompanying dependent children, the period is longer and depends on their age.

A financial capacity assessment is not required to sponsor only a spouse or partner. It is required, for example, when a dependent child of the sponsored person has a dependent child of their own.

What we do for you

• Check your eligibility as a sponsor and the eligibility of the relationship
• Build the evidence of the relationship: more than the forms, that's what convinces the officer
• Prepare the federal and Québec applications in the right order, so you don't miss an intake window

Frequently asked questions

Can my spouse work while the application is being processed?

IRCC provides for an open work permit for some sponsored family members. Eligibility depends on the situation, including where the sponsored person is and their status in Canada.

What happens if we separate after arrival?

The 3-year undertaking still applies. It's a serious financial commitment, to understand fully before signing.

Official sources: IRCC, "Sponsor your spouse, partner or child" and "Who you can sponsor" (canada.ca); Government of Québec, "Sponsoring a spouse or conjugal partner", "Understanding the responsibilities and obligations related to the undertaking" (updated June 30, 2026), "Rules governing the reception of applications" (updated July 22, 2026) and "Calculating required income" (January 1, 2026). Consulted September 14, 2026.