Family Reunification Immigration" is applicable to the spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, and unmarried children under 22 years old of Canadian permanent residents or citizens.
After a successful family reunification, the sponsor cannot sponsor other applicants for three years, and the sponsored person cannot sponsor other applicants for five years. The permanent resident status obtained by the sponsored person is an unrestricted permanent resident card. Changes in marital status after landing will not affect the sponsored person's permanent resident status (provided that the marriage does not end before landing).
Family reunification can be initiated from within or outside of Canada. Sponsoring from outside of Canada is usually faster, typically taking about one year. This option is suitable for situations where spouses are living in different countries. When sponsoring from within Canada, the sponsor can apply for a spouse work permit for the sponsored person. In cases where the applicant's status is legal, they can apply for a work permit while submitting an inland sponsorship application. In comparison, inland sponsorships have a lower rejection rate compared to overseas sponsorships and allow for children to be included as dependents when sponsoring a spouse (common-law partner).
