If we separate does my sponsorship undertaking end?
Short answer
In Quebec, the sponsor's obligation to provide for the sponsored person's basic needs applies for the entire duration of the undertaking, and the Gouvernement du Québec states that the sponsor must honour that duration even in the event of separation, divorce or a move.
In detail
The undertaking is described as a contract binding the sponsor to the sponsored person and to the accompanying family members. Its duration is fixed at the time of signing.
The end of the relationship does not end the contract. The Gouvernement du Québec states expressly that the sponsor remains bound by the undertaking despite a separation, a divorce or a move.
The obligation therefore attaches to the agreed duration, not to how long the couple lived together.
What to document
The date the undertaking was signed, the date the sponsored person obtained their status, the date of the separation, and all of your financial contributions after the separation. If amounts are claimed from you later, it is these dates and these proofs of payment that document your situation.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
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Official sources
- Gouvernement du Québec — Responsibilities and obligations related to the undertaking (sponsoring a spouse or partner)
- Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration — Guide des procédures d'immigration, ch. 3, s. 6: Family reunification (March 2026)
Related questions
- What do I have to repay if the person I sponsored receives social assistance?
- How long does the undertaking last for a dependent child I sponsor?
- How does Quebec select skilled workers for permanent immigration?
- My CSQ was refused can I challenge the decision?
- How long do I have to ask for a review from Quebec's immigration ministry?
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What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.