How do I add Canadian PR spouse to existing EE profile?

[Soni51]

Hi everyone, need urgent guidance please.
My future husband-to-be and I decided to get married a month ago. However, he received his Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) just 1 week ago, and he is currently awaiting his PR card. For reference he did not mention anything about me in his PR application because at that time we were not in relationship. And we have been living at the same address for the past year and a half, sharing accommodation with other friends. Will this affect my PR application?

Additionally, I am currently on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) valid until March 2026. I created my Express Entry profile in February 2024 (CRS SCORE 505) with a single status because we were not in a relationship or had any plan to marry at that time.

Now that he has received his PR and if we plan to marry in the next month or two, I am unsure about what steps we should take. How do I add spouse who just received his PR to my existing EE profile ? Is it really advisable to do ? Or should I wait to get an ITA & do my PR application on single status and then got married once I also received my PR ? (Because we have same address history that's why I am more confused about what to do and just want to 100% make sure before updating my EE profile or taking any further step will not harm my and his PR ?)

YOUR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU!

 

[Lord_Tony]

Now that your potential spouse is a PR you can only add him as non-accompanying.
Doing that will make your EE profile truthful. Since you say, you both have stayed in the same address for 18 months. Adding him doesn't hurt you, but unfortunately, it won't give you any points in EE, even the 15 points for relatives are for blood relatives - siblings and parents, etc.

You can update your profile and leave it to wait for an ITA, hopefully, you get one soon, if not you can try for PNP, etc since you seem keen on trying for a PR on your own.

In an ideal more truthful world, both of you should have added each other as non-accompanying partners in your EE profiles, that way none in IRCC could have questioned you both at any time in the future. Let us not debate over spilled milk now, the past is past and let us move and see what should be done for the future.

After marriage and gathering needed documents including registration etc,...won't you be eligible to directly apply for the spousal PR? You say your PGWP is also valid till 2026 won't the spousal PR route be a fit instead?

 

[Soni51]

Now that your potential spouse is a PR you can only add him as non-accompanying.
Doing that will make your EE profile truthful. Since you say, you both have stayed in the same address for 18 months. Adding him doesn't hurt you, but unfortunately, it won't give you any points in EE, even the 15 points for relatives are for blood relatives - siblings and parents, etc.

You can update your profile and leave it to wait for an ITA, hopefully, you get one soon, if not you can try for PNP, etc since you seem keen on trying for a PR on your own.

In an ideal more truthful world, both of you should have added each other as non-accompanying partners in your EE profiles, that way none in IRCC could have questioned you both at any time in the future. Let us not debate over spilled milk now, the past is past and let us move and see what should be done for the future.

After marriage and gathering needed documents including registration etc,...won't you be eligible to directly apply for the spousal PR? You say your PGWP is also valid till 2026 won't the spousal PR route be a fit instead?

Thank you for your reply. Really appreciated.

Just for reference, he applied for his PR under OINP master graduate stream last year around June or Aug 2023 and 1 week ago he received COPR. So as you are saying, can I just leave my EE profile as it is (on single status) and we are not in hurry to marry so we can wait until I will also get my PR. I think that is more safer way. What's your suggestion on it?

And regarding Spousal PR application, I have heard many cases that it is taking longer time almost 12 months so I would give it less preference.

 

[Lord_Tony]

No, sorry if I was not clear. If you leave your status as single, you will continue to lie to IRCC, and you both risk being questioned on misrepresentation and both your future applications being rejected or statuses being withdrawn, etc. As you can't correct past mistakes, it would be right to start being truthful and update as a non-accompanying partner at least now.

Also since your spouse had OINP sponsorship, he could have added you even as an accompanying partner. The reason is with 600 PNP points adding a partner would still keep his CRS score above the draw cutoff. If he has eCOPR now it is too late and I feel IRCC might doubt adding you as a partner now. I feel you both have missed the opportunity to get PR together by not taking the legal advice at the right time, And I feel like you are taking too many risks by not being completely truthful to IRCC.

 

[Soni51]

No, sorry if I was not clear. If you leave your status as single, you will continue to lie to IRCC, and you both risk being questioned on misrepresentation and both your future applications being rejected or statuses being withdrawn, etc. As you can't correct past mistakes, it would be right to start being truthful and update as a non-accompanying partner at least now.

Also since your spouse had OINP sponsorship, he could have added you even as an accompanying partner. The reason is with 600 PNP points adding a partner would still keep his CRS score above the draw cutoff. If he has eCOPR now it is too late and I feel IRCC might doubt adding you as a partner now. I feel you both have missed the opportunity to get PR together by not taking the legal advice at the right time, And I feel like you are taking too many risks by not being completely truthful to IRCC.

Make sense, its better to update my EE profile and let's see. But do you think spousal PR application is more safer than updating EE profile in this situation?

 

[Lord_Tony]

One at a time,

1) Please update your profile as a non-accompanying partner for now and you can continue to wait for your ITA, good luck getting one soon, or as I said earlier please try the PNP routes also.

2) For the Spousal PR, as you didn't have each other as non-accompanying, suddenly applying as a partner via Spousal PR immediately might raise red flags for both of you. I would suggest waiting till you both get married, collate the needed documentation, etc.. parallelly take proper legal advice, and at least talk to a renowned IRCC before embarking on applying in that route. So that you can do it in the right pathway, and also take the needed steps to not get caught with misrepresentation.

 

[Soni51]

One at a time,

1) Please update your profile as a non-accompanying partner for now and you can continue to wait for your ITA, good luck getting one soon, or as I said earlier please try the PNP routes also.

2) For the Spousal PR, as you didn't have each other as non-accompanying, suddenly applying as a partner via Spousal PR immediately might raise red flags for both of you. I would suggest waiting till you both get married, collate the needed documentation, etc.. parallelly take proper legal advice, and at least talk to a renowned IRCC before embarking on applying in that route. So that you can do it in the right pathway, and also take the needed steps to not get caught with misrepresentation.

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation and in case, I received ITA before we get married, I can still update my status after ITA, that is not an issue, right ?

 

[Lord_Tony]

Why wait, what prevents you from updating immediately?

 

[Soni51]

Why wait, what prevents you from updating immediately?

We are not married yet. We will first need to get marriage license and then they'll give an appointment and then we can officially do marriage in Ontario. That's why.

 

[Lord_Tony]

After your wedding, you will have to change your status to married and choose him as a non-accompanying spouse.

Right now, you have to choose one of the other martial statuses and add him as your applicable partner.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/permanent-residence/non-economic-classes/family-class-determining-spouse/assessing-relationship.html