Can I sponsor my same-sex partner as my spouse or common-law partner?

Yes. Canada's federal immigration law treats same-sex and different-sex relationships identically. If you are legally married to a same-sex partner, you can sponsor them as your spouse. If you have lived together in a same-sex relationship for at least 12 continuous months, your partner qualifies as a common-law partner — the same threshold that applies to different-sex couples.

Because immigration is federal and not provincial, the protections apply uniformly across Canada regardless of which province you live in, including Ontario.

IRCC assesses genuineness of the relationship and all standard admissibility criteria the same way regardless of the couple's genders. You will need to provide the same types of evidence — communication records, photos, shared address documents, statutory declarations — as any other sponsoring couple. In some cases, couples in same-sex relationships may face additional challenges gathering evidence if they live in a country where their relationship status cannot be officially recognized. An immigration lawyer can help you think through what evidence will be most persuasive in your specific circumstances.