I want to sponsor my spouse or partner: Should I choose inland or outland sponsorship?

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner for permanent residence (PR), provided both they and their loved ones meet certain criteria.

Canadians pursuing this kind of sponsorship will need to choose between two options: inland sponsorship, or outland sponsorship. Each comes with its own benefits.

This article will cover the differences between these kinds of sponsorship, and what situations may be the most appropriate for each.

Sponsor your family for Canadian immigration

See the previous articles in our series to learn about assessing your and your loved one's eligibility for sponsorship, a step-by-step guide through the application process, or learning about how your loved one can receive an open work permit.

What is the difference between inland and outland sponsorship?

Inland and outland sponsorship are widely used terms to describe different classes of sponsorship for spouses, common-law, and conjugal partners.

The major differences between these two classes consist in

• from where the sponsorship application can be submitted;
• the ability of the sponsoring and sponsored persons to travel into and out of Canada while the application is being processed; and
• the ability to appeal the decision on the sponsorship application, if unsuccessful.

Inland sponsorships are made by couples that already reside in Canada and are processed by an office in Canada. Outland sponsorships, on the other hand, can be made by couples who are outside Canada, and are usually processed by a visa office in the sponsored person’s home country (or the closest visa office to it).

Note however that outland sponsorships can still be made by couples that reside in Canada.

While “inland” and “outland” are commonly used terms, they are not the official names for these kinds of sponsorships: couples who go through the application process for these kinds of sponsorships will not see them on Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) documentation.

Inland sponsorship refers to an application made under the “Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class”, while outland sponsorship refers to an application under the “Family class.”. Applicants will need to indicate which class they are applying under on the document checklist that they submit with their application:

For more information on the application process, read our in-depth article on applying to sponsor your spouse or partner.

Should I choose an inland or outland sponsorship?

Not all relationship types are eligible for every kind of sponsorship. If applicants are in a conjugal relationship, they must apply for sponsorship under the Family class (outland sponsorship). In any outland sponsorship case, the sponsor must prove that they will move back to Canada if their loved one is granted PR.

In addition, only Canadian citizens have the ability to sponsor their loved ones from abroad. Permanent residents can only sponsor their loved ones for immigration from inside Canada.

For more information on assessing eligibility of both the sponsor and sponsored person, read out previous article.

If couples are eligible for either inland or outland sponsorship, they should consider the following differences and similarities between the two options

	Inland Sponsorship	Outland Sponsorship
Application class	Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class.	Family Class.
Location of sponsor and sponsored person	Both must reside in Canada at the time of application.	Sponsor lives in Canada, sponsored person lives abroad at the time of application. Only Canadian citizens may sponsor their loved ones from abroad.
Residency requirement during processing	Both must remain in Canada while the application is being processed.	Both parties must show willingness to return to Canada once the application is processed. If the sponsor is a Canadian permanent resident they must remain in Canada during the application process.
Eligibility of sponsored person for an Open Work Permit (OWP)	Sponsored person may be eligible for an open work permit (OWP) if within Canada.	Sponsored person may be eligible for an open work permit (OWP) if within Canada.
Appeal option if application is refused	No appeal option if the application is refused.	If the application is denied, it can be appealed.
Freedom of movement during application processing	Not applicable, as both parties must stay in Canada.	Sponsored person can enter and leave Canada freely while the application is being processed. Sponsor may leave Canada if they are a Canadian citizen, provided that they can prove their intention to move back to Canada once their loved one receives PR.
Eligibility for applying while in Canada	Eligible to apply if the sponsored person is living in Canada with valid temporary resident status.	Eligible to apply if the sponsored person is living in Canada with valid temporary resident status.

For more information on sponsoring your loved one and/or family for Canadian immigration, visit our dedicated webpages on the topic.

Sponsor your family for Canadian immigration