Family Sponsorship Update — September 17, 2026
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Spousal/partner sponsorship applicants waiting on a PR decision can have their family member apply for a visitor visa and, upon arrival in Canada, an open work permit (OWP) — providing a way to be together sooner.
Biometrics must be completed within 30 days of receiving the IRCC letter; sponsored persons must bring both the letter and their passport to a biometric collection site.
Processing times are not guarantees — they reflect how long 80% of complete past applications took, or forward-looking estimates based on inventory and annual levels plans; incomplete applications are returned and do not start the clock.
What You Should Do
- If your sponsored spouse/partner is outside Canada and waiting on a PR decision, have them apply for a visitor visa now at canada.ca/visitor-visa so they can join you in Canada while the PR application is processed.
- Once your sponsored family member receives the IRCC biometrics letter, book a biometric collection appointment immediately — they have only 30 days from the letter date and must bring the letter and their passport.
- Check current spousal/family sponsorship processing times at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html — select 'Family sponsorship' and specify your province of residence (Quebec has separate times due to the Canada–Quebec Accord).
- If you have a PR application in progress but cannot yet submit an undertaking to MIFI (Quebec), monitor your IRCC portal, email, and mail regularly — your PR cannot be approved until the MIFI undertaking is received.
Sources
Topics Covered
IRCC's current guidance clarifies that sponsored spouses/partners can use a visitor visa plus open work permit as a bridge while awaiting a PR decision, and that processing times are calculated based on 80% of completed historical applications or forward-looking inventory estimates.
More Family Sponsorship Updates
Family Sponsorship Update — September 7, 2026
Sep 7, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — September 3, 2026
Sep 3, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — August 27, 2026
Aug 27, 2026
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