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:
Amit Pandey We wanted to write sincere thanks to John, Devika and Borders Law firm for the help throughout the process. John was extremely kind and thorough and he counselled with suitable options available for me on migration to Canada, documentation submissions, query resolutions, visa processing and continued personal support and follow up until the last step I am beyond grateful for their kindness and service. I will be using them for any changes to our companies immigration needs going forward. Would recommend this firm for anybody blindly looking for immigration help. They would guide you with complete transparency and professionalism. Thank you once again.
Chenia Lobo Highly recommend Borders Law firm. Their service was great, extremely professional and always timely. I never had any problem throughout my whole process. So pleased with Jenny & devika and all the work they did.
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.
Michael Freeman The team at Borders - specifically Devika and Jenny - were an extraordinary support in navigating the Permanent Residency process. They were responsive and easily available, and incredibly detailed and thorough in their work. I strongly recommend them for anyone navigating the immigration process, and feel so grateful for their expertise and kindness that made a tricky process feel smooth.