The Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) is the first official email from IRCC confirming your spousal sponsorship application is complete. You must receive this AOR before you can apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP). The basic government processing fee for sponsorship currently totals $1,095 CAD.
When you apply to sponsor your husband, wife, or common-law partner to live in Canada, the waiting game begins immediately. The most highly anticipated milestone in the early stages of this process is receiving your Acknowledgment of Receipt, commonly known as the AOR. Whether you live in downtown Toronto, a suburb of Calgary, or a coastal town in Nova Scotia, this federal document is your first indicator that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has successfully opened your file.
Generally, an AOR is much more than just a simple receipt; it is the key that unlocks other crucial immigration benefits. 💼 For Inland sponsorship applicants, having the AOR in hand allows the sponsored spouse to apply for an open work permit, enabling them to legally work for almost any Canadian employer while the permanent residency application processes. Most applicants find that working with a Canadian law firm helps ensure their initial application is perfect, which prevents the file from being returned without an AOR.
Step-by-Step Process to Getting Your AOR in Canada
Receiving your Acknowledgment of Receipt is not automatic the moment you click submit on the permanent residence portal. IRCC conducts a strict preliminary review of your documents, known as the R10 completeness check, before issuing any formal correspondence.
Step 1: Submitting a Complete Sponsorship Application
The journey to the AOR starts with compiling a flawless digital application. 📄 You must ensure all mandatory forms, such as the IMM 1344 and IMM 5532, are completely filled out, digitally signed, and uploaded to the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal. Missing a single signature or failing to include a required police certificate will result in the application being returned to you.
Step 2: The IRCC Completeness Check (R10)
Once submitted, your file waits in a virtual queue until an immigration officer conducts the initial completeness check. During this phase, they do not assess whether your marriage is genuine; they merely verify that every required document and fee receipt is present in the package. If anything is missing, your entire application is rejected, and you must start over.
Step 3: Receiving the AOR Email
If your application passes the completeness check, IRCC will email the principal applicant or the designated representative (like your lawyer). 🔔 This email is the official AOR. It contains your unique Application Number (starting with an ‘F’ or ‘PR’) and your Unique Client Identifier (UCI), which are absolutely essential for tracking your file moving forward.
Step 4: Applying for the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)
Once you have the AOR, you can immediately leverage it to secure working rights in Canada. If you applied under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class (Inland), you will use the Application Number provided in the AOR to submit a separate online application for your open work permit through your GCKey account.
How Much Does it Cost in Canada?
Securing your AOR and moving forward with a sponsorship application involves mandatory federal fees paid directly to IRCC.
- Sponsorship Fee: $85 CAD to assess the sponsor.
- Principal Applicant Processing Fee: $545 CAD for processing the sponsored spouse’s application.
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): $515 CAD, which can be paid upfront to avoid delays later.
- Biometrics Fee: $85 CAD per person, if applicable.
- Total Basic Sponsorship Cost: Generally $1,230 CAD (including biometrics).
- Open Work Permit Fee: If applying for the SOWP after receiving the AOR, the fee is $255 CAD.
How Long Does the Process Take?
Timelines in Canadian immigration fluctuate based on government backlogs, but having realistic expectations helps reduce anxiety. ⌛
- Waiting for AOR: Generally takes between 4 to 8 weeks after you submit the initial application online.
- Work Permit Processing: Once the SOWP is filed using the AOR, it typically takes 3 to 5 months to be approved.
- Total PR Processing Time: Spousal sponsorships usually take around 10 to 12 months from the date of submission to final approval.
| Application Status | IRCC Action | Next Steps for Applicant |
|---|---|---|
| Submitted | File is waiting in the digital queue. | Wait patiently; check email spam folders daily. |
| Returned as Incomplete | File is rejected without an AOR. | Fix the missing errors and resubmit entirely. |
| AOR Received | File passed the R10 completeness check. | Link application to GCKey and apply for SOWP. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I apply for the open work permit before I get the AOR?
No. Under the current IRCC rules, you must wait until you receive the Acknowledgment of Receipt with your official Application Number before you can submit the Spousal Open Work Permit application online.
Does receiving an AOR mean my permanent residency is approved?
No. The AOR simply means that your application packet had all the required forms and signatures to begin processing. The actual assessment of your relationship and background checks happens after the AOR is issued.
What should I do if I haven’t received my AOR after 3 months?
If your processing time has exceeded normal estimates, you should first check all email spam and junk folders. If it is still missing, you can submit an IRCC Webform to inquire about the status of your application.
Will hiring a law firm make the AOR arrive faster?
A lawyer cannot force the federal government to process your file faster. However, a law firm ensures your application is absolutely perfect, which prevents it from being rejected for incompleteness, thereby saving you months of wasted time.
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