Moved in with girlfriend, should I have mentioned it to IRCC?

[TorontoFancy]

My girlfriend and I came here on a work permit (independently), worked for a couple of years and applied for PR last year (around the same time). A couple of months after we both applied for PR, we met each other and started dating.

Eventually, we decided to live with each other about two months after meeting each other (rushed, I know, we did it because of the crazy high rent in Toronto), and got an apartment together.

I remembered reading in an email I was sent after applying PR about updating IRCC about any change to circumstances, and was thinking about sending IRCC a webform saying that we are common law now. After reading through the IRCC’s website, I noticed that I need to cohabit with my partner for 12 months to be considered common law. Since I just moved in with her, I figured that doesn’t apply to us yet.

We both received our PRs pretty much within two months of moving together (so before living together for 12 months), so I didn’t get an opportunity to inform IRCC.

I was talking to someone recently and they said that I should’ve told IRCC that we are common law pretty much right after we moved in with each other. I was concerned hearing that, so I searched IRCCs websites again, but could not find information about informing them immediately after moving together as a couple (before cohabiting for 12 months). I did see that IRCC need to be informed about marriage immediately, but we are not married.

When we both applied for our PRs we didn’t even know each other, and even if you include the time we have known each other (before cohabiting) we been a couple for only about 3-4 months which is well below the 12 month period for common law.

Now I am super concerned that I might have missed some side note in immigration law and broke the law. Could someone here elaborate on this?

 

[scylla]

My girlfriend and I came here on a work permit (independently), worked for a couple of years and applied for PR last year (around the same time). A couple of months after we both applied for PR, we met each other and started dating.

Eventually, we decided to live with each other about two months after meeting each other (rushed, I know, we did it because of the crazy high rent in Toronto), and got an apartment together.

I remembered reading in an email I was sent after applying PR about updating IRCC about any change to circumstances, and was thinking about sending IRCC a webform saying that we are common law now. After reading through the IRCC’s website, I noticed that I need to cohabit with my partner for 12 months to be considered common law. Since I just moved in with her, I figured that doesn’t apply to us yet.

We both received our PRs pretty much within two months of moving together (so before living together for 12 months), so I didn’t get an opportunity to inform IRCC.

I was talking to someone recently and they said that I should’ve told IRCC that we are common law pretty much right after we moved in with each other. I was concerned hearing that, so I searched IRCCs websites again, but could not find information about informing them immediately after moving together as a couple (before cohabiting for 12 months). I did see that IRCC need to be informed about marriage immediately, but we are not married.

When we both applied for our PRs we didn’t even know each other, and even if you include the time we have known each other (before cohabiting) we been a couple for only about 3-4 months which is well below the 12 month period for common law.

Now I am super concerned that I might have missed some side note in immigration law and broke the law. Could someone here elaborate on this?

"Someone" is wrong. Don't listen to them. You are right. They are wrong and don't understand immigration rules.

 

[scylla]

My girlfriend and I came here on a work permit (independently), worked for a couple of years and applied for PR last year (around the same time). A couple of months after we both applied for PR, we met each other and started dating.

Eventually, we decided to live with each other about two months after meeting each other (rushed, I know, we did it because of the crazy high rent in Toronto), and got an apartment together.

I remembered reading in an email I was sent after applying PR about updating IRCC about any change to circumstances, and was thinking about sending IRCC a webform saying that we are common law now. After reading through the IRCC’s website, I noticed that I need to cohabit with my partner for 12 months to be considered common law. Since I just moved in with her, I figured that doesn’t apply to us yet.

We both received our PRs pretty much within two months of moving together (so before living together for 12 months), so I didn’t get an opportunity to inform IRCC.

I was talking to someone recently and they said that I should’ve told IRCC that we are common law pretty much right after we moved in with each other. I was concerned hearing that, so I searched IRCCs websites again, but could not find information about informing them immediately after moving together as a couple (before cohabiting for 12 months). I did see that IRCC need to be informed about marriage immediately, but we are not married.

When we both applied for our PRs we didn’t even know each other, and even if you include the time we have known each other (before cohabiting) we been a couple for only about 3-4 months which is well below the 12 month period for common law.

Now I am super concerned that I might have missed some side note in immigration law and broke the law. Could someone here elaborate on this?

Also, previously answered here so not sure why you are asking again.

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/should-i-add-common-law-partner-to-application-before-12-months-of-cohabitation.785210/

 

[TorontoFancy]

sorry about asking it again @scylla. The person who mentioned it to me is an immigration consultant and they are adamant. I think it might be a ploy to get them to represent me when I apply for citizenship, but I wanted to be absolutely sure.

I didn’t want them to report me to IRCC and get my pr cancelled over this.

 

[TorontoFancy]

I am an extremely anxious person and this has been bugging me for two months!

 

[TorontoFancy]

They said that the 12 months is only for family sponsorship and it is immediate for PR. I couldn’t see anything about what they claimed when I searched the web, so I wanted to be sure.

 

[scylla]

sorry about asking it again @scylla. The person who mentioned it to me is an immigration consultant and they are adamant. I think it might be a ploy to get them to represent me when I apply for citizenship, but I wanted to be absolutely sure.

I didn’t want them to report me to IRCC and get my pr cancelled over this.

We see a lot of very bad advice from immigration consultants here. This one has no idea what they are doing and should quit their day job before they really screw up someone's application and are reported and lose their license. If they are getting this very basic information wrong, I can't even begin to imagine the level of incompetence the are operating under and what horrifically bad advice they are giving others. Stay very far away from them.

If you want advice from a profession to be 100% sure of the answer, go with an immigration lawyer (not consultant).

 

[scylla]

They said that the 12 months is only for family sponsorship and it is immediate for PR. I couldn’t see anything about what they claimed when I searched the web, so I wanted to be sure.

The are colossally incompetent and should not be operating as an immigration cosultant. This is super super basic stuff. And they are getting it completely wrong. Boggles the mind that they could be this bad at their job. I hope someone reports them to RCIC and they have their license revoked.