IRCC reminds applicants to declare all family members
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reiterated that all family members, including spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children, must be declared in permanent residence applications. The clarification outlines that this requirement applies whether those relatives are accompanying the main applicant to Canada or not.
The policy aims to ensure transparency and consistency in permanent residence processing and to prevent potential refusals due to incomplete declarations. The reminder is relevant to applicants across federal and provincial programs, including those applying through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
- All spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children must be declared in permanent residence applications.
- Family members must undergo immigration medical exams whether accompanying or not.
- Dependent status is generally based on age under 22 and marital status at the time of application.
- Misrepresentation of accompanying status can result in refusal and a five-year ban.
- Declared but non-accompanying dependents may later be eligible for sponsorship if requirements are met.
- Settlement fund calculations include both accompanying and non-accompanying family members.
Overview of family declaration requirements
Under Canadian immigration law, all immediate family members must be accurately declared in a permanent residence application. This includes a spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, the spouse’s dependent children, and the dependents of those children. Each declared individual forms part of the applicant’s family unit for the purpose of eligibility, medical admissibility, and settlement fund requirements.
Failure to disclose any family member, even if they are not planning to move to Canada, can lead to the refusal of an application or affect future sponsorship opportunities.
Definition of dependents
IRCC defines a dependent child as a person under 22 years old who is unmarried and not in a common-law relationship. Children aged 22 or older may also qualify if they have relied on their parents for financial support since before turning 22 and are unable to support themselves due to a physical or mental condition.
For immigration processing, the child’s age is locked in on a program-specific date, typically when a complete permanent residence application is received. This ensures that age eligibility remains consistent throughout the review process.
Counting dependents for settlement funds
Declared dependents, whether accompanying or not, are included when calculating the total family size used to determine the minimum settlement funds required for certain programs. This requirement applies to both federal and provincial application streams.
Medical examination obligations
All family members listed in a permanent residence application must complete immigration medical exams, regardless of whether they intend to travel to Canada. IRCC uses these examinations to assess medical admissibility across the entire family unit.
Medical assessments are mandatory because they affect both the immediate application and the ability to sponsor family members in the future. Neglecting to include valid medical exam results can delay processing or lead to application refusal.
Since August 21, 2025, Express Entry applicants have been required to submit medical exam results for the principal applicant and all family members at the time of application submission.
Spousal declarations and accuracy requirements
When completing an Express Entry profile, applicants must accurately indicate whether a spouse will accompany them to Canada. Listing a spouse as non-accompanying is reserved for genuine cases where the individual does not plan to immigrate at the same time, such as due to employment or family obligations abroad.
Submitting false information—such as declaring a spouse as non-accompanying solely to gain a higher Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score—constitutes misrepresentation. IRCC regards this as a serious violation that can result in refusal of the application and a five-year ban from submitting new immigration applications.
All spousal declarations must reflect the applicant’s true circumstances and intent at the time of submission.
Future sponsorship considerations
Applicants who declare dependents as non-accompanying may later be eligible to sponsor them once permanent residence has been granted. However, eligibility to sponsor depends on meeting all program requirements and the prior inclusion of those family members in the original application.
Failing to declare a spouse or dependent child in the initial submission can permanently bar sponsorship of that person under current immigration regulations.
Public implications and transparency
IRCC’s continued emphasis on accurate family declarations underscores the department’s focus on transparency and integrity in the permanent residence process. The policy ensures that medical, financial, and eligibility assessments reflect the true composition of each applicant’s household.
The clarification also reinforces the importance of maintaining consistent documentation across various immigration streams, including provincial nominee programs such as Manitoba’s, to prevent delays and ensure compliance with federal standards.
Background and compliance context
The requirement to declare all family members has long been part of Canadian immigration policy, but recent updates to online application systems and medical exam submission rules have prompted renewed attention. By aligning these procedures, IRCC aims to reduce errors and improve processing efficiency across permanent residence pathways.
Applicants under Express Entry, family sponsorship, and provincial nominee programs are uniformly subject to these disclosure and medical exam standards, ensuring equal treatment across jurisdictions.
Ongoing monitoring and enforcement
IRCC continues to review applications for completeness and accuracy. Cases discovered to contain omissions or false declarations are subject to refusal and potential admissibility consequences. The department maintains that transparency at the beginning of the process is essential for long-term compliance.
Summary
The department’s reminder reinforces that every spouse, partner, and dependent child must be declared and medically examined during the permanent residence process, regardless of whether they will accompany the main applicant to Canada. The policy ensures consistent application of admissibility rules and preserves future sponsorship options for declared family members.
Further developments in immigration documentation and family declaration rules are expected to continue as IRCC refines its application procedures and digital processing systems.
Readers can explore additional coverage on Canadian immigration updates and related program requirements across federal and provincial streams.