Let’s talk about what truly matters. For many of us, the dream of Canada isn’t a solo journey. It’s a family dream. The image isn’t just you getting a great job—it’s your kids playing in a safe park, your partner building their career, your parents visiting in a community that welcomes them. You’re not just looking for a new life; you’re looking for a better life for the people you love.
That’s where the Express Entry system gets personal. While the points are calculated on you, the principal applicant, the goal for so many is that precious line on the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR): “Number of family members included: [2, 3, 4…].”
This guide is about how to navigate that path. It’s about the rules, the process, and the smart, practical steps to ensure your family makes the journey with you, from day one.
Who Exactly Can You Bring?
This is the most important place to start. “Family” in the context of your Express Entry application has a specific legal definition.
Your Spouse or Common-Law Partner: This includes legally married spouses. For common-law partners, you must prove you’ve lived together continuously for at least one year in a marriage-like relationship. Documentation is key—joint leases, bank accounts, utility bills, and insurance policies are vital proof.
Your Dependent Children: A child is considered dependent if they are:
- Under 22 years old, and
- Not married or in a common-law relationship.
There’s an important exception: if a child is 22 or older but has been financially dependent on their parents since before 22 due to a physical or mental condition, they may still qualify.
Crucially, you cannot include your parents, grandparents, siblings, or adult independent children in your initial Express Entry application. They have their own, separate immigration pathways (like the Parents and Grandparents Program) that you can sponsor them for after you become a permanent resident. Understanding this distinction from the beginning saves a lot of heartache and confusion.
The “Accompanying” vs. “Non-Accompanying” Choice
Here’s a critical decision point that affects your entire application. When you fill out your profile, you must declare every family member, whether they are coming with you now or not.
- Accompanying Family Members: These are the spouse and children who will immigrate with you at the same time. They must complete medical exams and provide police certificates. They will get permanent residency when you do.
- Non-Accompanying Family Members: These are family members (like a spouse or child) who are not coming now but whom you still must declare. You must still provide medical exams and police certificates for them. Why? Because Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) needs to ensure they are admissible to Canada, even if they come later. Failing to declare a family member—even if they aren’t coming—can result in you being barred from ever sponsoring them. It’s considered misrepresentation.
The Big Question: Should I include my spouse as an accompanying dependent if they have a low education or language score?
This is a major strategic decision. Including them means their language test scores and education credentials will be assessed and will affect your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. If they have low scores, it could lower your total points. Some principal applicants choose to apply alone initially to maximize their CRS score, with the plan to sponsor their spouse and children immediately after landing. This is a complex choice with serious implications for family separation; many choose to stay together even if it means a slightly longer wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
The Process: Step-by-Step for Families
- Language Tests & Educational Credential Assessments (ECA): As the principal applicant, you need yours. If you include an accompanying spouse, they will likely need to take a language test (like IELTS) as well. An ECA for their foreign degree might also be needed if you want points for their education.
- Creating Your Express Entry Profile: Here, you will list all family members. Be painfully accurate with dates of birth, marriage, and history. You will indicate who is accompanying you.
- Receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA): Your CRS score, which includes points for a spouse’s language/education if applicable, got you here. Congratulations!
- The Application Stage: This is where you gather the mountain of proof.
- Relationship Proof: For a spouse, this means marriage certificates, photographs spanning your relationship, communication records, joint financial documents, and letters from friends/family. For a common-law partnership, the burden of proof is higher—focus on cohabitation evidence.
- Medical Exams: Everyone, accompanying or not, must undergo an immigration medical exam by an approved panel physician.
- Police Certificates: You and all family members over 18 need police clearance certificates from every country you’ve lived in for 6+ months since turning 18.
- The Landing: When you get your COPR, it will list all accompanying family members. You can all “land” together, or you can land first and they follow (though they must arrive before their COPR expires). The primary applicant should usually land first or with the family to validate the application.
A Few Real Talk Considerations
Timeline for Sponsoring Other Relatives: Remember, parents and grandparents come later. You must be living in Canada and meet a minimum income requirement for the past three years to sponsor them. The process is a separate lottery and application. Don’t promise them it will happen immediately.
The Financial Requirement: While Express Entry doesn’t have a strict ongoing income requirement for a family, the proof of funds you need increases with each additional family member. You must show you have enough money to support your family. The government updates these amounts yearly—check the latest figures.
Settlement Plans: Think ahead. Research schools for your children in your desired city. Look into whether your spouse’s profession requires licensing (like nursing, engineering, or accounting) and start that research early. Having a plan for your family’s first weeks—not just yours—reduces stress immensely.
Bringing your family is the whole point. While the system can feel bureaucratic, it is designed to keep families intact. The paperwork is extensive, but each document is a stepping stone toward a shared future. Be meticulous, be honest, and keep your eyes on the real prize: not just a PR card for yourself, but a new, safe, and hopeful beginning for the people who matter most.
Conclusion
After all the talk of points and profiles, documents and deadlines, let’s remember the quiet truth at the heart of this process. You aren’t just uploading a PDF of a marriage certificate to a portal. You’re uploading a promise. That photo of your kids isn’t just for facial recognition; it’s the reason you’re working this hard in the first place.
The Express Entry system, for all its complex algorithms, understands a fundamental Canadian value: families belong together. The path is meticulous because the outcome is permanent. Every line of your shared bank statement, every stamp on a child’s passport, every page of your shared history that you submit is building the official story of your family unit for the Canadian government. It’s your chance to prove what you already know—that your futures are intertwined.
Frequently Asked Questions: Bringing Your Family Through Express Entry
Let’s clear up the practical, real-life questions that come up when planning for your family’s move.
Do I get extra Express Entry points for having children?
No, you do not get any CRS points simply for being a parent. However, the number of family members you have directly impacts the proof of funds you need to show. The government requires a higher amount of settlement funds for each additional family member. So while they don’t earn you points, they are a key financial factor in your application.
Can I add my newborn baby to my application after I submit it?
Yes, but you must act quickly. If your child is born before you become a permanent resident, you must inform IRCC immediately. You will need to provide the baby’s birth certificate, passport, and potentially updated medical and financial information. There will be additional fees. You cannot land and then add the child later; the addition must be completed while your application is still being processed.
What happens if my child turns 22 during the application process?
This is a critical timeline. The “lock-in” age for a dependent child is the day IRCC receives your complete permanent residence application (after you get an Invitation to Apply). If your child is under 22 on that locked-in date, they remain eligible as a dependent even if they turn 22 while waiting for a decision. This makes submitting a complete application as soon as possible after your ITA crucial.
My spouse won’t accompany me initially. Do they still need a medical exam?
Yes, absolutely. All family members, whether accompanying you to Canada or not, must undergo the immigration medical examination. This is a non-negotiable requirement for admissibility. If you don’t get it done for a non-accompanying spouse or child, you will be permanently barred from sponsoring them in the future due to misrepresentation.
How does my common-law partner prove our relationship?
The burden of proof is higher than for a married couple. You’ll need to provide extensive documentation showing you’ve cohabited for at least 12 continuous months. Key evidence includes:
- Joint leases or mortgages in both names.
- Shared utility bills, bank accounts, or credit cards.
- Government-issued IDs showing the same address.
- Insurance policies naming each other as beneficiaries.
- Photos, travel tickets, and correspondence spanning the period.
Can my spouse’s low English score hurt my application?
It won’t cause a refusal, but it can impact your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. If you include your spouse as an accompanying partner, their language test results and education level are factored into your total points. A low score can reduce your overall points, potentially delaying an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This is why some principal applicants choose to apply alone initially to maximize their CRS score.
When can I start the process to sponsor my parents?
You can sponsor your parents or grandparents only after you are a permanent resident living in Canada. You must also meet a minimum income requirement for the past three tax years and commit to financially supporting them for 20 years. The process is separate and operates through a lottery system for the initial interest form. It cannot be started concurrently with your Express Entry application.