Moving to Canada with family

Overview

Moving to Canada with family

A principal applicant can usually include an accompanying spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in a permanent residence application. Other relatives need their own status or a separate sponsorship route.

Identify every family member before choosing the route

For immigration forms, family members generally include a spouse or common-law partner, dependent children and dependent children of those children. Parents, siblings and adult independent children are not accompanying dependants in an economic application.

A Canadian-citizen spouse or child is disclosed but does not apply for permanent residence.

Accompanying and non-accompanying are both declared

List family members even when they will not travel or already have Canadian status. Non-accompanying family members normally complete medical and background examination unless IRCC gives an exemption.

Failure to declare and examine a spouse or child can cause refusal and can prevent later sponsorship under the excluded-family-member rules.

Family composition affects eligibility and costs

Marriage, common-law status, divorce, custody and a child’s age can change forms, settlement funds, CRS points and fees. Report births, adoptions and relationship changes during processing.

Documents may include marriage or divorce records, proof of common-law cohabitation, birth certificates, custody orders and non-accompanying-parent consent.

Sponsorship is a separate pathway

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident may be able to sponsor an eligible spouse, partner, child, parent or limited other relative. Sponsorship has its own sponsor eligibility, relationship and undertaking rules.

Do not omit a family member from one application because sponsorship might be available later. Later sponsorship often depends on proper disclosure and examination now.