According to Canadian immigration legislation, we can specify that when applying for spousal sponsorship immigration to Canada, the sponsor must meet two conditions:
1. Must reside in Canada.
2. Income level.
Regarding the requirement to reside in Canada
The sponsor of spousal sponsorship immigration to Canada must reside in Canada. This residence refers to physical presence, meaning the individual must be physically present in Canada. The practical effect of this new regulation is that if the sponsor wishes to sponsor their relative to immigrate to Canada, they must have continuously resided in Canada before the sponsored individual obtains immigration status. However, this regulation does not apply in the following situations:
1. If the sponsor is abroad for reasons of tourism or short-term visits to friends and family; or,
2. If the sponsor is a Canadian citizen but has been living abroad for a long time, and the sponsored individual is the spouse or child of that citizen, and once the sponsored individual obtains Canadian permanent resident status, that citizen will return to reside in Canada with their spouse or child.
If the sponsor resides abroad, they cannot sponsor any relatives. However, once they return to reside in Canada, they can immediately sponsor their relatives for immigration without having to wait for a period of time.
Regarding the income level requirement
The law also stipulates that if the sponsor's income is insufficient, they cannot sponsor their relatives to immigrate to Canada. The law amended in 1997 states that the sponsor's income must come from Canada and not from any other place. This income can include wages, interest, dividends, rent, and any income from self-employment. The total income requirement depends on the number of family members. If an individual has earned the full required income for sponsorship in the past 12 months, there is no need to consider the total income for the past 12 months. If sponsoring their spouse or children, the minimum income requirement does not need to be met. However, if circumstances indicate that once your spouse or children immigrate to Canada, they may not be able to support themselves, the immigration officer may still refuse their application.