For seven years, an IRCC public policy allowed some permanent residents to sponsor a spouse, partner or child they had not declared when they immigrated. That policy ended on September 10, 2026.
The underlying problem
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations exclude from sponsorship a family member who was not declared and examined when the sponsor immigrated (paragraph 117(9)(d)). Many refugees, out of fear, lack of information or separation, did not declare a spouse or child and could not bring them over later.
What the policy allowed
In force since 2019, the policy exempted sponsors who became permanent residents as resettled refugees, protected persons, or sponsored spouses, partners or children. It did not apply where declaring the family member would have made the sponsor inadmissible at the time.
What changes
- Eligible applications received up to September 10, 2026 continue to be processed under the policy.
- Applications received after that date can no longer benefit from it.
Organizations, including the Canadian Council for Refugees, have asked the government to renew it. No such announcement had been made when this article was published.
Remaining options
The main path is now a request for an exemption on humanitarian and compassionate grounds (section 25 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act), assessed case by case. It must explain why the family member was not declared and show the humanitarian reasons, including the best interests of any children affected. Processing times can be long.
Key point: if you are a protected person or former refugee who did not declare a family member, have your file reviewed before filing anything. How the omission is explained is decisive.