Can I include my children in my Express Entry permanent residence application?

Yes. You can include dependent children in your Express Entry application. A dependent child is generally a biological or adopted child who is under 22 years of age and unmarried, or a child over 22 who has depended on a parent for financial support since before turning 22 due to a physical or mental condition. Step-children may also qualify depending on the circumstances.

Children included in your application as dependants do not affect your CRS score — the CRS scores the principal applicant and the principal applicant's spouse or partner. However, including children means they will also become permanent residents when your application is approved, which is often the goal. Including a dependant you did not declare on your original profile — intentionally or by omission — is considered misrepresentation and carries serious consequences.

Even if your children will not be immigrating with you immediately, IRCC requires you to declare all eligible dependants on your application. If you do not include a child at the application stage and then try to sponsor them later, you may face complications, as Canadian immigration law imposes limits on sponsoring family members who were not disclosed in a prior application. Always declare all dependants truthfully.