DEPENDENT CHILD
A child who depends on their parent for financial and other support.
To qualify as a dependant, your child must meet the age limit and requirements of the applicable definition below. To know which definition applies, pick the definition in force on the date we received your application for permanent residence.
Exception: If your child’s age was locked in on or before July 31, 2014, your child must meet the requirements that were in force at that time, regardless of when you submitted your application for permanent residence.
Use our online tool to check if your child qualifies as a dependant.
Definition of a dependent child as of October 24, 2017
Children qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
- they’re under 22 years old, and
- they don’t have a spouse or common-law partner.
Children 22 years old or older (also known as an overage dependent children) qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
- they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22, and
- they are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition.
Definition of a dependent child from August 1, 2014, to October 23, 2017
Children qualify as dependants if they are:
- under 19 years old, and do not have a spouse or common-law partner, or
- 19 years old or older (also known as overage dependent children) andhave depended on the parent’s financial support since before the age of 19 because of a physical or mental condition
Definition of a dependent child on or before July 31, 2014
Children 21 years old and under
To be eligible as a dependant, your child must not be married or not in a common-law relationship.
Children 21 years old and under who are married or in a common-law relationship may qualify as overage dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
- have been a full-time student on an ongoing basis, and
- have depended largely on a parent’s financial support since they became a spouse or partner.
Overage dependants
To be eligible as a dependant, children 22 years old and older must:
- have depended on a parent’s financial support since before the age of 22 because of a physical or mental condition
or
- have been a full-time student on an ongoing basis since before the age of 22, and
- have depended on a parent’s financial support since that time.
If your child became a spouse or partner before the age of 22, your child may be eligible as a dependant only if your child meets both of these requirements:
- has been a full-time student on an ongoing basis since before the age of 22, and
- has depended on a parent’s financial support since they became a spouse or partner.
Dependant type
There are different types of dependent children. On your immigration application forms, you must select which type your dependent child is.
You can use our online tool to check which type of dependant your child is.
Type A
The dependant is under the age of 22 and single (not married and not in a common-law relationship).
Type B
This dependant type only applies if your child’s age was locked in before August 1, 2014.
The dependant has been continuously enrolled in, and in attendance, as a full‑time student at a post-secondary institution accredited by the relevant government authority and has depended substantially on the financial support of a parent either:
- since before the age of 22, or
- since marrying or entering into a common-law relationship (if it happened before the age of 22)
Type C
The dependant is 22 years of age or older, has depended substantially on the financial support of a parent since before the age of 22, and is unable to provide for himself or herself because of a medical condition.
Dependant types used on applications submitted between August 1, 2014, and October 23, 2017
Type 1
The dependant is under the age of 19 and single (not married and not in a common-law relationship).
Type 2
The dependant is 19 years of age or older, has been financially dependent on a parent since before the age of 19 due to a physical or mental condition.
Source: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/glossary.asp#dependent_child