Spousal Sponsorship Approval Rates - Better Than You Think!
When you think spousal sponsorship, you may think 90 day fiancé, fake marriages and Permanent Resident (PR) scams. Many applicants think that this is one of the most difficult applications to have approved.
Although this is definitely one of the most daunting applications to submit, it is actually one of the most frequently approved PR applications!
From 2019 to October 31, 2021, the approval rate for in-land (in Canada) Spousal Sponsorship (SS) was 95%. The approval rate for overseas SS applications was also high at 93%. Furthermore, from 2015 to 2021 (Jan-Oct) the in-land SS approval rate went from 89% to 95%.
SS applicants who apply as common-law partners (applicants who have lived together for at least one year) also see a high approval rate at 96% for 2021.
So why does Canada have such a high approval rate for spousal sponsorship?
This most likely has to do with the objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act which states in section 3(1)(d):
3 (1) The objectives of this Act with respect to immigration are
(d) to see that families are reunited in Canada
I believe most potential applicants for SS just don’t know how simple the requirements are to prove their relationship is legit. They have shared accounts, they have been legally married or have lived together for at least one year, they communicate daily... These are not difficult things to demonstrate.
Top Misconceptions About Spousal Sponsorship
The officers don’t care if you love each other!
The biggest misunderstanding applicants have about SS is what they actually need to prove to the officer. It’s not about love, it’s about “genuineness of relationship” (GOR).
This is a legal measure officers use to assess your application – and determine if the marriage is legitimate or a farse. You can find more details here:
The officer wants to see that you share a life together, which can be proven through shared bills, property, investments, travel and more! And if you don’t love each other…well at least pretend!
Ultimately though, IRCC does not care if you love your spouse when it comes to assessing GOR. It’s not a part of the requirements.
The officers don’t care if your marriage is not “typical” here in Canada!
Officers don’t care if your marriage was arranged or if you get married to your cousin.
Mic drop.
For those of you who don’t know, arranged marriages and cousin marriages are common in many parts of the world!
As long as the marriage is legal where it took place AND legal under Canadian law – you’re good to apply.
And although arranged marriage and marrying your cousin is not a part of Canadian culture – it is legal here in Canada.
You can find more information here:
It is possible to come to Canada as a visitor while your SS application is processing!
Not everything about SS is easy.
All too often, applicants with lodged SS applications who then apply to come visit their spouses in Canada are refused. The current refusal rate is about 48% for these types of applications.
You will need to convince the officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay as a visitor – even if your SS application is refused. This is a hard sell, so tread lightly.
Note for sources: All statistical information in cited in this article was made possible via ATIP requests made by Steven Meurrens.
This information is further discussed on his website:
https://meurrensonimmigration.com/the-inside-canada-vs-outside-canada-sponsorship-process/
& on his Twitter:
https://twitter.com/smeurrens
