THE federal government has changed the definition of the age of dependants from “under 19” to “under 22,” fulfilling a key mandate commitment of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen.
Hussen said on Friday: “By making our immigration program more inclusive, the Government of Canada is demonstrating its commitment to family reunification. Raising the age limit not only benefits immigrants whose families can stay together, it also helps to make Canada a destination of choice for immigrants, leading to significant economic and social benefits for our country.”
This change applies to all new applications received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on or after October 24, 2017. Parents who want to see if their child qualifies should first check the IRCC’s web tool.
To help even more families stay together, the government has introduced a public policy that would allow for the addition or sponsorship of some children whose parents had existing applications in process on May 3, 2017, or who have applied since that time.
Permanent residence applicants who wish to add or sponsor a child under the public policy can also check the IRCC’s web tool to see if their child qualifies – specifically, if they were 19, 20, or 21 years of age on May 3, 2017, or on the date the IRCC received the parents’ application, if between May 3, and October 23, 2017. Applicants should notify IRCC as soon as possible, using a web form, as the notification period will end on January 31, 2018.
Once IRCC has been advised, they will contact applicants directly to tell them what they need to do to sponsor or add their child to their application.
Those who do not qualify as dependants may still have several other options. Visit IRCC’s website to find out the ways someone may be eligible to immigrate to Canada.
Regulatory changes to increase the maximum age of a dependent child were published on May 3, 2017, with a coming-into-force date of October 24, 2017.
Children who are 22 years of age or older and who rely on their parents due to a physical or mental health condition will continue to be considered dependent children.
