Applying for common-law sponsorship within Canada

[jj2017]

I am a Canadian citizen who has been living with my boyfriend in London, UK for the past year. I was wondering if it's possible for me to sponsor him through common-law sponsorship within Canada in the following way:

For example, would he first need to get a tourist visa, and then once we move to Canada apply for the sponsorship and an open work permit from there? Or is there a simpler way of doing this? Thanks!

 

[Rob_TO]

I am a Canadian citizen who has been living with my boyfriend in London, UK for the past year. I was wondering if it's possible for me to sponsor him through common-law sponsorship within Canada in the following way:

For example, would he first need to get a tourist visa, and then once we move to Canada apply for the sponsorship and an open work permit from there? Or is there a simpler way of doing this? Thanks!

Assuming your partner is a UK citizen, he is visa-exempt so no such thing as a tourist "visa". He would simply apply for eTA online, fly to Canada, and CBSA would give him visitor status upon entry (usually 6 months).

There are 2 ways to sponsor him for PR.
1. OUTSIDE Canada. You can start this immediately while still in UK. While the PR app is processing he can come to Canada as a visitor. There is no OWP associated with this app, but the total processing is usually much quicker than inside way.
2. INSIDE Canada. Only once you are both inside Canada, can you sponsor him and include OWP app. He would get the OWP in approx 3-4 months, and could stay in Canada for duration of processing

To qualify as common-law, you'll need to prove you cohabited for 12 continuous months so hopefully you have things like a shared lease, joint bank or credit card or any other accounts, insurance on each other, mail to each of you delivered to same address, testimony letters from friends/family, etc etc.

 

[jj2017]

Thank you, that's really helpful! Yes we do have proof of living together for 12 consecutive months. He's an Irish citizen, but I believe that rule would be the same.

We have been looking into the pros/cons of applying outside vs inside Canada (as I have another year left on my U.K. visa so we can apply at any time now), and from what I've read it sounds like applying from outside Canada is the easier and quicker route?