[jkaplowitz]

Updated my comment. It's possible for it to hurt, but that's an unusual outcome. The marriage usually helps in Canada even when the spouse is less qualified, unlike Trump's proposal.

[Edited to remove inaccurate info about the 40 points]

You may also be interested in Quebec's system, which as of August 2 makes children purely positive to the skilled worker points system there, and never removes points for spouses.

(The marriage only mildly raises Quebec's approval threshold, usually outweighed by the spouse's qualifications even if far lesser than the principal applicant.)

Source for the Quebec comments: the specific way I immigrated to Canada was via Quebec. I have friends who want to immigrate on both sides of the provincial border, so I continue to pay close attention to both systems.

[iamshs]

Those 40 points come out of your own points if you have a spouse. You score more without a spouse than with a spouse. Trump's proposal is exactly the same as Canada's in principle, except we don't the points being assigned under Trump's program.

Also, under Quebec's new proposal if single you need to score 50 points, and with spouse you need 59 points. Spousal qualifications are absolutely weighted in. This is not the case with other provincial nominee programs though, Alberta, BC or Ontario.

[jkaplowitz]

For Quebec's system, the spousal increase to the threshold is not a change from the system before August 2, and as I noted it's a slight impact. Everything is weighed less for the spouse. A less qualified spouse will still not usually hurt. I mentioned August 2 since I don't remember whether children helped in the old system under which I applied; I did remember how spouses affected things, i.e. no significant change.

You're right that I misread the Express Entry table you linked on where the 40 points come from, although I still think the situation would already have to be a borderline case indeed with a very particular set of characteristics for that to matter to the outcome.

In particular, people with a provincial nomination certificate get 600 points just for that, and most CRS draws lately have been something like 441. An entirely unqualified spouse won't hurt that.

And for Federal Skilled Worker Program applicants, the Express Entry table does not determine the outcome, anyway. Just who can apply in which order.

There is a different points grid for FSWP applications after the Invitation to Apply. Yes, the one with a version of the same 67-point pass mark that has long existed. With spouses only able to help, not hurt.

I guess that if you've mostly done provincial nomination programs, and I had only seriously considered FSWP + Quebec for myself, that explains part of our differing perspectives about Canada's systems. :)

[iamshs]

Express Entry nominations have not been rolled out by all provinces, e.g. Alberta. Provincial nominations are limited to usually 5500-6000 per year. Provincial nominations for EE have a higher entry bar to get into than the usual provincial nominee programs.

Um, Express Entry absolutely determines the outcome for FSWP . 67 points is the first step, you still have to get accepted through Express Entry pool scoring points out of 1200. Where spouse absolutely impacts your final points tally. If your profile is not in the Express Entry pool, your FSWP is not getting accepted.

I have done 3 paper CEC/FSWP applications, 4 Express Entry and 7 Provincial nominations for Quebec (Grad PEQ), Ontario, Alberta and BC combined.