By Guidy Mamann. This is a quick question and answer guide to who can qualify as a 'dependent' person for the purposes of Canadian immigration law.
"Dependent children must meet the above requirements both on the day the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga (CPC-M), Ontario, receives a complete application for a permanent resident visa and, without taking into account whether they have attained 22 years of age, on the day a visa is issued to them."
Does this mean that a dependent child must still be under 22 when the visa is issued? I find this confusing. Please clarify.
1. Children under 22 years and not married or in a common law relationship - The child must meet both of these conditions at the time the sponsorship application is received at CPC – Mississauga, or in the case of refugee and economic class cases when the visa post accepts your documents as "an application". If the visa post feels that the application is not submitted properly, it will send it back to you and the child will only qualify if they meet these conditions when the application is properly re-submitted. The child still qualifies if they are over 22 when the visa is issued but won't qualify if they are married or in a common law relationship when their visa is issued or when they arrive in Canada. A dependent child who is divorced, widowed, or who is no longer in a common law relationship at the time of visa issuance can still qualify.
2. Children over 22 and studying - The child in this situation must, since prior to turning 22, be continuously enrolled and in attendance as a full-time student in a government-accredited post secondary institution and must depend substantially on the financial support of a parent right up until the time a visa is issued to them.
3. Children married or in a common law relationship before the age of 22 - The child in this situation must, since the time they were a spouse be continuously enrolled and in attendance as a full-time student in a government-accredited post secondary institution and must depend substantially on the financial support of a parent right up until the time a visa is issued to them. It is ok if at that time they are over 22.
4. Children over 22 with a medical condition – Children in this situation must be unable to provide for themselves due to a medical condition since prior to turning 22 and must depend substantially on the financial support of a parent right up until visa issuance.
Guidy Mamann practices law in Toronto at Mamann & Associates and is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as an immigration specialist. Reach him confidentially at 416-862-0000 or at