Low income

[atrivera]

Hi all!

I'm a student with relatively low income, as I'm in school full-time, and I'm sponsoring my husband from the states. I received my AOR on March 28th, and I have yet to receive my sponsor approval. I've called numerous times, and every time I am told by CIC numerous different explanations as to why I have waited 36 days for my sponsor approval(from date of receipt on tracking and AOR). Finally, I was told by several call centre officers that they are waiting for a confirmation that I am not on welfare, as I raised a red flag for low income. This severely confused me, as I was under the impression that there was no LICO for spousal sponsorship, and I had also attached a letter of employment verification, several pay stubs, and my 2012 option C printout(I hadn't yet filed my 2013 taxes when we sent our package out).

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue, and how long it took to resolve it. I've been told it could take up to June, from one person at the call centre and another say I should have an answer any day now. I don't believe that for a second, and I'd like some other information from anyone else who has experienced this situation.

Thanks!

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi all!

I'm a student with relatively low income, as I'm in school full-time, and I'm sponsoring my husband from the states. I received my AOR on March 28th, and I have yet to receive my sponsor approval. I've called numerous times, and every time I am told by CIC numerous different explanations as to why I have waited 36 days for my sponsor approval(from date of receipt on tracking and AOR). Finally, I was told by several call centre officers that they are waiting for a confirmation that I am not on welfare, as I raised a red flag for low income. This severely confused me, as I was under the impression that there was no LICO for spousal sponsorship, and I had also attached a letter of employment verification, several pay stubs, and my 2012 option C printout(I hadn't yet filed my 2013 taxes when we sent our package out).

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue, and how long it took to resolve it. I've been told it could take up to June, from one person at the call centre and another say I should have an answer any day now. I don't believe that for a second, and I'd like some other information from anyone else who has experienced this situation.

Thanks!

1. You are going to have to be patient. Your sponsorship was received on the 28th March, The processing time for approval/refusal is 28 days, which haven't passed.

 

[apt2208]

Hi all!

I'm a student with relatively low income, as I'm in school full-time, and I'm sponsoring my husband from the states. I received my AOR on March 28th, and I have yet to receive my sponsor approval. I've called numerous times, and every time I am told by CIC numerous different explanations as to why I have waited 36 days for my sponsor approval(from date of receipt on tracking and AOR). Finally, I was told by several call centre officers that they are waiting for a confirmation that I am not on welfare, as I raised a red flag for low income. This severely confused me, as I was under the impression that there was no LICO for spousal sponsorship, and I had also attached a letter of employment verification, several pay stubs, and my 2012 option C printout(I hadn't yet filed my 2013 taxes when we sent our package out).

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue, and how long it took to resolve it. I've been told it could take up to June, from one person at the call centre and another say I should have an answer any day now. I don't believe that for a second, and I'd like some other information from anyone else who has experienced this situation.

Thanks!

You are correct there is no income requirement for sponsorship but there is a requirement that you cannot be on welfare. If you are not on welfare then nothing to worry about, you just have to wait for them to verify that.

 

[osdamour]

YOu will be fine just wait patiently

 

[agarand8]

I think it would have been faster had you given your 2013 option c print out. Actually I think you're pretty lucky that they didn't send the application back to you because of that. If you had provided the 2013 option c printout to them they kinky needed to look at it to know you haven't been collecting welfare. Because they do not have it they need to find out a different way, which is taking longer.

 

[atrivera]

Thanks everyone for all of your input and advice! I was just confused, as I have seen that many people receive their Sponsor approval very shortly after receiving their AOR. As for my option C printout for 2013, it was impossible to send it as it doesn't exist. I have yet to receive my notice of assessment from the CRA, let alone be able to request my option C printout. This is probably why I'm waiting, just for the CRA to finish issuing my notice of assessment. Again, thanks everyone so much for your help!

 

[Serabeth]

I'm just going to piggyback this thread with a situation/question of my own.

My boyfriend and I are starting our applications for this process (we're getting married soon) and we're in a pretty similar situation. He's a student in Canada (taking a break from work this semester in order to focus) and I'm working a pretty low-wage job in America, so our plan is obviously to marry and live happily ever after with his family up in Toronto as soon as the law and our wallets allow.

• As already mentioned here, spousal sponsorship doesn't require a certain level of income- correct?
• However, the sponsor in question cannot be on any form of social welfare or government assistance- yes.
• My boyfriend isn't on any welfare but he is receiving loans and grants and scholarships and all that nonsense in order to study, but as far as we know this doesn't affect the social welfare rule- right?
• But he is currently living with his mother who as far as I understand receives/received "employment insurance." I believe employment insurance is the same thing as unemployment benefits in the US but I'm not 100% on that which is why I'm asking here:
• Does EI count as welfare? If so, since he is living with someone who is receiving it and providing for him to a certain extent, will we face issues with our application?

Sorry if anything is confusing!

 

[Becki567]

I'm just going to piggyback this thread with a situation/question of my own.

My boyfriend and I are starting our applications for this process (we're getting married soon) and we're in a pretty similar situation. He's a student in Canada (taking a break from work this semester in order to focus) and I'm working a pretty low-wage job in America, so our plan is obviously to marry and live happily ever after with his family up in Toronto as soon as the law and our wallets allow.

• As already mentioned here, spousal sponsorship doesn't require a certain level of income- correct?
• However, the sponsor in question cannot be on any form of social welfare or government assistance- yes.
• My boyfriend isn't on any welfare but he is receiving loans and grants and scholarships and all that nonsense in order to study, but as far as we know this doesn't affect the social welfare rule- right?
  
• But he is currently living with his mother who as far as I understand receives/received "employment insurance." I believe employment insurance is the same thing as unemployment benefits in the US but I'm not 100% on that which is why I'm asking here:
• Does EI count as welfare? If so, since he is living with someone who is receiving it and providing for him to a certain extent, will we face issues with our application?

I am a full time student sponsoring my husband. I also survive off grants and student loans. I was approved to sponsor with no issue. EI is not welfare and wont be counted against either of you

Sorry if anything is confusing!

 

[marlasinger]

I'm just going to piggyback this thread with a situation/question of my own.

My boyfriend and I are starting our applications for this process (we're getting married soon) and we're in a pretty similar situation. He's a student in Canada (taking a break from work this semester in order to focus) and I'm working a pretty low-wage job in America, so our plan is obviously to marry and live happily ever after with his family up in Toronto as soon as the law and our wallets allow.

• As already mentioned here, spousal sponsorship doesn't require a certain level of income- correct?
• However, the sponsor in question cannot be on any form of social welfare or government assistance- yes.
• My boyfriend isn't on any welfare but he is receiving loans and grants and scholarships and all that nonsense in order to study, but as far as we know this doesn't affect the social welfare rule- right?
• But he is currently living with his mother who as far as I understand receives/received "employment insurance." I believe employment insurance is the same thing as unemployment benefits in the US but I'm not 100% on that which is why I'm asking here:
• Does EI count as welfare? If so, since he is living with someone who is receiving it and providing for him to a certain extent, will we face issues with our application?

Sorry if anything is confusing!

1. Correct.
2. Yes, but that only extends as far as welfare.
3. Right - Student loans won't have any effect. They are not considered social assistance.
4. His mother cannot co-sign to sponsor you so there wouldn't be a reason for her EI to come up. And even if it did, EI isn't welfare. Only welfare is welfare.
5. It can be a good idea to include some detail on how you plan to support yourselves once you're in Canada - but since you are exempt from the income level requirement you shouldn't have a problem either way.

good luck x

 

[Serabeth]

Thanks so much, this relieves a fair bit of stress!

 

[parker24]

Thanks everyone for all of your input and advice! I was just confused, as I have seen that many people receive their Sponsor approval very shortly after receiving their AOR. As for my option C printout for 2013, it was impossible to send it as it doesn't exist. I have yet to receive my notice of assessment from the CRA, let alone be able to request my option C printout. This is probably why I'm waiting, just for the CRA to finish issuing my notice of assessment. Again, thanks everyone so much for your help!

Did you send one from 2012 at least? Or a letter? That could be why it's taking longer, and may have put some delays in there.

 

[agarand8]

Did you send one from 2012 at least? Or a letter? That could be why it's taking longer, and may have put some delays in there.

Agreed. In retrospect she probably should have waited to submit the application after she had done her taxes. But she'll only know forsure if the delay in getting SA takes longer than for her to get her Option C printout in the mail after her taxes are done.

I work in an accountants office and you are able to file taxes as early as Feb 10th if you have all of the papers, you could be processed as soon as 5 days after when you file. So if you had the number you could be calling everyday and essentially ask for your option c printout before you even get your NOA in the mail. And then it varies depending on where you live, for me in Saskatchewan it took me just under 2 weeks to get that in the mail.

If you get your option C printout before they give you SA I would scan it and send it in response to the AOR e-mail you received and ask them if the reason for the delay is because they don't have that form and if they want you so send them the original in the mail.

 

[atrivera]

Just as a clarification, she is a he...

I wasn't going to wait until April to send off our application after doing taxes, as I had not received my necessary slips from my employers in a timely manner, nor had they efiled them with the CRA. Therefore I could not just easily access them from represent a client, and get my taxes done earlier. It also didn't help that my university chose to not issue my T2202A for some reason known only to themselves, and it took up to the end of the March to finally get all of my slips together.

I'm also confused, as the email address that sends out the AOR specifically states "This is an automated message. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this message".

 

[agarand8]

I'm also confused, as the email address that sends out the AOR specifically states "This is an automated message. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this message".

Oh really? I was under the impression that as soon as you received a communication from them via email that that was your line in. I guess I am mistaken.

And yes big pain in the ass to have to wait for all of your slips, but you would have saved yourself all of this worrying!