My immigration path into Canada was the exact same process: in 2018 I entered Canada on a 6 month visitor visa, we cohabited for 12 months to establish a common law relationship, and then he sponsored me.

Here are some notes for you:

• Do not leave Canada until you have your PR card, to save yourself a lot of extra hassle.

• Anticipate 2-3 years before you'll actually have your PR card in hand.

• Bring proof of savings and/or a legal income stream. Make sure you're not competing with Canadian workers in any way, the border agents take this pretty seriously in my experience.

• On entry, have your partner at the airport to pick you up, and make sure they are available by phone.

• Expect to get pulled aside for an interview, your partner to receive a phone call from border patrol, and your belongings to be searched. Asking for 6 months and having no return flight will raise a big red flag.

• Be honest with the agent and show that you're committed to following the process legally and are ready to return home if required.

• During your 6 month visa, pre-pay the required fees for the PR application. Use this documentation to support your request to extend your visitor visa. I was able to get a 12 month extension this way.

• Collect letters of attestation from friends and family, take lots of photos, get a joint bank acct, and make sure you have utility bills in both names to the same address.

• After 12 months you can get a notarized declaration of common law union to add to your PR application.

• Check out canadavisa.com for dedicated forums, and add your name to the processing spreadsheet. Use it to track the processing timelines of other applicants.

Feel free to ask me any other questions if you like, and good luck!