@canuck78
It seems like you explain or interpret what the rules should be; I say what the rules are since they are straight forward.
No financial requirements if you sponsor your wife, husband, common law partner who has no dependents.
The only thing is:
No welfare or
social benefits except for disability.
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Income requirement:
In most cases,
there isn’t an income requirement to sponsor your spouse or partner or dependent child. You
only need to show that you have enough money
to meet the income requirements if:
- you’re sponsoring a dependent child that has 1 or more dependent children of their own, or
- you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner that has a dependent child, and their dependent child has 1 or more children of their own.
Link:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/spouse-partner-children/eligibility.html
NB: Read income requirement section.