Hope to get some insights from you guys who have been through this... 
I am from Asia and came to Canada on 27 May 2010, and I have been staying with my boyfriend since. I extended my visitor's visa and got another 6 months extension. I will be able to stay in Canada as a visitor until 27 May 2011. My boyfriend and I are thinking about getting married and settle down, but here is the problem...
My Boyfriend was laid off by his company almost the whole last year (he'd been working for them for 4- years), and got called back in January for temporary job. He has been working full-time since January but he will once again lose the job at the end of March. He had social assistance while he was unemployed but he is not getting assistance at the moment. He has a townhouse and has been renting out 2 rooms that gives him income to pay for the mortgage. I have been spending my own savings to stay in Canada. And we do not know how soon will he get a job after March..
So my question is : Can he sponsor me even when he is unemployed and had been on social assistance?
I have heard different opinions in this forum, some say Sponsoring a common-law-partner can be done even the sponsor is unemployed, provided that he can show proof of financial supports (maybe from his parents, or maybe from the vale of his townhouse); some say that it is a MUST to have a job to marry a non-canadian.... I have read the CIC website and i think it means we could still do it even he is unemployed......Can anyone help me out?
I am thinking of extending my visitor visa for another 6 months, which will give him time to look for a long term, stable job; and i believe it might be easier than trying to prove to CIC that we have enough money to support my stay in Canada. If i do so, what is the chances of getting approved? I have read some posts here , saying that I can do as many times as i need, some of the posters claimed that they have done that for 2 years (4 extensions).
Sorry about the long post, thanks a lot!!!! ;D
I am from Asia and came to Canada on 27 May 2010, and I have been staying with my boyfriend since. I extended my visitor's visa and got another 6 months extension. I will be able to stay in Canada as a visitor until 27 May 2011. My boyfriend and I are thinking about getting married and settle down, but here is the problem...
My Boyfriend was laid off by his company almost the whole last year (he'd been working for them for 4- years), and got called back in January for temporary job. He has been working full-time since January but he will once again lose the job at the end of March. He had social assistance while he was unemployed but he is not getting assistance at the moment. He has a townhouse and has been renting out 2 rooms that gives him income to pay for the mortgage. I have been spending my own savings to stay in Canada. And we do not know how soon will he get a job after March..
So my question is : Can he sponsor me even when he is unemployed and had been on social assistance?
I have heard different opinions in this forum, some say Sponsoring a common-law-partner can be done even the sponsor is unemployed, provided that he can show proof of financial supports (maybe from his parents, or maybe from the vale of his townhouse); some say that it is a MUST to have a job to marry a non-canadian.... I have read the CIC website and i think it means we could still do it even he is unemployed......Can anyone help me out?
I am thinking of extending my visitor visa for another 6 months, which will give him time to look for a long term, stable job; and i believe it might be easier than trying to prove to CIC that we have enough money to support my stay in Canada. If i do so, what is the chances of getting approved? I have read some posts here , saying that I can do as many times as i need, some of the posters claimed that they have done that for 2 years (4 extensions).
Sorry about the long post, thanks a lot!!!! ;D