IRCC’s Pilot Project to Sponsor Undeclared Family Members – NOW EXPIRED
The following is legal information and not legal advice. If you need further information or need legal advice, please call our Intake Line at 416-441-1764 ext. 1.
The Government of Canada Public Policy Pilot Program that allowed certain immigrants who did not declare family members on their original applications to still sponsor them (to come to Canada) has now expired.
At this time, the Government has confirmed they will not be introducing a new policy, and the bar to Sponsorship/Permanent Residence Eligibility for undeclared family members will apply to all potential Sponsors/Applicants.
From now on, if a person wishes to bring a family member that would fall under the definition of “undeclared”, they will be required to make a Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) request, in combination with any Sponsorship Application, requesting an extraordinary exception to the regular Immigration laws and rules.
When a person applies for Permanent Residence in Canada, all family members (spouse/partner and dependent children) must be declared and examined as part of the application process. This is the case, whether or not the family members are applying for permanent residence themselves. To have a family member be declared and examined means the family member must be listed on the application and will need to undergo criminal and security checks, as well as medical exams.
If a person’s family member decides to join them in Canada at a later date, a Sponsorship Application may be possible, but there are eligibility criteria covered by section 117 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. One of the eligibility criteria says that there is a permanent bar to Sponsorship, if a family member (potential applicant) was alive or in a relationship with the person in Canada (potential Sponsor) at the time that person in Canada became a Permanent Resident themselves, and the family member was not declared/examined in that PR application.
In 2019, the Government of Canada introduced a temporary Public Policy Pilot Program which created an exemption to this normal lifetime ban for some individuals. Particularly, it was applicable for family members of Canadian Permanent Residents and Citizens who came to Canada as Refugees or as Sponsored dependents. This Public Policy officially expired on September 10, 2026. Eligible Family Class Sponsorship applications received on or before that date, will continue to be assessed and processed under the public policy. Any new applications for undeclared family members will now be subject to a negative eligibility finding, and require an H&C request that the government will assess on a case-by-case basis — only grant in exceptional situations.
For more information about the expiry of the Public Policy Pilot Program, and Sponsorship in general, please visit the IRCC website.