Maple News reports a growing wave of emotional reunions across Canada as thousands of foreign spouses return to join their Canadian partners after prolonged pandemic-related separations. COVID-19 restrictions and global travel limitations had put many international relationships on hold, leaving couples apart for months — and in many cases, more than a year.
Canada’s federal government made major strides to address the backlog of spousal sponsorship applications that built up during the pandemic. In September 2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a substantial acceleration in processing, increasing staff handling sponsorship files by 66%. The goal was ambitious: finalize 6,000 applications per month from October to December 2020.
That effort paid off. According to IRCC data, 15,999 spousal sponsorship applications were finalized over the three-month period. Of those, 14,816 were approved, 837 rejected, and 346 withdrawn. Importantly, two-thirds of these applications were submitted by foreign spouses living outside of Canada, confirming the success of the program in supporting international family reunification.
Despite the progress, sponsorship application processing times remain longer than pre-pandemic levels. Previously averaging around 12 months, current wait times stand at approximately 17 months for overseas applicants and 15 months for in-land applicants. Maple News notes that while frustration persists among some immigrant families, ongoing federal initiatives offer a path toward improvement.
To combat delays, IRCC has piloted digitization efforts to replace paper-based applications. This allows remote staff to process documents more efficiently and securely. In addition, virtual interviews with applicants have been introduced as part of Canada’s modernized immigration infrastructure. These innovations aim to cut approval times and bring families back together faster.
For Canadians looking to sponsor their spouses or partners, eligibility is key. Sponsors must be Canadian citizens, First Nations individuals, or permanent residents aged 18 or older. They must commit to financially supporting their partners and must not be receiving social assistance, except due to disability.
Applicants must also meet relationship criteria. A legally married spouse must be at least 18. A common-law partner must have lived with the sponsor continuously for at least 12 months. A conjugal partner must have been in an exclusive relationship for at least a year and must reside outside Canada due to barriers like legal or cultural restrictions preventing cohabitation or marriage.
Once eligibility is confirmed, two separate applications must be submitted: one for sponsorship and one for permanent residence. Maple News encourages couples to act promptly and ensure paperwork is complete, as the IRCC continues to prioritize reunification under Canada’s family sponsorship program.
With technology-driven reforms underway and dedicated government effort, thousands more families are expected to reunite across Canadian cities in the months ahead — a reminder of the personal impact of immigration policy during a global crisis.