Last week on October 24, 2017, the new definition of ‘dependent child’ came into effect. Under the new definition, a dependent child is defined as a child who is under 22 years old and does not have a spouse or partner. Prior to October 24, the definition was a child who is under 19 years old and does not have a spouse or partner. This change is meant to encourage more families to come to Canada by reflecting the “global trend of children living at home for longer periods.” The dependent age had been lowered from under 22 years old to under 19 years old on August 1, 2014. However, that change was at odds with both the global trend and the goal of family reunification which is enshrined in Canada’s immigration laws. As a result, the government has decided to bring back the under 22 definition. Under the pre-August 2014 rules, the definition of a dependent child also included children 22 years old and older who were dependent on their parents before the age of 22 and are full-time students. While IRCC has decided to raise the dependent age again, it has not brought back this full-time student exception. The decision to not bring back this exception shows that IRCC is still not fully in-step with the reality that many young adults are still in school when they are 22 years or older, and are still very much dependent on their parents. Without work experience, these young adults are not likely to qualify for immigration on their own. This means that Canada could still be missing out on attracting families with educated children, who would be valuable assets to Canada’s future economy. Back to all posts Share this post: Facebook-Logo Twitter-Logo Linkedin pinterest Mail-Logo
Bhumika Kashyap My husband and I had great experience working with Border Law Firm from beginning to end. They answered all my questions and mention the best option First, to get my husband spousal open work permit approval and Second, to get my permanent residence. I am very thankful to Devika Ma'am and Jenny they give great and detailed advice on each part of your application. They were very professional and punctual at their response throughout the process.
ravinder kaur I and my family want to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to Devika, John and the team at Borders Law firm for assisting us with the PRTD application at a time when most processing was closed due to lockdowns. They also worked proactively with us to establish a good strategy with back up plans which gave us sufficient information and assurance. Very responsive and forthcoming with information. Proactive in processing but at the same time they put enough time in the application and the supporting details to have high quality of the application. As a result our application was processed in 1 go at a time when it was critical and sensitive time for the family. Thank you again.
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