Canada ends policy for sponsoring undeclared family members

Canada has discontinued a seven-year-old temporary immigration policy, effective September 10, which allowed certain permanent residents to sponsor undeclared spouses, common-law partners, or dependent children after obtaining their status. This special provision primarily benefited individuals who arrived via refugee status, resettlement programs, or the family class category.

As a result of this change, applicants must now disclose complete information regarding marriages, common-law relationships, and children at the beginning of the permanent residency process. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) utilizes relationship history, including previous marriages and divorces, to verify civil status and ensure that current spousal relationships are genuine and not entered into solely for immigration purposes.

While the special pathway for undeclared family members has ended, standard family class sponsorship rules and eligibility conditions remain in effect.