Can I sponsor my spouse from within Canada?

[lisasexy]

Good day,
I was assisted two years ago to live in Canada from Iraq and while in Canada I fell in love. I had gotten assistance for two months and I have also repaid. So now i have been living on my own for over a year and i want to know if i can sponsor my spouse who is living here. I came here with my pr and so on so i am not sure if i am a assisted refugee. Just need some information on this thank you.

[SettlementOrgMod]

Hi There,

Thanks for sharing your question and situation with us. We can appreciate that this is a confusing situation for you.

From my understanding, you want to know if you can sponsor your spouse from within Canada but you have a few questions regarding your eligiblity.

According to the Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (formerly CIC) your “can sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner (partner), or dependent children if you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. To be a sponsor, you must be 18 or older.”:

You may not be eligible to be a sponsor if you:

-did not meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement in the past,
-did not pay alimony or child support even though a court ordered it,
-get government financial help for reasons other than being disabled,
-were convicted of certain crimes
-were sponsored as a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner in the past and became a permanent resident of Canada less than five years ago
-did not pay back an immigration loan, made late payments or missed payments,
-are in prison or
-have declared bankruptcy and have not been released from it yet.
Other things not on this list may stop you from being able to sponsor a relative.

You may find our article How do I sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child from inside Canada? for information about settlement funds. Here is an excerpt:

-Since March 2, 2012, if you entered Canada as a sponsored spouse or partner you are not eligible to sponsor a new spouse or partner for a period of 5 years from the date you landed in Canada. Find out more information about this change from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

-Since October 25, 2012, if you applied to come to Canada as a sponsored spouse or partner, you may be subject to a 2-year conditional permanent resident status; there are some exceptions to this new condition. Find out more information about the conditional permanent residence from CIC.

The information provided above is not legal advice. If you want legal advice please consult a community legal clinic or a lawyer about your particular situation.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

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Theresa
Information & Referral Specialist, CIRS
Your Settlement.Org Team