Why You Should Be Careful When Declaring Your Marital Status in an Immigration Application
The Express Entry program is Canada’s primary system for selecting skilled workers for immigration. Since its launch in 2015, candidate evaluation has been based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which takes into account:
- age
- education
- language proficiency
- work experience
- and other adaptability factors
In recent years, there has been a rise in misrepresentation cases, where married applicants apply as single to artificially increase their CRS score. In response, IRCC announced increased scrutiny of such submissions to maintain the system’s fairness and integrity.
How CRS Scoring Works for Singles vs. Couples
Express Entry uses two separate CRS grids:
- Single applicants can earn up to 500 points for core personal factors
- Married applicants earn up to 460 points for the principal applicant,
but the spouse can contribute up to 40 additional points through their own education, work experience, and language skills
This is designed to be a balancing system, not a penalty. It allows couples to “recover” lost points if the spouse possesses skills valuable to the Canadian economy.
What’s the Problem?
Due to the high competitiveness of Express Entry, especially among those lacking experience in priority sectors (such as health care, education, STEM, or construction),
some applicants try to artificially boost their scores by excluding their spouse from the application.
They then apply separately for spousal sponsorship after receiving permanent residence.
While this is not technically illegal, IRCC considers it inconsistent with the intent of the program and views it as a potential form of misrepresentation.
What Actions Is IRCC Taking?
- All Express Entry applications that list no accompanying spouse will now be closely reviewed
- Special attention will be paid to cases where a spouse was excluded without a clear justification
- The scrutiny will also extend to subsequent steps, including sponsorship applications after PR is granted
Recommendations for Applicants
If you are legally married and applying through Express Entry:
- You should either include your spouse in the application, with supporting documents
Or - Provide a clear and well-justified explanation for why the spouse is not accompanying you or not listed on the application
Summary
Accurately disclosing your marital status is critical.
Deliberately omitting your spouse to increase your CRS score may:
- raise concerns about your integrity as an applicant
- jeopardize your future spousal sponsorship application
- or even lead to questions about your already-approved PR status
Be honest and transparent — and your immigration pathway will be far more secure.
