Common law relationship

[Peaceful]

Hi everybody,

I have used this forum while getting my PR, which I got about a month ago. This forum and people are really supportive and informative. I wanna sponsor my girlfriend who is living with me since last month, but we were in a relationship for the last 9 months or so. She has been in Canada for the last 3 years on her student visa. I have a lot of questions to ask:

I see a typical application takes about 16 months to process. As per conditional PR, she needs to live with me for another 2 years after she receives PR. But she has plans to go to States and continue her studies over there. Is there no way she can leave the country even if its for educational purposes?

How does it affect me as a sponsor, will it create any problems if I wanna get OSAP for my further studies or apply for super visa for my parents?

I don't have much info as this is just the beginning of us thinking to apply as a common law, off course after we live-in for one year. Any suggestions or advices would be appreciated.

Please and thanks !

 

[Rob_TO]

I see a typical application takes about 16 months to process.

That is for inland. If you apply outland, a US resident can usually get PR through CPP-O in around 10 months or so (although who knows what times will be in a year from now when you become common-law and can apply)

As per conditional PR, she needs to live with me for another 2 years after she receives PR. But she has plans to go to States and continue her studies over there. Is there no way she can leave the country even if its for educational purposes?

The rules are very clear, you must cohabit for 2 years after getting PR. Short and temporary breaks are allowed, but her living in the US while you live in Canada, no matter what the reason is, would not be following the rules. It would be up to CIC if they decided to enforce this rule. I imagine in lots of cases they won't bother, but the risk is still there.

How does it affect me as a sponsor, will it create any problems if I wanna get OSAP for my further studies or apply for super visa for my parents?

OSAP and CIC have different definitions for common-law, so while you can be common-law for CIC after 1 year, you aren't necessarily common-law to OSAP. For OSAP their definition is 3 years of living together, or living together with a child in common.