Skip to content
NOTRE-DAME-DE-L'ÎLE-PERROT · TN FIELD GUIDE

Do a spouse's and children's documents need the same treatment?

Sources checked:

THE DIRECT ANSWER

Dependent documents serve a different purpose. TD eligibility turns on the relationship, a spouse or an unmarried child under 21, so marriage and birth certificates matter more than academic records. Those civil documents, if in another language, may need translation, but they are not subjects for academic evaluation.

Separate relationship proof from academic proof

The principal applicant's file is about profession and credentials; the dependents' file is about the family relationship and each person's own nationality-specific steps. A marriage certificate or birth certificate issued in another language generally needs a faithful translation, while a credential evaluation has no role there. Note also that TD permits study but does not authorize employment, so a spouse's diplomas do not belong in the TD packet as work qualifications.

A spouse who intends to work eventually needs a status or authorization that permits it, which is a separate question with its own criteria and timing. A spouse and unmarried children under twenty-one may qualify for TD, and each needs a valid travel document of their own. A spouse and eligible children may seek TD classification, but TD dependants are not authorized to work, although they may study. Record each child's birth date and the intended assignment period side by side before accepting a multi-year offer.