Can cousins be considered as family/relative ?

[patnikrishna]

My Cousin sister has a PR and is living in Queubec.
Can I show her as a family/relative living in Canada ?

 

[cyronn]

My Cousin sister has a PR and is living in Queubec.
Can I show her as a family/relative living in Canada ?

Doesn't look like it. See this thread.

 

[G.Singh]

Rules placed in 2010 were much different from what they are now under EE. We are not after gettin points as in old system. We are just tryin to prove our family ties with Ontario for immediate adaptability once we are allowed to land there for first time (as in many outland cases i presume). I believe in right mind Ontario case-officer will be lookin for indication that the new immigrant has someone to look after him/her once they land in a new country for first time. This is what happens in UK's case, where I used my real sister's sponsorship letter. But this time around for Canada as in present case, I am contemplating of showing my cousin sister (45 year old employed daughter of my father's real blood brother who is a citizen of Ontario). I am going to get birth certificates of myself, my cousin sister, my father and my father's brother to prove the lineage. Is there any experienced member who can think of any loophole in this kinda work-around???
I'll be highly obliged.

 

[Lammawitch]

Rules placed in 2010 were much different from what they are now under EE. We are not after gettin points as in old system. We are just tryin to prove our family ties with Ontario for immediate adaptability once we are allowed to land there for first time (as in many outland cases i presume). I believe in right mind Ontario case-officer will be lookin for indication that the new immigrant has someone to look after him/her once they land in a new country for first time. This is what happens in UK's case, where I used my real sister's sponsorship letter. But this time around for Canada as in present case, I am contemplating of showing my cousin sister (45 year old employed daughter of my father's real blood brother who is a citizen of Ontario). I am going to get birth certificates of myself, my cousin sister, my father and my father's brother to prove the lineage. Is there any experienced member who can think of any loophole in this kinda work-around???
I'll be highly obliged.

"Qualifying relatives", as defined by CIC for EE are:
parent, grandparent,
child, grandchild,
brother, sister,
aunt, uncle, or
niece, nephew

 

[MooseNBooze]

This is an interesting topic and one that, surprisingly, doesn't get discussed much around here. The CRS under EE is a different beast. Not like in the old days.

Let's go to the authoritative source: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/grid-crs.asp

Per the criteria outlined above, there are no points awarded for having a relative (whether your parents/siblings or your fourth cousin whom you kissed during this one family gathering when you were 10 years old).

However, having relatives in Canada indeed plays a role. In two ways. One, when trying to meet the minimum criteria (the 67/100 pass marks - see "Adaptability" section here http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-factors.asp). Two, when applying for PNP's (say, Ontario's PNP), where you can mention (and then provide proof) even your cousins and such living in the yonderland.

I hope this helps. If I have provided incorrect information, please do not hesitate to point it out.

 

[MooseNBooze]

Rules placed in 2010 were much different from what they are now under EE. We are not after gettin points as in old system. We are just tryin to prove our family ties with Ontario for immediate adaptability once we are allowed to land there for first time (as in many outland cases i presume). I believe in right mind Ontario case-officer will be lookin for indication that the new immigrant has someone to look after him/her once they land in a new country for first time. This is what happens in UK's case, where I used my real sister's sponsorship letter. But this time around for Canada as in present case, I am contemplating of showing my cousin sister (45 year old employed daughter of my father's real blood brother who is a citizen of Ontario). I am going to get birth certificates of myself, my cousin sister, my father and my father's brother to prove the lineage. Is there any experienced member who can think of any loophole in this kinda work-around???
I'll be highly obliged.

So what G.Singh says above is accurate, with the caveat that the old definition of what counts as relatives only matters for meeting the "mimimum entry criteria" like I discussed above.

 

[G.Singh]

Thanku MooseNBooze, I am more after your second point; as I already have 68 to satisfy my 67/100 FSWP Adaptability criteria without even using points permitted by "Qualifying relatives" clause (so I'm not looking for gaining points under that; what I'm trying is to show my connection to Ontario). Lammawitch is also correct in his/her point that "Qualifying relatives" doesnt include first cousins, but that is for post-ITA (again for FSWP) stage. Right now, I am at a stage where I have to prove my connection to Ontario ONLY under Human Priority Stream (which I believe is like is a subset of FSWP program). I guess the main confusion with my query is that I'm NOT aiming to gain points from family ties under Adaptability clause of FSWP criteria BUT RATHER trying to satisfy provincial criteria (read Ontario not Canada as a whole; although you might argue that ON is a province of Canada itself) of Intention to Reside in Ontario (point 6 in guide on Pg.5 as well as Clause 3.5 point 6 of Pg 13; BUT NOT Clause 3.7 Pg 14) through indication of family ties to Ontario only, in which my understanding is that I MAY use my cousin sister's details to satisfy the same since there's nothing specifically mentioned towards this in the App Guide. I guess I've cleared some confusion here on criteria for Family Ties for OINP and for FSWP, let me know what you think.

 

[Asivad Anac]

Thanku MooseNBooze, I am more after your second point; as I already have 68 to satisfy my 67/100 FSWP Adaptability criteria without even using points permitted by "Qualifying relatives" clause (so I'm not looking for gaining points under that; what I'm trying is to show my connection to Ontario). Lammawitch is also correct in his/her point that "Qualifying relatives" doesnt include first cousins, but that is for post-ITA (again for FSWP) stage. Right now, I am at a stage where I have to prove my connection to Ontario ONLY under Human Priority Stream (which I believe is like is a subset of FSWP program). I guess the main confusion with my query is that I'm NOT aiming to gain points from family ties under Adaptability clause of FSWP criteria BUT RATHER trying to satisfy provincial criteria (read Ontario not Canada as a whole; although you might argue that ON is a province of Canada itself) of Intention to Reside in Ontario (point 6 in guide on Pg.5 as well as Clause 3.5 point 6 of Pg 13; BUT NOT Clause 3.7 Pg 14) through indication of family ties to Ontario only, in which my understanding is that I MAY use my cousin sister's details to satisfy the same since there's nothing specifically mentioned towards this in the App Guide. I guess I've cleared some confusion here on criteria for Family Ties for OINP and for FSWP, let me know what you think.

You'e got both of them right.

You can certainly use this relationship to add more meat to the 'Ties to Ontario' section of your OINP application. You cannot use this relationship towards 'Adaptability' points under FSWP which you anyways don't need as you have 68 points already.

 

[Lammawitch]

Ontario actually specifies quite clearly which "degrees" of family members/ties it accepts. Cousins aren't listed.

http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/prodconsum/groups/csc/@oipp/documents/document/oi_en_hcps.pdf

(Sections 3.5 & 3.7 are, I think, relevant)