microboo

Dear Expats

I would very much appreciate your advice on some immigration questions; I have read the wiki links and Canadian Government website, but still have some queries!

So, here is the background: I am a Canadian citizen married to a British citizen and we have resided in the UK for the past 5 years.

At this point in time, we have decided that we would like to move back to Canada. Is is possible for me to sponsor my husband to come with me to Canada and to start this application process whilst we are both living in the UK? I am not clear if I must be in Canada at the time of sponsorship application?

I also understand that I am to prove that I have sufficient income to provide basic requirements for my spouse, although how do I meet this requirement when I have worked for the past 5 years in the UK and still have to apply and find a job in Canada?

Thank you in advance!

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

I'd have a re-read of the Wiki and CIC website, as you seem to have misunderstood a couple of bits - yes, you can sponsor your husband from the UK (an 'outland' application) so that he has PR before you both move back, and no, you don't require any income or a job to sponsor him.

HTH.

Novocastrian

You don't have to be in Canada nor do you have to prove or even provide financial information.

You are simply required to state that you will support your husband for three years in the event that he needed social assistance (for which he wouldn't qualify during that time).

Former Lancastrian

If still unsure read this link
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...sor/spouse.asp

microboo

Dear All

Thank you for your quick responses; you have helped clarify my questions.

What a great forum!

rosskilgour

Hi

I hope you may be able to help. My Canadian wife is sponsoring me (British) for PR. On the document checklist under no.19 it states 'if you must meet the minimum necessary income requirement...' and you have to prove your income.

How do I know whether or not we must meet the minimum necessary income requirement? Does this only apply to other categories of sponsorship? Do I not need to include this proof? We currently live in the UK, so obviously we will be leaving our jobs once the PR is granted to move to Canada, so surely the income is irrelevant?

On a similar note, the documents checklist asks for 'an original option C printout' for the last tax year. Since we have lived in the UK for 5 years together, my wife hasn't received any Canadian tax documents. Do we miss this out?

Many thanks for any help you can give

Ross

SchnookoLoly

Make sure you're using the right checklist - you want the checklist for family sponsorship (spouses, common-law, and conjugal partners). Proof of income is not required for this class. It does ask you for proof of income in the form of pay slips from work, but that's just to make sure generally you can cover your sponsored person's expenses for 3 years as they cannot apply for social assistance during this time.

For this just write a letter stating that your life has resided in the UK since x date and has not been filing tax returns in Canada, and as such you have not been able to provide an Option C printout. (I think the checklist says "If an Option C printut is not provided, please include additional information explaining why" and a letter stating that the sponsor is not currently a Canadian resident filing taxes is sufficient.)

Novocastrian

My life is my wife, but I think CIC make a distinction.

rosskilgour

So just pay slips from work, for last 12 months? Just from my (sponsor) wife I take it? This seems strange, considering she will quit the job to move to Canada! I am using form IMM 5491 (06-2012) E: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kit...s/IMM5491E.PDF

It's question 19: I'm not sure if it's relevant, as it begins "If you must meet the necessary income requirement..." I haven't seen a minimum income mentioned anywhere else, so is this question not relevant to us?

Thanks for your help guys.

SchnookoLoly

I think (going on memory) that form 0008 is used for more than just the family class, and other cases have requirements for income... family class does not have s minimum income requirement, however your wife will be financially responsible for you for the next 3 years so cic wants to see proof that she can fulfill that obligation; looking at party sleeps from the last 12 months gives them an indication of the type ofemployment she may be able to obtain in Canada and a prospective salary.

Hth!

firstchoice

You appear to be using the correct checklist.

There is no minimum income required unless you have dependent grandchildren.

In this case, you can use UK tax returns instead of supplying an Option C.
It is unlikely she will be asked for an Option C if she supplies UK tax returns.

SchnookoLoly

Haha. Wrote this on my phone, it has some funny ideas about autocorrect sometimes!

christmasoompa

I particularly like 'party sleeps' instead of 'pay slips' above.

SchnookoLoly

"Smartphone" my backside...

rosskilgour

Haha! Indeed.

I'm just looking at form IMM 5540 - Sponsor Questionnaire. It states:

"Provide proof of your intention to re-establish in Canada. Attach photocopies of one or more of the following documents, as applicable:
- Job offer in Canada
- Employment contract in Canada
- Letter of acceptance by an educational institution in Canada
- Property rental agreement
- Property deed
- Mortgage on property
- Other"

Then it has a box for "Other" and a box for "Give details of your plans to re-establish yourself in Canada".

This kind of scares me! We don't have any of the above documents, as we plan to relocate next summer (as soon as we hope the PR will have been granted) and so it's far too early to rent a property. Besides, who would rent us a property without securing a job first? And again, it is too early to secure a job for such a long time in the future. I have started job hunting, as has my Canadian wife. Will printouts of emails of job hunting and rental hunting suffice, along with a letter from my wife's mother stating we will live with her in her home when we arrive?