As of August 1, 2014 new regulations came into force concerning the definition of dependent children. The age at which a child will be considered a dependant has been changed from under 22 to under 19. In addition, the exception for full-time students has also been abolished. The following is the new definition of a dependent child:
A child who depends on their parent for financial and other support. A son or daughter is considered a dependant of their parent when the child is:
• under 19 years old, and does not have a spouse or partner, or
• 19 years old and over, and has depended largely on the parent's financial support since before the age of 19 because of a physical or mental condition.
Permanent resident applications received prior to August 1, 2014 will still be processed according to the old definition. Candidates who have submitted an application under a multi-step program, such as one of Quebec's economic programs, but have not yet submitted their application for permanent residence, will also have their applications evaluated based on the old definition.
