Family Classic Sponsorship denial letter

[obarham]

Hello,

I received a denial letter today to sponsor my wife from the Philippines. The reason given: You are in receipt of social assistance for other than disability.

When I submitted my application is was working and in receipt of Employment Insurance. Can I appeal on this basis?

Thank you!

 

[CDNPR2014]

have you ever used social assistance beside employment insurance? did any social assistance show up on the NOA our Option C you sent? if you did take social assistance other than employment insurance at ANY time in the last 12 months, that could be the basis of the rejection. if you were on social assistance, you need to contact the office responsible for that assistance and get proof from them of the date the assistance ended and you are no longer receiving it.

It is odd they would reject you for employment insurance, since that is not welfare and is something you pay into.

I'd recommend getting the GCMS notes for your sponsorship file to see specifically what they are talking about. Also, it will probably be quicker and less expensive to just reapply again with proof there was no social assistance within the past 12 months.

 

[profiler]

Here is the IRPA Interpretation ( http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2002-227/page-1.html#h-2 ) of Social Assistance:

"
social assistance means any benefit in the form of money, goods or services provided to or on behalf of a person by a province under a program of social assistance, including a program of social assistance designated by a province to provide for basic requirements including food, shelter, clothing, fuel, utilities, household supplies, personal requirements and health care not provided by public health care, including dental care and eye care. (assistance sociale)
"

Given that this states Provincial, and not Federal (and EI is run from what used to be HRSDC), I think I would try contacting IRCC for clarification, and perhaps looking at an immigration lawyer. Assuming of course that you didn't use Social Assistance to bridge the gap between last pay and when EI started...

 

[buonqua]

Mississauga checks if you received social services.

This is what I got in my GCMS notes:

"Fax rec'd from social services confirming no record found."

I would inquire more into what this social services is that Mississauga thinks you are receiving or order your GCMS notes like someone mentioned. It will take a month though to receive the notes.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hello,

I received a denial letter today to sponsor my wife from the Philippines. The reason given: You are in receipt of social assistance for other than disability.

When I submitted my application is was working and in receipt of Employment Insurance. Can I appeal on this basis?

If you haven't recieved any welfare in the recent past, then your best bet is to go straight to your MP and ask them to intervene. Don't waste time and money on an appeal.

If you have at any point recently recieved some welfare, even if only for a very short time, then the welfare office most likely didn't take you off of their list when you stopped receiving; IRCC would see that you are on the list and therefore assume you are still in receipt. If so, contact the provincial welfare authority to have your name removed and get documentation from them., then go to your MP and ask them to intervene.

 

[mikeymyke]

You might not have gone on welfare, but even if you took money from things like Alberta Works, housing/rent assistance, apprentice income support, etc, that counts as social assistance. Did you recall having applied for any of that stuff? EI is not considered social assistance.

 

[IvoryX]

This might help to find more info before taking the next step.
1. ATIP for detailed reasons.
2. Call your province for profile/info - as social assistance is under the jurisdiction of province/territory.