What's the MOST important?

PeachezNcream84 · Apr 12, 2005

Well..I have a job interview tomorrow at one of thoes angencies that give you tempoarary jobs, but deck a few $$'s of your pay an hour.

I don't want to have to apply for another job that wants me there for long term, when I know I will realistically only be there for another few months.

Now I want to know in the eyes of the Canadian goverment, what is the most important?

How will that affect me in applying for my Dominican husband to come to Canada?

Having a steady long term job (although I can always get a good paying job within a week or so of being back in Canada)....or spending months with my husband in the DR, and getting a new job everytime I come back here? (2 months in Canada, 2 months in the DR, 2 months in Canada, 2 months in the DR...etc)

I have job offers in the DR that will allow me and my husband to support ourselves deaceantly enought to live, untill he can come here.

After I apply for him to come to Canada, if I go down there on an "extended vacation"...untill he is basically allowed to come to Canada...will that really slow down the process?

I have no trouble gettinga a good job everytime I get back to Canada...it's just that I would rather spend time with my husband (and he with me) then we have a larger amount of money and be apart for longer.

We both also have my parents support once we are both living in Canada and untill we can run everything on our own.

So do I really need to get a full time job here, and not see my huband for months and months? OR can I get a temporary full time job to save money for a few months, and go back to be with him untill he is allowed to come to Canada for a few years?
(Our plan is to live and work here untill he gets Canadian Citizenship (3 years), so that we will not have any trouble to travel with our family around the world. That will also give us time to save up money to move back to the DR. And when we have kids we will not have difficulties to go from one country to the other.)

I like to think I am not an awful person, but I was INCREDIABLY jealous to hear of my friend getting her husbands' visa to England after only 2 months of their wedding (I was happy for her...of course...just slightly jealous and depressed that it was so easy for her)...

But in the expert opinions and experiences of the DR1 members....please tell me if there is any way I can continue to spend so much time with my husband and not affect our application????????????

PeachezNcream84 · Apr 12, 2005

P.S. Wish me good luck in the next few hours to get a high paying, short term..."good job". (By "good job" I mean one that I can enjoy for the next few months untilL I go back)

Malibook · Apr 12, 2005

Good luck.

Corporal cod · Apr 12, 2005

:nervous: let us know how you get on? Cause it sounds as though you really need it.

Rosanie · Apr 12, 2005

Now I want to know in the eyes of the Canadian goverment, what is the most important?

You want to show the government that you can support your husband when he arrives in Canada and so you need some kind of income to prove you can do just that.

When my husband and I were going through the application process - I travelled to DR every 2-3 months and each time stayed anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months at a time. I am self-employed and earn a decent living so I was able to afford the frequent trips.

You might be able to swing it by taking work with the Temp agency when you need to and you will have the flexibilty to visit your husband while you wait through the application process.

I have job offers in the DR that will allow me and my husband to support ourselves deaceantly enought to live, untill he can come here.

If you want to find a way to live with your husband while you wait - Why not take one of those job offers? This could work both in your favour and against you. It would show that you are a genuine couple and living together. On the other hand Immigration may wonder if you both truly want to settle and live in Canada.

It has been done though, I am sure, with many others and I know of a couple who did just that and he arrived in Canada just a few months ago. His wife (CDN) had to stay in DR to finish her contract with her job while her husband came to Canada on his own - his PR Visa expiry date was approx. 6 weeks after he received it. She had been living there for 2 years and it seems that this worked in their favour. But in their interview, immigration did question their intentions of living in Canada and they were able to justify why they made that decision.

Another couple did the opposite, lived seperately during the process and had only a few visits together and their application was processed within 6 months.

It all depends on the Immigration Official and their opinion/impressions based on the facts you submit on your application.

Hope this helps! Good Luck.

Rosanie

marliejaneca · Apr 12, 2005

I have just recently gone through the sponsorship deal for my common law spouse. He is American but this does not affect the rules - same application forms for any race.
I had to prove that I was financially stable and was able to support him for the next three years. I had to provide a letter from my employer stating length of time working for them, wage and character reference. I had to provide t-4 slips, notice of assessment from Revenue Canada, bank statements, investment income statements etc. To me this was all a lark since he makes more money than me, works full-time year round whereas I am seasonal (marine industry) and certainly supports me more than I do him, but you do have to prove that if something happens and he can't work, that you can support him.
Having said this, I would think, and I could be wrong, that working for a temp agency is not as reliable as having a full time job with a stable work ethic in terms of years of service. To me, they would look more at that as you are flying by the seat of your pants, and not being very well prepared at providing for the future of two people.
BTW- it took 3 years for us, and we own our own home and property and when the process started, Steven co-owned a business here that he later sold his share to his partner, to reenter his field of work. So, sometimes I wonder how they determine who can come in to Canada and who can't!!
Marlie
P.S. Best of luck to you and Carlos and congratulations on your wedding.

Fiesta Mama · Apr 12, 2005

You definitely need some sort of employment when you eventually submit your sponsorship paperwork to show that you can support your husband when he eventually comes to Canada. There is no minimum salary necessary to sponsor a spouse, however, if you are not working at all I seriously think this would go against your application in the long run. If don't show that you are working in Canada when you submit your application and then you subsequently proceed to move to the DR to live with your husband, I think Canadian Immigration will seriously question both your intentions of returning to make your life in Canada and the intentions of your spouse. Further, Permanent Residence is granted for spouses who plan to make their life in Canada permanent and will be contributing to the Canadian economy. Permanent Residence and Canadian Citizenship are a priviledge and are not granted for the convenience of someone to gain Canadian citizenship and then spend the rest of their life living in another country so I would not mention to Immigration at all that your husband may not want to stay in Canada.

One further thing, if you live out of the country for the duration of the process of bringing your spouse to Canada, your health benefits will expire after six months and when you return to the country you will need to wait three months before benefits are reinstated.

Good luck!

Shelley · Apr 12, 2005

unfortunately

Unfortunately, I think they would rather you stay in Canada with a permanent positon than live down there or taking temp jobs just to get by. CIC wants to be sure you will be able to support your husband when he arrives and there is no risk you will require Gov't assistance when he gets here. When we applied, I had to send in an Option C printout of my previous year's income to show I made enough to support us both, as well as a letter from my employer showing I had permanent full-time employment, how much I currently make and how long I had been here. I am fortunate enough to work for a company that is very flexible with their vacation time and will allow me to take extra weeks without pay or allow me to make up time on weekends and evenings when I get back. It allows me to go down every 2 or 3 months. Maybe you could find something similar to that. If you go down there to live during process, you will probably have to provide additional income information and as well as an address in Canada where you will be living when you both return. I am not sure where you live in Canada but I believe there is a minimum annual income to sponsor a spouse to Quebec for that province (only $25,000 according to the cic.gc.ca website).

Either way, the paperwork will go through so you need to do what's best for you. We choose to be apart and it's very difficult. Even if it does cause some extra delays for you to be down there, it may be worth it if you can be together. But I think the previous poster may be correct in saying it may make them question the intentions. It may be better to have a nice home set up here for when he comes so you're both not scrambling to get a home, jobs, etc, when his PR card does come through.

PeachezNcream84 · Apr 12, 2005

I right now live in a basment suite in my parents house. Which is where we will stay untill we have enough money to get our own house. If we weren't remnting from my parents we would probably be renting some other basement suite... and both Carlos and my parents are happy with that arrangement. It gives us whatever time we need to get on our feet.

I am in Ontario, so there is no income requirment. And for the past 3 years I have not been working regularly..because I have gone back and forth from Alberrta, to Quebec, to Ontario, and now the DR. I don't make over $25,000 a year though...so good thing I don't live in Quebec.

Exactly what paperwork will they expect as far as knowing what sort of money I have been making?

I don't pay rent because I live with my parents, so I don't need to make as much money as the average person. Does this make a difference to them? And how do I tell them that, or prove it?

If you don't mind my asking what sort of job do you have that allows that? I would love one that would pay well and let me take that time off. Althought the problem is I would probably have to work anywhere for quite a bit of time before they let me take all that time off. And I usually go down to the DR for 2 months at a time.

I would think that it almost shows you have better "intentions" if you are with your spouse. As I said before..I would rather be with my husband and have enough money to get by..then be in Canada on my own and have a lot of money. That don't follow that same line of reasoning?

bob saunders · Apr 12, 2005

I believe, although not positive, that your parents can co-sponser your husband. This is what we did with my mother-in-law and she will be coming to Canada in August.

Fiesta Mama · Apr 12, 2005

Parents cannot be a co-sponsor!

bob saunders said:
I believe, although not positive, that your parents can co-sponser your husband. This is what we did with my mother-in-law and she will be coming to Canada in August.

The only person that can be a co-sponsor within Canadian Immigration guidlines is your spouse. For example, if you are a permanent resident of Canada and want to sponsor your sibling, your spouse (either a Canadian permanent resident or Canadian citizen) can be your co-sponsor. Parents DO NOT qualify as co-sponsors for spouses!

Fiesta Mama · Apr 12, 2005

PeachezNcream84 said:
Exactly what paperwork will they expect as far as knowing what sort of money I have been making?

I don't pay rent because I live with my parents, so I don't need to make as much money as the average person.

As far as paperwork for what they require ... read the Canadian Immigration Handbook! You will need the most recent Notice of Assessment (which you need to order from Revenue Canada), your most recent T4, AND a letter from your current employer stating how long you have worked there, how much you make and the hours per week you work. Peachez... please, you are not looking at reality here! There is no way around these things if you don't have a job in Canada. If you are planning on living with your husband in the DR until he moves to Canada and you have not been regularly employed in Canada the past year or two, you are better to apply as a spouse living outside the country as you obviously don't meet the in-country work requirements.

As far as your comment about living at home, not paying rent, and not having to meet the same requirements... Immigration Canada does not care! They want to know - can you support your husband if he is not working. If you are not emplyed full-time how can you even support yourself, let alone your husband?

I know these are harsh answers BUT this is not a process to be taken lightly and it is very very expensive. Best case scenario if you were working full-time in Canada... your husband will have his papers in 7 months. It might seem like a long time but time passes faster than you think and certainly faster than living in the DR making a fraction of what you could make in Canada and dealing with all that stress!

I hope you will seriously consider finding full-time employment in Canada and proceeding in this way. In the long run it will prove less stressful both financially and in terms of you meeting your requirements as a sponsor!

Shelley · Apr 13, 2005

Fiesta Mama has valid points

Definitely take some time to read the handbook or check out the CIC website before you make your decision. There is a lot of information that can help you (what's required, processing times, etc). As Fiesta Mama said, it is very expensive, even if you do it without the help of a lawyer. You need $1500 for the paperwork not including medical checks, criminal checks, pictures, etc. You may be in a better position if your parents are willing to help but, if not, you may not be able to make enough money living in the DR to cover these costs. Also keep in mind that once you choose a way to go (whether to sponsor from here or there) you should try stay wherever you are in case CIC needs to contact you. In our case, we had our paperwork returned for a very silly reason (we did not write his name & birthday on the back of one of his pictures..it took me 2 seconds to write it on and send it back but it held up the paperwork for nearly a month). Had I been away in the DR for too long, the paperwork would have sat in my mailbox while we were down there thinking it was being processed. It's a good example of how sticky they are when it comes to the requirements.

Yes, you would think they would want you to be with your husband but, unfortunately, I think they may be more concerned with who will care for him in the event that your marriage doesn't work. Definitely not saying that is the case, but that may be their reasoning. I am really not too sure but they may look at it as two young people on an adventure with no permanent home, no steady income and think it's high risk.

You still have a long road ahead in getting everything done and this first year is going to be a very difficult one. But it sounds like you have lots of support and time will go by quickly.

As for my job, I'm in accounting and was just fortunate enough to find a very laid back, flexible company that allows us a little leeway. I'm hoping Mama's 7 month comment is correct as we are at the 3 1/2 month mark!! I'll let you know when we get it so you can have some idea on most recent processing times.

ricktoronto · Apr 13, 2005

PeachezNcream84 said:
I am in Ontario, so there is no income requirment. And for the past 3 years I have not been working regularly..because I have gone back and forth from Alberrta, to Quebec, to Ontario, and now the DR. I don't make over $25,000 a year though...so good thing I don't live in Quebec.

There is a LICO (Low income cutoff) here for family class applications, including spouses. Read up on your rules or hire an immigration lawyer (NOT a "consultant").

From the CIC Site: Sponsoring a Relative or Family Member(*)

If you want to sponsor any of the above listed relatives or family members, you may have to meet certain income requirements. If you have previously sponsored relatives or family members who have received social assistance, you may not be allowed to sponsor another person. Sponsorship is a considerable commitment so you should take this obligation seriously.

If you live in any province in Canada except Quebec and wish to sponsor a relative or family member, you must sign an Undertaking with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. You must also sign a Sponsorship Agreement with your relative or family member that outlines your mutual commitments to each other. For Quebec residents, an undertaking will be signed with the province of Quebec.

(*) You can sponsor relatives or family members from abroad if they are: spouses, common-law or conjugal partners 16 years of age or older;

You must provide financial support for the relatives or family members you are sponsoring depending on their age and relationship to you. If you are sponsoring:

* your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, you must provide financial support for three years from the date that person became a permanent resident;

This is why they have an income threshold. They aren't inviting potential welfare cases into Canada under any class other than refugees.

rellosk · Apr 13, 2005

Shelley said:
In our case, we had our paperwork returned for a very silly reason (we did not write his name & birthday on the back of one of his pictures..it took me 2 seconds to write it on and send it back but it held up the paperwork for nearly a month).

I am curious, did you do the paperwork yourself or did you use a lawyer?

Fiesta Mama · Apr 13, 2005

Shelley said:
I'm hoping Mama's 7 month comment is correct as we are at the 3 1/2 month mark!! I'll let you know when we get it so you can have some idea on most recent processing times.

Shelley - check your PM as I sent you an e-mail on this!

Shelley · Apr 13, 2005

did it ourselves

rellosk said:
I am curious, did you do the paperwork yourself or did you use a lawyer?

We choose to do it ourselves with the thought that if we made too many errors or it was taking too long, we would then proceed with a lawyer. Our decision was mostly based on cost savings as it's already an expensive process. There is a LOT of reading to see what is required and every single question has to be filled in even if it doesn't apply.

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