Hi! Just to share my current EE application, I am processing our documents to claim a common-law relationship. I think you have to revisit the IRCC’s definition of common-law
“In the immigration context, a common-law partnership means that a couple have lived together for at least one year in a conjugal relationship [R1(1)]. A common-law relationship exists from the day on which two individuals can provide evidence to support their cohabitation in a conjugal relationship. The onus is on the applicant to prove that they have been living common-law for at least one year before an application is received at CPC-M.”
They made it clear that cohabitation is a must to establish the common-law relationship. In the IMM 5409E fom (Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union), they ONLY count the number of years that you have COHABITATED without regard to the date that you two officially became together.
I uploaded a notarized IMM 5409E, life insurance certificates indicating each other as beneficiaries, utility bills with same address, proof of residency from our village, driver’s licenses with same address, and photos.