To be eligible, you must meet all the following conditions:
you must live with the child, and the child must be under the age of 18;
you must be the person who is primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of the child;
This means you are responsible for such things as supervising the child's daily activities and needs, making sure the child's medical needs are met, and arranging for child care when necessary. If there is a female parent who lives with the child, we usually consider her to be this person. However, it could be the father, a grandparent, or a guardian.
you must be a resident of Canada; and
you or your spouse or common-law partner must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a protected person, or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months, and who has a valid permit in the 19th month.
When do I apply for the Canada Child Tax Benefit?
Generally, you should apply for the CCTB as soon as possible after:
your child is born;
a child starts to live with you; or
you become a resident of Canada.
Even if you feel you will not qualify for the CCTB because your family net income is too high, you should still apply. We calculate your entitlement every July based on your family net income for the previous year.