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Moving in to Canada as a single mom

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,222
13,406
Hello everyone,

I am a single mother of 2 boys ages 5 and 3. I already have my profile in the pool with a score of 451. I started my divorce case but it is still pending in court. However, I went ahead to do a separate case for custody of my children at the Magistrate court. That verdict came out in time and I was granted sole custody of my children and sole responsibility to make decisions on their behalves. The document also gave visitation right to the father which will be agreed on by me.

The divorce case is close to an end but I cant say for certain when that would happen, although the outcome of our mediation would be adopted where I also get sole custody and responsibility of both children with visitation rights to their father.

My question is, can I use only the Custody document to apply for my kids or do I need to wait for the Divorce papers (There is no telling how long it will take it has already been 2 years in this process). would I still need a consent form from their father?
No the custody documents are ok for the children. As a single mother with 2 young children you will need to earn a very good income in order to afford childcare for 2 children for 5-10 more years. The majority of schools finish mid-afternoon so you will need to pay for childcare even when your children are in full-time school if yo7 work typical 9-5 working hours. Some also must pay for childcare before school. $500+/month per child is fairly typical for after school childcare. You may also need to pay for childcare before school if you commute. The other issue is summer holidays and school holidays during the year. Canadians receive very little holiday time from jobs so you may only have 2-3 weeks per year. Most families are dependent on summer camps for their children but it is expensive. You are looking at $350-500/ month on the low end and much more for specialized camps. Unless you have a large amount of savings already I would really consider delaying a move to Canada until your kids are a bit older. We are in a recession so finding a good job may be even more difficult.
 

Joji_De

Newbie
May 11, 2020
3
0
You can use the custody document.

Assuming you are a FSW applicant (vs. CEC), you should see what you can do to increase your score by retaking IELTS, etc.

Thank you so much for reply so swiftly. That has been on my mind for so long. Yes, I am FSW and I'm working on taking the TEF for French by June. My IELTS is spot on but my age is the issue (34yrs).
 

Joji_De

Newbie
May 11, 2020
3
0
No the custody documents are ok for the children. As a single mother with 2 young children you will need to earn a very good income in order to afford childcare for 2 children for 5-10 more years. The majority of schools finish mid-afternoon so you will need to pay for childcare even when your children are in full-time school if yo7 work typical 9-5 working hours. Some also must pay for childcare before school. $500+/month per child is fairly typical for after school childcare. You may also need to pay for childcare before school if you commute. The other issue is summer holidays and school holidays during the year. Canadians receive very little holiday time from jobs so you may only have 2-3 weeks per year. Most families are dependent on summer camps for their children but it is expensive. You are looking at $350-500/ month on the low end and much more for specialized camps. Unless you have a large amount of savings already I would really consider delaying a move to Canada until your kids are a bit older. We are in a recession so finding a good job may be even more difficult.
Thank you so much for your response. Very much appreciated. I totally appreciate this information but I'm have my reasons for choosing to move now and also as much as I am careful not to be ignorant, I am very optimistic about my chances. Thanks again for the breakdown of figures, I'll put that into consideration.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,222
13,406
Lots of dual income families that struggle with expenses when the have 2 young children. It gets slightly better when you don’t have kids in full-time daycare but still difficult. Most save all year to afford childcare during the summer. Many moving to Canada see CCB as extra money but CCB exists due to the high cost of raising a child. Same thing as no school fees. 1 in 5 Canadians are considered to be living in poverty. Many see this as a cost saving but taxes are high so you are Not really saving money. Just encouraging you to make sure you really research the expenses you will have when you move. The a POF required aren’t enough to cover your costs. Without employment many landlords will only rent to you if you can provide 3-6 months of rent in advance. When the economy was good moving as a single mom with 2 young kids would be really tough. In a recession it will be so much tougher.
 

emmalyng

Star Member
May 3, 2020
60
15
If the father is still alive, even if you were never married, then you still need that IMM5604. Hope all works out well for you.

EDIT: Some countries like the Philippines award the mother automatic sole legal custody of illegitimate children. As I'm unsure about your circumstance, I can't comment further.
Hello I am in the same situation, I have the IMM5604 secure from the dad, will that be sufficient enough to include my son on my PR application? Do I have to get a letter from a lawyer or something?
 

Vanessaeko

Star Member
Jun 1, 2019
59
8
hi Reen. I never heard from Dev. I am in the exact situation as you. in my application, I attached the law of my country that states that if the father does not acknowledge paternity they only state the mother therefore I can't state the father as he has not acknowledged paternity that is the reason the certificate only shows me as the sole parent. I will let you know how it goes
Please how did it go?
 
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Reen25

Newbie
Nov 2, 2019
5
0
hi Reen. I never heard from Dev. I am in the exact situation as you. in my application, I attached the law of my country that states that if the father does not acknowledge paternity they only state the mother therefore I can't state the father as he has not acknowledged paternity that is the reason the certificate only shows me as the sole parent. I will let you know how it goes
Thank you for responding and sharing. I will prob need to also get some legal things checked out and hope all goes well. how is your process so far? Would like to keep in touch :]
 

Shaddy1

Newbie
Dec 22, 2020
1
0
Hello everyone. Please what happens in a case where the father filed for divorce and it was granted, sole custody of the kids was given to the mother with visitation rights for the father but when maintenance fee was being deliberated, the father sent letter to the court that he was not interested in the case anymore. The court had no choice but to struck out the case since the father is the petitioner. In this scenario, is the divorce and custody still valid and enough for canada or the mother needs to file for another custody and divorce?
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,222
13,406
Hello everyone. Please what happens in a case where the father filed for divorce and it was granted, sole custody of the kids was given to the mother with visitation rights for the father but when maintenance fee was being deliberated, the father sent letter to the court that he was not interested in the case anymore. The court had no choice but to struck out the case since the father is the petitioner. In this scenario, is the divorce and custody still valid and enough for canada or the mother needs to file for another custody and divorce?
You'll need to file. It's in your best interest in case you ever want to marry again. What about the custody agreement? Has that been finalized. Perhaps mediation is an option in your country and you can get together with your lawyers, if necessary, to reach a divorce and custody agreement quickly.
 

Jelly_27

Newbie
Nov 25, 2021
4
0
I have not gone thru Any process yet..I need to do some research on this legal process thing and if I need any documents for my son N my situation. How about yourself?
hi Reen. I never heard from Dev. I am in the exact situation as you. in my application, I attached the law of my country that states that if the father does not acknowledge paternity they only state the mother therefore I can't state the father as he has not acknowledged paternity that is the reason the certificate only shows me as the sole parent. I will let you know how it goes
Hi! We have the same situation! What did you do?
 
Aug 28, 2021
1
0
I am a single mom of 7yrs baby girl,and I dñt wish to drop my child behind ,I wish she go with me why I make my future Bright and make use of my destiny,but I never have anybody ,I wish d country will accept me and my child.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,496
9,388
I am a single mom of 7yrs baby girl,and I dñt wish to drop my child behind ,I wish she go with me why I make my future Bright and make use of my destiny,but I never have anybody ,I wish d country will accept me and my child.
So you can apply for Express Entry to see if you are selected. It is based on your education, skill, language and age. You include your child in the application.
 
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kene Nma

Member
Jul 31, 2022
11
0
Hi, am a single mum of grown up children, 22, 20 and 17 to be 18 in January 7th, I have an offer of employment from Saskatchewan. Do I need to get their father to fill Form 5406 considering their age. I want to include them in my permanent resident application.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,598
21,953
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Hi, am a single mum of grown up children, 22, 20 and 17 to be 18 in January 7th, I have an offer of employment from Saskatchewan. Do I need to get their father to fill Form 5406 considering their age.
The 22 year old is no longer classified as a dependent (too old) and won't be eligible to come with you.

You will need the form for the 17 year old if you are traveling before January 7th.

The 20 year old can travel without the form.
 
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