The term “partner” used alone refers to someone seeking immigration to Canada as the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, depending on context.
The term “sponsor” refers to the Canadian citizen or permanent resident seeking immigration benefits on behalf of his or her partner.
The Canadian Federal Government department that handles all immigration matters, previously called Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), has recently been renamed Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Both terms for “Immigration Canada” are used interchangeably on this website.