“I’ll cancel your PR”: what an abusive spouse or sponsor can and can’t do

By Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation · Reviewed November 14, 2026

Published November 14, 2026

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Updated November 14, 2026: IRCC’s abuse page (modified August 18, 2025), the IRCC Help Centre on withdrawing a sponsorship and IRPA s. 40 checked that day.

“I’ll cancel your PR.” “I’ll get you deported.” “I’ll tell immigration our marriage was fake.” These are some of the most common threats abusers use against sponsored spouses. Most of them are empty, but the details matter: what a sponsor can do depends on whether you are already a permanent resident, and a false complaint is something you should be ready to answer.

Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, advises sponsored spouses facing threats about their status and represents them if IRCC opens an inquiry; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.

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After you become a permanent resident

• Your PR is your own status. The two-year condition to live with your sponsor no longer exists, and IRCC says plainly: “You don’t have to stay in an abusive relationship to keep your status in Canada.”
• Your sponsor can’t withdraw the sponsorship once you have landed.
• Separation or divorce doesn’t end your PR.
• He stays responsible for his financial undertaking for its full term, even if you separate.

Before you become a permanent resident

Until IRCC grants PR, a sponsor can ask to withdraw the sponsorship. That is the real power behind most threats. If it happens, you are not without options: see leaving an abusive sponsor before PR and the family violence TRP.

“I’ll tell immigration it was a fake marriage”

Anyone can send IRCC a complaint. A complaint is not a decision. If IRCC acts on it, you would get a letter and a chance to respond before anything happens. Status can be lost for misrepresentation under section 40 of the Act only if IRCC proves the relationship wasn’t genuine or something material was misrepresented, not because an ex says so. If you receive a letter, get advice before you answer: see the 5-year misrepresentation ban.

Threats and the reality

Staying safe while you sort out status

Keep your PR card, passport and confirmation of permanent residence in a safe place, or keep copies. Threats like these are a form of abuse in themselves, and IRCC’s instructions recognize psychological abuse. For the full picture, see immigration options for victims of family violence.

Why threats about your status need a lawyer

One lawyer, one file, every step:

• telling you exactly where you stand, before or after PR;
• answering any IRCC letter that follows a complaint;
• the family violence TRP or H&C if a pending sponsorship is withdrawn;
• a Federal Court challenge if a decision goes against you.

The worst time to learn your rights is after an IRCC letter arrives.

Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only a lawyer can represent you in the Federal Court if a refusal has to be challenged there. An immigration consultant cannot appear in that court for you.

Mistakes I have seen

• Staying in an abusive relationship because of a threat that has no legal force.
• Answering an IRCC letter about a complaint without advice.
• Leaving your PR card, passport or confirmation of permanent residence with the abuser.
• Assuming separation or divorce cancels PR.
• Not keeping copies of the threats themselves; they can be evidence of abuse.

Frequently asked questions

Can my husband cancel my PR in Canada?

No. Once you are a permanent resident, your sponsor can’t cancel your status.

Can my sponsor revoke my PR after divorce?

No. Divorce doesn’t affect PR, and a sponsor has no power to revoke it.

My husband is threatening to deport me. Can he?

No. Only CBSA can remove someone, and only after a legal process.

Can he withdraw my sponsorship?

Only before you become a permanent resident.

What if he tells IRCC our marriage was fake?

IRCC may look into it, but it must give you a chance to respond and must prove misrepresentation. Get advice if you receive a letter.

Related guides: immigration options for victims of family violence; leaving an abusive sponsor before PR; the family violence TRP; the 5-year misrepresentation ban.

What should I do right now?

Check whether you are already a permanent resident (your confirmation of permanent residence or PR card). Keep copies of it and of any threats somewhere safe.

Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.

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Sources (official)

• IRCC: Help for spouses or partners who are victims of abuse (modified August 18, 2025)
• IRCC Help Centre: How do I withdraw my application for family sponsorship? (modified November 3, 2026)
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 40 (misrepresentation)
• IRCC: Immigration options for victims of family violence (modified March 12, 2026)

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.