Differences Between the U.S. and Canada’s Family-Based Permanent Residency Sponsorship Programs
Both Canada and the United States have a family-based sponsorship program that allows its respective citizens to sponsor members of its immediate (and sometimes extended) family. Below is a list of some notable differences between the two countries’ programs:
Canada recently implemented a 2-year conditional residency requirement that a married couple must reside together if they had been together for less than 2 years and have no children together. The US has a 2-year conditional residency requirement, but it only requires that the couple jointly apply to remove the condition prior to the 2-year anniversary of when the green card was issued
US has no language testing requirement to be a permanent resident, whereas Canada does have language requirements
Canada allows sponsorship of common law partners and conjugal partners for permanent residency, whereas the U.S. only allows citizens to sponsor a legally married, opposite-sex spouse
Canadians sponsoring a spouse, common law partner or conjugal partner do not have to meet minimum income requirements, whereas US petitioners have to meet minimum income requirements to sponsor a spouse
In Canada, only the spouse or common law partner of a sponsoring citizen can co-sign to meet the income requirements, whereas in the US, non-family members can act as a joint sponsor
Canada does not have a fiancé visa, whereas the U.S. does
Canada does not permit a citizen to sponsor a sibling (unless he/she has no other relative); whereas the U.S. permits siblings sponsorship
In Canada, an inadmissible non-accompanying family members may render the principal applicant inadmissible; but not in the U.S.