Title: Can You Sponsor Your Spouse for Canadian PR if You’ve Committed a Crime? Read This Before You Apply
- baljeet singh gill
- Jun 27
- 2 min read

Meta Description: Thinking about spousal sponsorship in Canada? Find out why your past actions as a PR can impact your ability to sponsor your spouse – including convictions, jail time, or removal orders. Stay eligible by staying clean.
If You Want to Sponsor Your Spouse for Canadian PR – Read This First
So, you’ve become a permanent resident in Canada and plan to bring your spouse someday. Great! But here’s the deal – Canada takes sponsorship eligibility seriously. One wrong move, and you might lose your chance.
Under Section 133(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), sponsors must meet strict eligibility criteria not just at the time of filing, but right until the decision is made. This includes staying out of jail, steering clear of serious criminal convictions, and not being under any removal orders.
🚫 Things That Can Make You Ineligible to Sponsor
If you plan to sponsor your spouse, you cannot:
Be convicted of an offence involving sexual violence, bodily harm, or serious assault
Be currently in a penitentiary, jail, or reformatory
Be under a removal order from Canada
Be in default of previous sponsorship undertakings or support payments
Be in bankruptcy (undischarged)
Be receiving social assistance (unless it’s for disability)
✔️ So What Should You Do?
Be a model citizen. That’s not just good advice – it’s essential if you want to keep your sponsorship rights intact. Even a single offence could delay or permanently block your ability to reunite with your loved one in Canada.
🔥 Real Talk: PR Is a Privilege – Don’t Lose It for a Temporary Mistake
People often ask, “I’m a PR now, why does my past matter?”
Here’s why: Canada expects sponsors to be financially responsible, legally clean, and emotionally ready to support their family. Any criminal conviction or legal problem may signal that you’re not fit to take on that responsibility.
So if sponsoring your spouse is part of your future plan – make sure your present is free of legal trouble.
🎯 Final Word
Want to keep your family together in Canada?
Then keep your record clean. Be responsible. And remember – permanent residency isn’t just a status, it’s a responsibility.
Tags: Canada PR Sponsorship, Spousal Sponsorship Canada, Section 133 IRPR, Criminal Record Immigration, Canadian Immigration Law, Sponsorship Eligibility
Comments