Who can apply

Eligibility for the principal applicant

To be eligible to apply as a principal applicant, you must

• have come to Canada before you were 19 years old
• have continuously resided in Canada for at least 3 years before you apply
• have continuously resided in Canada since you were 19 years old (if you’re now over 19 years)
• not have valid temporary resident status in Canada when you submit your application
• have been under the legal responsibility of a child and family services provider under a provincial or territorial government’s designated ministry for at least 1 year (cumulative)
• be physically present in Canada when you submit your application
• not be inadmissible to Canada
  Exceptions for inadmissibility

  You can only apply for the TRP if you’re inadmissible for one or more of the following reasons:

  • for serious criminality
  • for criminality
  • for health reasons (for a health condition that might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services)
  • for financial reasons
  • for misrepresentation related to
    • your entry to Canada or
    • overstaying your temporary resident status and working or studying without authorization
  • for being or having been sponsored by a person who is determined to be inadmissible for misrepresentation
  • for non-compliance
  • for having a family member who is inadmissible or for being the accompanying family member of an inadmissible person
    • unless the family member is inadmissible under subsections 34(1), 35(1) or 37(1) of the Act

How to demonstrate that you were in state care

To demonstrate the period(s) of time you were in state care, you may submit documents such as

• court documents
• an attestation letter from a provincial or territorial child welfare agency that was granted legal responsibility for you
• an attestation letter from a child service institution, confirming your attendance during a specific period
• attendance records from a child service institution

Eligibility for family members

Your eligible family members in Canada can submit an application for their own TRP.

To be eligible, your family members must

• be the family member of an eligible principal applicant to whom we issued a TRP
• not have valid status in Canada when they apply
• be physically present in Canada when they apply
• not be inadmissible to Canada
  Exceptions for inadmissibility

  Your family member can apply if they’re inadmissible for one or more of the following reasons:

  • for misrepresentation related to
    • their entry to Canada or
    • overstaying their temporary resident status and working or studying without authorization
  • for non-compliance
  • for having a family member who is inadmissible or for being the accompanying family member of an inadmissible person
    • unless the family member is inadmissible under subsections 34(1), 35(1) or 37(1) of the Act

Definition of a family member

A family member is defined as

• your spouse or common-law partner(opens in a new tab) 
• your or your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child(opens in a new tab) 
• the dependent child of a dependent child