You do not need your kids' passports finalized just to create your Express Entry profile:
- Start the passport application for your children now, regardless of profile status. You can technically submit your application without them, but passport office delays after receiving an ITA can eat into your 60-day submission window, so get ahead of it.
- Claim points for a spouse's sibling in Canada. If your spouse is accompanying you and has a sibling living in Canada, you can claim the additional CRS points tied to that relationship — this applies to spouse's siblings, not just your own.
Don't wait on the passport office once you're in the pool; ITAs can arrive with little notice, and the clock on document submission starts immediately.