While the eligibility requirements for a sponsor are the same, the advantage of an inland application (as compared to the outland sponsorship) is the right to apply for an open work permit.
For example, if a sponsor’s spouse or common-law partner is temporarily staying in Canada as a visitor, foreign student, or temporary worker, he or she can apply for an open work permit at the time of a sponsorship application. In most cases, within 4 – 5 months, they can get authorization allowing them to work in Canada for any employer while permanent residence application is being processed. Even if a sponsored person is out of status, they can still apply.
Inland Sponsorship has two stages:
- Assessment of a sponsor’s eligibility to sponsor a spouse or partner.
- Application for a permanent residence by a sponsored person.
Sponsor’s eligibility (1st stage) is usually assessed within the first 4-5 months and an application for permanent residence will take another 7-8 months. Overall, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) pursues to process inland sponsorship application within 12 months.
