For couples where one spouse is already in Canada on a spousal open work permit (SOWP) and the other is considering filing the Express Entry PR application without listing the spouse, to gain extra CRS points as a 'single' applicant:
- This is a real strategy some applicants use, filing as a non-accompanying spouse rather than declaring the marriage on the profile, since a single applicant's CRS points can be higher than a couple's combined score under the current point structure.
- Expect mixed opinions, including from immigration lawyers. The thread notes lawyers themselves disagree on how safe or advisable this approach is — treat it as a genuinely unsettled area, not a guaranteed-safe loophole.
- Understand the trade-off: declaring a spouse as non-accompanying still requires disclosing the marriage; it changes how the spouse is treated in the application rather than hiding the relationship. Misrepresenting marital status itself (rather than accompaniment) can risk misrepresentation findings.
Given the disagreement even among professionals, treat this as a decision to make with a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer who can review your specific relationship and timeline, rather than copying what others in a group have done.