Master prompt
Spouse / common-law sponsorship — inland vs outland strategy
Decides between in-Canada sponsorship (with SOWP) vs outland sponsorship. Trade-offs on processing, work auth, withdrawal rights.
CanadaFamily SponsorshipSpouseInlandOutlandSOWP
Canadian spousal sponsorship has two main streams:
(1) INLAND SPONSORSHIP (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class) — R124(a)
• Foreign spouse must be IN Canada with valid status
• Couple must be co-habiting in Canada at time of application
• Open Work Permit (SOWP) available during processing
• Cannot leave Canada during processing without losing SOWP
• Processing time: 12-18 months
• Single-stage process
(2) OUTLAND SPONSORSHIP (Family Class) — R130
• Foreign spouse can be inside OR outside Canada
• Co-habitation not required at time of application
• No SOWP from this process; must obtain separate work permit if in Canada
• CAN travel during processing
• Processing time: 10-14 months (often faster than inland)
• Two-stage: sponsor eligibility + foreign spouse permanent residence
• Can be withdrawn
Draft inland vs outland strategy for [SPONSOR_NAME] sponsoring [APPLICANT_NAME] currently in [CURRENT_LOCATION].
§1 — STREAM ELIGIBILITY (200-250 words)
INLAND eligibility:
(a) Sponsor is Canadian PR or citizen, residing in Canada
(b) Foreign spouse is IN Canada with valid temporary status (visitor / work permit / study permit)
(c) Couple is co-habiting at time of application (live together at the same Canadian address)
(d) Genuine marital / common-law / conjugal relationship
(e) Foreign spouse holds valid temporary status throughout processing (or applies for restoration under R182)
For [APPLICANT_NAME] in [CURRENT_LOCATION]: inland eligible? [yes/no]
OUTLAND eligibility:
(a) Sponsor is Canadian PR or citizen
(b) Foreign spouse can be inside OR outside Canada
(c) Co-habitation not strictly required (especially for common-law: must have co-habited for 12+ months somewhere, anytime)
(d) Genuine relationship
(e) Foreign spouse meets admissibility (criminal, medical, security)
For [APPLICANT_NAME]: outland eligible? Almost always yes.
§2 — STRATEGIC COMPARISON FOR [APPLICANT_NAME] (250-300 words)
INLAND ADVANTAGES:
• Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) available during processing — typically issued 4-6 months after application
• Both parties in Canada — relationship building continues
• Familial integration during wait
• Single-stage process (no separate spouse PR processing)
INLAND DISADVANTAGES:
• Cannot leave Canada during processing — if depart, lose SOWP
• Spouse must maintain valid Canadian status throughout
• Withdrawal not permitted (or with consequences)
• Single-stage = if refused, both lose; reapplication delayed
OUTLAND ADVANTAGES:
• Travel permitted during processing (visit family, attend events, work emergencies)
• Withdrawal permitted without consequence
• Two-stage protects sponsor's separate interests
• If processed by a visa office (e.g. New Delhi, Manila, London) familiar with the applicant's country, can be faster
• Common-law evidence (12 months co-habitation) can be from anywhere, not just Canada
OUTLAND DISADVANTAGES:
• No SOWP — foreign spouse cannot work in Canada unless they obtain a separate work permit (visitor visas don't allow work)
• If foreign spouse in India, separation during processing
• If foreign spouse in Canada on visitor visa, must maintain status (extension) but no work
For yes = yes + no = no: INLAND favored
For yes = yes + no = yes: HYBRID — outland with separate WP application (e.g. LMIA-supported work permit while sponsorship processes)
For yes = no + no = yes: OUTLAND favored
For yes = no + no = no: either works
§3 — RECOMMENDED STREAM (80-100 words)
Based on the variables:
Recommend: [INLAND / OUTLAND] sponsorship
Justification: [why this stream serves [SPONSOR_NAME] and [APPLICANT_NAME]'s priorities]
If inland chosen:
• [APPLICANT_NAME] must enter Canada on valid temporary status BEFORE filing
• Common entry routes: Visitor Visa (TRV), Work Permit, Study Permit
• Co-habitation evidence must establish living together at same address
If outland chosen:
• [APPLICANT_NAME] can remain in [CURRENT_LOCATION] or enter Canada separately
• If [APPLICANT_NAME] in India: separation during processing; family visits via short-term Visitor Visa permitted
• If common-law: 12+ months co-habitation evidence from anywhere
§4 — KEY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES (80-100 words)
INLAND processing:
• Single application submitted to Case Processing Centre Mississauga (CPC-M)
• SOWP issued 4-6 months in (separate application)
• Sponsorship eligibility decision integrated with PR decision
• Final PR decision: 12-18 months
OUTLAND processing:
• Stage 1: Sponsor application to CPC-M (sponsor eligibility) — 2-4 months
• Stage 2: Spouse PR application processed by visa office (often in country of residence) — 6-12 months
• Stage 2 includes biometrics, medical, police certificates, interviews if scheduled
§5 — CRITICAL CAVEATS (60-80 words)
• R117(9)(d) — Excluded Relationship: spouses excluded if sponsor "did not declare them" in a prior immigration application (e.g. when sponsor came as PR, didn't declare the spouse). This bar is severe; analyze before proceeding.
• Common-law cohabitation: must be ≥12 continuous months. Some jurisdictions don't recognise common-law; couple must demonstrate the relationship as cohabitating for purposes of Canadian law.
• Conjugal partner: only available when marriage / cohabitation is genuinely impossible (e.g. immigration laws, persecution).
End with: "DRAFT INLAND vs OUTLAND STRATEGY — for RCIC review. R117(9)(d) excluded-relationship bar is severe and not commonly known; pre-screen the sponsor's prior immigration application disclosures BEFORE filing. Confirm current processing times at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt