Sponsoring Your Partner For Permanent Residence: Quebec Edition

If you are a citizen of Canada or a permanent resident, you have the option of sponsoring your partner who is willing to move to Quebec permanently.

Immigration to Quebec works a little differently as compared to the other provinces. The application process is more elaborate because Quebec takes more responsibility for its immigration. Do not be intimidated; this simply means that your immigration application will be processed at two levels.

You will have to file an immigration request with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship to begin with and then you have to place another request at the provincial level. Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francization, and Integration help bring in immigrants.

What is the process?

Once you have agreed to sponsor your partner, you will have to fill up applications meant for both permanent sponsorship and permanent residence. You can send them along with the processing fees and other supplemental documents to IRCC. It is only after IRCC regards you to be eligible for immigration that you can apply for an undertaking with Quebec’s MIFI.

Be completely sure of your decision before this step because the undertaking will tie you to your partner as their sponsor. If MIFI considers you an eligible sponsor, they will forward the application to the IRCC office where the permanent residence application of your partner is being processed.

In Quebec, your partner will be able to use the additional services provided by MIFI if the process is completed successfully. There are organizations that help newcomers integrate into society faster and more efficiently. IRCC usually takes up to a year to process sponsorship applications, so be prepared to wait for a while.