Can I sponsor partner if I listed I was single on EE less than 12 months ago?

[aimeemel]

Heres the thing.

I have been with my same sex partner for 8 years now. No one knows. Close friends do but family does not. We’re both from the UK and have been in Canada on IEC visas for 2 years.
We list we’re single on all paperwork. It’s something we have always done.
We have shared homes and vacations for years and years. Our families just think we’re best friends.
I applied for EE CEC over a month ago. I don’t remember but I’m guessing there was a question asking my marital status and I would have clicked single.
My partner has applied for a work visa extension to buy her more time to apply for EE so she can hit the 2 years Canadian work experience mark. We don’t think this will work now. Between the application being rejected, hitting the 2 year mark and submitting a profile, there just won’t be enough time.
I want to sponsor her now once and if my EE application is approved. Can I do this if I listed I was single?
My application is still being reviewed, can I change it to say I’m in a relationship?

 

[Addus]

You need to inform them your relationship status changed before you land.
If you were in a relationship when you applied you committed misrepresentation which is serious. If you were common law after you applied but before you land and you land as single, you are also committing misrepresentation.
Never lie.

 

[scylla]

Heres the thing.

I have been with my same sex partner for 8 years now. No one knows. Close friends do but family does not. We’re both from the UK and have been in Canada on IEC visas for 2 years.
We list we’re single on all paperwork. It’s something we have always done.
We have shared homes and vacations for years and years. Our families just think we’re best friends.
I applied for EE CEC over a month ago. I don’t remember but I’m guessing there was a question asking my marital status and I would have clicked single.
My partner has applied for a work visa extension to buy her more time to apply for EE so she can hit the 2 years Canadian work experience mark. We don’t think this will work now. Between the application being rejected, hitting the 2 year mark and submitting a profile, there just won’t be enough time.
I want to sponsor her now once and if my EE application is approved. Can I do this if I listed I was single?
My application is still being reviewed, can I change it to say I’m in a relationship?

You are not single. You are common law. Saying you are single in your EE application is misrepresentation (lying in an immigration application). Two consequences for this if you don't fix it: (1) you will never be able to sponsor your partner for PR; (2) since you have committed misrepresentation to obtain PR, at any point in the future your PR status could potentially be revoked by IRCC.

You need to add your partner to your EE application NOW.

 

[canuck78]

You also should have been be filing your taxes as common law spouses.

 

[scylla]

BTW: If your partner applied for a work permit extension without having an approved LMIA and without qualifying for an extension, the application will be refused as incomplete (meaning she applied for an extension when she didn't qualify for one). When this happens, she will be out of status in Canada effective the day her IEC expired. Also, any work experience gained after her IEC expired will be classified as illegal work and cannot be counted towards any immigration program.

 

[scylla]

You also should have been be filing your taxes as common law spouses.

Yep - 100%. They will need to go back and refiled past Canadian tax returns as common law. Not a good idea to mess with CRA...