How Can We Immigrate to Canada? A 2026 Plan for Couples and Families

"How can we immigrate to Canada?" is a different question from "how can I?". A couple has two sets of language scores, two education histories and possibly two work records, and only one of you can be the principal applicant. Children add costs, deadlines and age rules. And since 2025, the temporary routes many families used as a stepping stone, such as a study permit with an open work permit for the spouse, have narrowed sharply. This guide is the planning layer for a household. For a full list of every permanent residence program, see our companion guide on how to become a permanent resident of Canada.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every family's situation is different.

On this page

Choose the principal applicant
Who goes on your application
Permanent-first or temporary-first?
The main routes, briefly
Which route fits our family?
What it costs a family
A 12–24 month household plan
Children: school and health coverage
Mistakes that hurt families
FAQ

How Can We Immigrate to Canada? Start by Choosing the Principal Applicant

The principal applicant is the person whose qualifications are assessed for the program. The spouse and children are "family members" on that application. You can usually choose either partner, so run the numbers both ways before you commit.

In Express Entry, your spouse changes your score

Express Entry ranks candidates with the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). If your spouse or common-law partner is coming with you, IRCC caps your own core points at 460 instead of 500 and lets your partner earn up to 40 points back:

CRS factor	With accompanying spouse	Single (or spouse not coming)
Age (peak at 20–29)	100	110
Education	140	150
First official language	150	160
Canadian work experience	70	80
Spouse's education	up to 10	—
Spouse's language (5 per skill)	up to 20	—
Spouse's Canadian work experience	up to 10	—

What this means in practice: the partner who is younger, has the higher language scores (especially CLB 9 or above), more education or Canadian work experience usually makes the better principal applicant. A partner with a strong test result is still worth testing even as the spouse, because those 20 language points can decide an invitation. French matters too: CRS gives up to 50 extra points for French skills, and French-language draws have been some of the lowest-scoring in recent years. Our French advantage guide covers this.

New from November 3, 2026

IRCC announced on October 16, 2026 that a new Labour Market Integration factor will be added to the CRS. It awards points for Canadian work experience or a job offer in a high-wage occupation (one whose national median wage is at least 1.3 times the average), whichever gives you more, and removes the LMIA requirement for job offers. Job offers can earn 50, 70 or 100 points depending on the occupation's wage level. For couples, this can change who should be principal applicant: compare both partners' occupations. Profiles will be rescored and draws paused for up to two weeks.

Each partner can usually keep their own Express Entry profile with the other listed as an accompanying spouse; whoever is invited applies, and only one application goes forward. Keep the two profiles consistent. Never list a spouse as "not accompanying" to drop to single-applicant scoring if you actually plan to move together. That is misrepresentation.

In a provincial program, the job usually decides

Most provincial streams are built around a job offer or work history in that province, so the principal applicant is normally the partner with the qualifying job. British Columbia's registration system (SIRS) does not award points for a spouse at all; your partner's language and education only matter later if you use the Express Entry BC option. Check where you stand with the BC PNP Calculator, and read our BC PNP spouse and family guide for B.C.-specific rules.

Immigrate to Canada With Family: Who Goes on Your Application

Spouse: a legally married partner.
Common-law partner: someone you have lived with in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 continuous months. Keep proof such as a joint lease, shared bills and bank accounts.
Dependent children: your children, and your spouse's or partner's children, who are under 22 and do not have a spouse or common-law partner. A child 22 or older qualifies only if they have depended on their parents since before age 22 and cannot support themselves because of a physical or mental condition.

Age is locked in, but on different dates

IRCC uses the child's age on a "lock-in date", even if they turn 22 during processing. That date depends on the program:

Provincial Nominee Program: the date the province receives your complete nomination application.
Express Entry programs (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades): the date IRCC receives your complete PR application.
Atlantic Immigration Program: the date the province receives your complete endorsement application.
Quebec skilled workers: the date Quebec receives your complete selection certificate (CSQ) application.

If a child is about to turn 22, the speed of that first filing matters more than anything else in your plan.

Non-accompanying family members still count

A spouse who will stay behind, or a child living with a former partner, is still a family member. They must be declared, they usually must have an immigration medical exam, and they count toward Express Entry proof of funds. The mistakes section explains why this is the rule families can least afford to get wrong.

Permanent-First or Temporary-First?

There are two basic strategies. Permanent-first means the principal applicant qualifies for permanent residence from where you live now and the family lands together as permanent residents. Temporary-first means one of you comes on a study or work permit, gains Canadian experience, and applies for PR from inside Canada. Temporary-first used to be the default for many families. In 2025 and 2026 it became harder and riskier.

What changed for temporary-first families

Fewer study permits. IRCC plans to issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026, of which about 155,000 are for new students; most college and undergraduate applicants also need a provincial attestation letter. Master's and doctoral students at public institutions have been exempt from the attestation requirement since January 1, 2026.
Spousal open work permits narrowed. Since January 21, 2025, spouses of students qualify only if the student is in a master's program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program or select professional programs. Spouses of workers qualify only if the worker is in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a select TEER 2 or 3 job, with at least 16 months left on their permit. Dependent children of those workers no longer get their own open work permits.
PGWP conditions. A post-graduation work permit is a one-time opportunity. Graduates of non-degree college programs must have studied in an eligible field (IRCC froze that list for 2026), while bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates are exempt from the field rule.
A shrinking temporary population. The federal government wants temporary residents below 5% of the population by the end of 2027. Statistics Canada estimated 6.7% on July 1, 2026. The 2026 target for new temporary arrivals is 385,000. See our guide to the temporary resident target for how this affects people already here.

There is one family-friendly rule worth knowing. Once the principal applicant has applied for economic-class PR and holds a work permit issued because of that application, such as a bridging open work permit, the spouse and dependent children of working age may qualify for open work permits if that permit has at least six months left. IRCC has also added narrow spousal measures in 2026, including for Quebec PSTQ applicants and workers on designated major projects in B.C.

Our view

If either partner can qualify for permanent residence now, go permanent-first. Temporary-first still works for families with a graduate-level study plan or a high-skill job offer, but budget for several years on temporary status, international tuition, and the chance that your spouse cannot work during part of that time.

How to Immigrate to Canada: The Main Routes, Briefly

Every route below lets you include your spouse and dependent children. For eligibility details, see the full PR program guide.

Express Entry (federal; 109,000 admissions targeted in 2026). Covers the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. IRCC also runs category draws; 2026 categories include healthcare and social services, education, trades, STEM and French, plus newer ones such as physicians, researchers and senior managers with Canadian experience. See what may change in 2027.
Provincial Nominee Programs (91,500 admissions targeted in 2026). Usually built around a job offer or work in the province. Compare provinces in best provinces for PNP.
Atlantic Immigration Program (4,000 in 2026). Requires a job offer from a designated employer in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI or Newfoundland and Labrador. See BC PNP vs Atlantic.
Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots (RCIP and FCIP). Job offer from a designated employer in a participating community plus a community recommendation. See our RCIP and FCIP guide.
Family sponsorship (69,000 spouses, partners and children targeted in 2026). A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child. New parent and grandparent applications have been paused since July 15, 2026.
Quebec. Quebec selects its own economic immigrants, mainly through the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) and its Arrima invitation system. You first get a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), then apply to IRCC. French is central to Quebec selection.

Which Route Fits Our Family?

Our situation	Route to look at first	Watch out for
One partner has a year of skilled work in Canada	Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class); no proof of funds needed	Keep everyone's temporary status valid while you wait
Both abroad, young, degrees, strong English or French	Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker), with the stronger partner as principal	Proof of funds for every family member, even those not coming
One partner has a job offer in a specific province	That province's PNP; in B.C., Skills Immigration	The job must fit the province's current priorities
Healthcare or trades worker, moderate CRS	Express Entry category draws and provincial healthcare or trades streams	Licensing or certification is often needed first
Open to smaller communities or Atlantic Canada	Atlantic Immigration Program, RCIP, FCIP or regional PNP streams	Employer must be designated; intent to live there must be genuine
One partner is a Canadian citizen or PR	Spousal or common-law sponsorship, including the partner's children	Sponsor must meet residency and undertaking rules
French-speaking family	Express Entry French draws, FCIP, or Quebec's PSTQ	You need a valid TEF Canada or TCF Canada result
Planning a master's or PhD for one partner	Temporary-first: study permit, then PGWP, then PR	Spouse open work permit only for eligible programs; international tuition

What It Costs to Immigrate to Canada as a Family

Proof of funds (Express Entry)

Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades applicants must show settlement funds unless they are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. Canadian Experience Class applicants are exempt. The amount is based on family size, and you must count your spouse and dependent children, plus your spouse's dependent children, even if they are not coming or are already Canadian. The amounts below are from IRCC's table updated July 7, 2025, which was still the current table in October 2026. IRCC normally updates it once a year, so check before you submit.

Family members	Funds required (CAD)
1	$15,263
2	$19,001
3	$23,360
4	$28,362
5	$32,168
6	$36,280
7	$40,392
Each additional member	$4,112

Government fees for a family

For economic programs, IRCC charges $990 processing per adult plus a $600 right of permanent residence fee (RPRF), and $270 per dependent child with no RPRF. Biometrics cost $85 per person, capped at $170 for a family applying together.

Family	IRCC fees incl. RPRF	Biometrics	Total
Couple	$3,180	$170	$3,350
Family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child)	$3,450	$170	$3,620
Family of 3 (1 parent, 2 children)	$2,130	$170	$2,300
Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children)	$3,720	$170	$3,890

A provincial nomination adds the province's own fee; in B.C. the Skills Immigration application fee is $1,750. Our PR application fees guide explains how and when these fees change.

Costs IRCC does not set

Medical exams for every family member, including those not coming, done by an IRCC panel physician. Prices vary by country and clinic.
Police certificates for each adult, from each country where they lived for the period IRCC requires.
Language tests for the principal applicant and, if it will earn points, the spouse. Results are valid for two years.
Educational credential assessments for foreign education you claim points for, including the spouse's.
Translations, flights, temporary housing and private health insurance for any provincial waiting period.

How Can We Move to Canada? A 12–24 Month Household Plan

These stages assume a permanent-first plan through Express Entry or a PNP. Timings are planning guides, not guarantees. For stage-by-stage processing times, see how long it takes to get PR.

Months 1–2: Map the household. List every family member, including children from earlier relationships and any spouse who will not come. Note each child's birth date against the under-22 rule. Order passports for anyone who needs one.
Months 1–3: Test both partners. Book IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core for English, or TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. Test the spouse too if their score would earn points.
Months 2–4: Assess credentials. Get educational credential assessments for each partner's foreign degrees that will earn points.
Month 4: Decide the principal applicant. Calculate CRS both ways (and, after November 3, 2026, under the new scoring). If a provincial job offer is involved, the job holder is usually the principal. Use our BC PNP Calculator if B.C. is an option.
Months 4–6: Enter the pool. Create the Express Entry profile and any provincial registration. Start saving or documenting proof of funds if you need it.
Months 5–12: Wait for an invitation and pre-collect documents. Gather birth and marriage certificates, proof of common-law relationship, custody papers or consent from a child's other parent, and employment letters. Request police certificates that take a long time to arrive.
After the invitation: Submit within the deadline. Express Entry gives 60 days. Book medicals for everyone, including non-accompanying members, and give biometrics together.
Months 12–20: Processing. IRCC aims to finish 80% of complete Express Entry applications in six months; non-Express Entry PNP files usually take longer. Report any change to IRCC right away: a marriage, a birth, a divorce, a new address.
Months 18–24: Land and settle. Travel before your confirmation of PR expires. Apply for provincial health cards and Social Insurance Numbers, and register children in school.

Our documents checklist lists the family documents provinces typically ask for.

Children: School and Health Coverage

School

Public elementary and secondary school is free for children who are permanent residents or citizens, so landing as PR settles that question everywhere. Under federal law, a minor child in Canada can attend preschool, primary or secondary school without a study permit unless the parent is a temporary resident who is not authorized to work or study. Whether a temporary resident's child pays tuition depends on the province, the school district and the parent's permit, so confirm with the district before you move. Post-secondary study is different: a child who is not yet a PR needs a study permit and usually pays international fees.

Health coverage

Each province runs its own health plan and sets its own waiting period. In British Columbia, coverage for newcomers starts after the rest of the month in which you establish residence plus two more months, so arriving on April 5 means coverage from July 1. Ontario says there is no longer a waiting period for OHIP. Other provinces differ. Buy private insurance for every family member to cover any gap, and apply for health cards as soon as you arrive.

Mistakes That Hurt Families

The most serious one: an undeclared family member

Paragraph 117(9)(d) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations says a person is not a member of the family class if the sponsor previously applied for and became a permanent resident and, at that time, the person was a non-accompanying family member who was not examined. In plain terms: if you immigrate without declaring and examining your spouse or child, you generally can never sponsor them later. The only exception is when an officer decided an exam was not required, and even that does not apply if you could have made them available and did not, or if they were a separated spouse. Undeclared family members can also be treated as misrepresentation, with refusal and a five-year ban.

Leaving out a "difficult" family member. A child who lives with an ex-partner, a spouse you are separated from but not divorced from, a child born after you applied. All must be declared and, normally, examined.
Marrying or having a baby after your PR is approved but before landing, without telling IRCC. Tell IRCC before you travel. A new spouse or child who was never examined can fall under the same exclusion.
Picking the principal applicant by habit. The partner with the higher-paid job is not always the higher-scoring candidate.
Missing the age lock-in. Delaying a provincial application by a few weeks can cost a 21-year-old their place on the family's application.
Counting only the people who are moving. Proof of funds and medical exams cover everyone in the family unit.
Assuming the spouse can work. Under 2025 rules, many spouses of students and workers no longer qualify for open work permits. Check the actual eligibility before you rely on two incomes.
Letting someone's status lapse. For in-Canada families, each person's permit has its own expiry date. Track all of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can we immigrate to Canada as a family?

Most families apply on one permanent residence application. One person is the principal applicant and qualifies through a program such as Express Entry, a Provincial Nominee Program or the Atlantic Immigration Program. The spouse or common-law partner and dependent children are included on the same application and become permanent residents at the same time. If a close relative is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, family sponsorship may also be possible.

Can my spouse and I both apply, and who should be the principal applicant?

Only one of you is the principal applicant on the permanent residence application, and the other is included as the accompanying spouse. Choose the person who scores higher or who qualifies for a stronger program: usually the partner who is younger, has higher language scores, more education or Canadian work experience, or a qualifying job offer. In Express Entry, each partner can usually create a profile listing the other as an accompanying spouse, but only one application goes ahead, and both profiles must be accurate and consistent.

Can I include my children on my Canadian PR application?

Yes. A child is a dependent child if they are under 22 and do not have a spouse or common-law partner. Children 22 or older can qualify only if they have depended on their parents since before age 22 and cannot support themselves because of a physical or mental condition. Age is locked in on a set date, which for a Provincial Nominee Program is the date the province receives your complete nomination application, and for Express Entry programs is the date IRCC receives your complete PR application.

How much money do we need to immigrate to Canada with family?

For Express Entry applicants who must show settlement funds, the minimum is $23,360 for a family of three and $28,362 for a family of four, based on amounts IRCC updated on July 7, 2025, which were still listed as of October 2026. On top of that, IRCC fees for two adults and two children total $3,720 including the right of permanent residence fee, plus $170 for family biometrics. Medical exams, police certificates, language tests and any provincial fees are extra.

Do family members who are not coming to Canada need a medical exam?

Yes. IRCC says family members must have a medical exam even if they are not coming with you, and they must be declared on your application. Skipping the exam for a family member can make your application refused, and a family member who was not examined generally cannot be sponsored by you later.

What happens if I do not declare a family member?

Under paragraph 117(9)(d) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a family member who was not declared and examined when you immigrated is excluded from the family class. In practice, you generally can never sponsor that spouse or child later. Failing to declare a family member can also be treated as misrepresentation, which can lead to refusal and a five-year ban.

Can my spouse work in Canada while I work or study there?

Only in certain cases since January 21, 2025. Spouses of workers qualify for an open work permit if the worker is in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a select TEER 2 or 3 job, with at least 16 months left on their permit. Spouses of students qualify only if the student is in a master's program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program or select professional programs. Once the principal applicant has applied for permanent residence and holds a work permit issued because of that application, the spouse may qualify under a separate measure.

How can my family immigrate to Canada if we have a relative there?

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent child. Parent and grandparent sponsorship is paused: IRCC stopped accepting new interest-to-sponsor forms on July 15, 2026. Brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles generally cannot sponsor you, but a brother or sister in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident adds 15 points to an Express Entry score.

How long does it take for a family to immigrate to Canada?

Plan for 12 to 24 months from your first language test to landing if you already qualify for a program. IRCC aims to process 80% of complete Express Entry applications in 6 months, while applications outside Express Entry usually take longer. A temporary-first route through study or work in Canada often takes several years before permanent residence.

Is British Columbia on your list?

If one partner has, or could get, a B.C. job offer, check how the registration score compares with recent draws before you decide who leads.

Use the BC PNP Calculator

Sources

Information current as of October 18, 2026. Program rules change often; confirm on IRCC or WelcomeBC before applying.