Government Of Canada Eliminates Conditional Permanent Residence For Spouses & Partners

The former Conservative Government initially proposed the requirement of conditional permanent resident status for certain spouses and partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents on March 9, 2012.  The concept of conditional permanent resident status was likely borrowed from the United States, which has imposed a similar requirement on sponsored spouses of United States citizens and permanent residents for years. 

The former Conservative Government formally implemented this requirement on October 25, 2012.  As of that date, conditional permanent resident status applied to:

1. Spouses and partners who applied for permanent residence as members of the Family Class or the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class (including applicants who were eligible for processing under a public policy) and whose relationship with the sponsor was less than two years old (and who had no children in common with the sponsor) at the time of the sponsorship application;