The Government of Canada has removed the condition that applied to some sponsored spouses or partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to live with their sponsor in order to keep their permanent resident status.

Under the old regulation, you had to live with your sponsor for two years if, at the time you applied:

Your relationship was less than two years; and
You had no children in common.

The condition was introduced as a means to deter people from seeking to immigrate to Canada through non-genuine relationships. By removing the condition, the Government recognizes that, while cases of marriage fraud exist, the majority of relationships are genuine and most spousal sponsorship applications are made in good faith.

Eliminating conditional permanent residence upholds the Government’s commitment to family reunification and supports gender equality and combating gender violence. As a result of the requirement for the sponsored spouse or partner to live with their sponsor, an imbalance between the sponsor and the sponsored spouse or partner could have been created, potentially making the sponsored spouse or partner more vulnerable.

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• Source: Government of Canada, Notice – Government of Canada Eliminates Conditional Permanent Residence, 28 April 2017