Shall I apply PR for my common-law partner or shall we apply separately?

[onon0408]

I'm from Hong Kong, planning to immigrate to Canada through Stream A. My common-law partner and I have already finished our studies as required and we're working on our PR application. We're struggling with whether I should be the main applicant and include her in my application or whether we apply separately.

Some of my friends tell me that it would be better if we apply for it since single applications usually get approved more easily and if one fails and the other succeeds, the successful one can help the other. But we're worried that IRCC will find it strange that we're common-law but then we're not applying for our partner.

Do you have any advice?

 

[scylla]

I'm from Hong Kong, planning to immigrate to Canada through Stream A. My common-law partner and I have already finished our studies as required and we're working on our PR application. We're struggling with whether I should be the main applicant and include her in my application or whether we apply separately.

Some of my friends tell me that it would be better if we apply for it since single applications usually get approved more easily and if one fails and the other succeeds, the successful one can help the other. But we're worried that IRCC will find it strange that we're common-law but then we're not applying for our partner.

Do you have any advice?

If you are common law then it is mandatory to include your partner in the application. Failing to do so is misrepresentation and means you can never sponsor your partner in the future.

Stop listening to your friends. They have no idea what they are talking about and following their advice has the potential to create very big issues for your immigration journey.

Note that common law means you have lived together continuously for one or more year.

 

[onon0408]

Thank you for your reply. I mean, I will certainly declare our relationship with each other. But I can still choose to apply PR for her or not, right? And if that's true, shall I apply for her as my dependent or shall we separately apply for our own PR while declaring the common-law relationship in each of our own applications?

 

[YVR123]

Thank you for your reply. I mean, I will certainly declare our relationship with each other. But I can still choose to apply PR for her or not, right? And if that's true, shall I apply for her as my dependent or shall we separately apply for our own PR while declaring the common-law relationship in each of our own applications?

It doesn't make sense to apply separately and declare each other as common law.
Each of the application, your (common law partner) dependent will need t go through medical, police, background check for your application to be approved. Dependent can be accompanying or non-accompanying but still have to go through the same process.

So why do everything twice and get PR separately just because someone said it's "faster".

And regardless of how "fast" it goes, you and your partner are NOT single any more.

 

[armoured]

...or shall we separately apply for our own PR while declaring the common-law relationship in each of our own applications?

Only reason I can think of to do this is if there is some doubt about whether either of you will qualify, i.e. just getting selected. If there's not much doubt, then whoever gets selected/invited first can complete the app.

This may be depend under which programs you're thinking of applying (I'm not an expert on this aspect), as the programs vary somewhat.

 

[YVR123]

Only reason I can think of to do this is if there is some doubt about whether either of you will qualify, i.e. just getting selected. If there's not much doubt, then whoever gets selected/invited first can complete the app.

This may be depend under which programs you're thinking of applying (I'm not an expert on this aspect), as the programs vary somewhat.

For Hong Kong Pathway Stream A, PA will qualify once he/she finished the study. (and fit requirement to be in Hong Kong Pathway) They do not need invitation/selected to apply.

 

[onon0408]

Thanks a lot. We decided to apply together now.