If you are in a common-law or conjugal relationship, there is no need to be married to begin the application process, as illustrated by the 12-month living or relationship requirements. If you are not in a common-law or conjugal partnership and instead have a plan to get married soon, you can begin the spousal application process before your marriage. This speeds up the process so that once you are married, the application can be submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) right away.
If you are planning on getting married this summer and would like to start your application now, it is best to speak with an experienced Canadian immigration lawyer who can help guide you through the process. A lawyer will be able to help you prove your relationship is genuine and avoid mistakes that could result in unnecessary application processing delays.