Gender, race and marriage in immigration: the spousal sponsorship appeal process in Canada

Spousal sponsorship and immigration to Canada is a complex process. Using a qualitative and quantitative content analysis, this feminist research examines the relationship between gender, race, and marriage in 93 spousal sponsorship appeal cases. More specifically, this thesis examines how the gendering and racialization of spousal immigrants contributes to Canadian perspectives on spousal sponsorship and how they shape the meaning of marriage for immigration purposes. I argue that marriage for spousal immigration purposes is defined in a white, heterosexual, patriarchal, gendered, Western way. The spousal sponsorship appeal process uses marriage as a mechanism to exclude spousal relationships that do not conform to Western marriage ideals.