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My wife is receiving social assistance "Welfare"

wvanderlinden

Star Member
Oct 31, 2019
57
27
My wife is receiving social assistance "Welfare" as she can't find work. I'm planning to sponsor my parents in 2-3 years from now. Dose wife being on welfare would make me ineligible to sponsor my parents?
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,878
9,501
My wife is receiving social assistance "Welfare" as she can't find work. I'm planning to sponsor my parents in 2-3 years from now. Dose wife being on welfare would make me ineligible to sponsor my parents?
As long as you meet LICO on your own for all members in your family. How are you sponsoring them in 2-3 years? It is a lottery.
 
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wvanderlinden

Star Member
Oct 31, 2019
57
27
You need to meet LICO for the number of people in your family. And parents need to pass a medical. Do you think you will meet LICO without spouse as co-signer?
Yes, I believe in 2 years I can meet LICO without spouse as co-signer, I'm just afraid that my wife being or have applied for welfare will affect me too!
 

YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,406
2,883
Yeah, I'm not worried meeting the LICO requirement, just worried that my wife welfare application would make me ineligible!
not a concern unless your wife continue to get walfare for years down the road. btw. isn't walfare calculated based on family income?
 
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canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,587
13,518
Yeah, I'm not worried meeting the LICO requirement, just worried that my wife welfare application would make me ineligible!
How is your wife qualifying for welfare if you are working even if you don’t meet LICO now? That is the part that doesn’t make sense. Not finding work doesn’t mean you qualify for welfare. There is also a labour shortage in many industries so she should be able to find some sort of employment.
 
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Xilikon

Hero Member
Apr 26, 2018
397
176
Quebec City, Canada
Category........
FAM
How is your wife qualifying for welfare if you are working even if you don’t meet LICO now? That is the part that doesn’t make sense. Not finding work doesn’t mean you qualify for welfare. There is also a labour shortage in many industries so she should be able to find some sort of employment.
Same question legitimately... To be granted welfare, both must not be working or be separated.
 

Headquake

Member
Jan 4, 2023
15
0
Same question legitimately... To be granted welfare, both must not be working or be separated.
I think its possible legally. But you would have to make a very low income for that. May depend on province he reside , but for québec and ontario i know it would be hard.

Ontario as an exemple would look both your income as a couple and not separatly for making a decision if you need it or not. Otherwise most canadian mom with young children would be on social welfare taking care of children at home while their husband work.

Anyway two thing i can see:

-Your wife legally receive it , and you such a low income ( like 200 -500 $ a month) that it would be hard for you to support anyone moving to canada.

-Your wife lie or make mistake while asking welfare , and your now commiting a fraud , volontarily or not.
 
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YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,406
2,883
I think its possible legally. But you would have to make a very low income for that. May depend on province he reside , but for québec and ontario i know it would be hard. Ontario as an exemple would look both your income as a couple and not separatly for making a decision if you need it or not. Otherwise most canadian mom with young children would be on social welfare taking care of children at home while their husband work.
Looks like OP is from BC. And pretty sure low income is calculated per family (i.e. couple in OP's case). The following is for people who is already on social assistance and how much can they still earn per family to continue to receive income assistance.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/policies-for-government/bcea-policy-and-procedure-manual/support-and-shelter/family-composition

CAN I EARN MONEY WHILE ON INCOME ASSISTANCE?
You can earn some money while you are on IA, but there are limits to how much income you can earn (referred to as "earned income") without it affecting your assistance. For example, if you are a single person or a couple with no dependents, the earned income limit is $500 per month. If you earn more that your allowable monthly exemption, your IA payment will be reduced by the amount you have gone over.
For example: Your regular IA payment is $1,060 and your earnings exemption is $500. This month you earn $600, so your IA payment will be reduced to $960 ($1,060-$100) as you earned $100 over the $500 monthly earnings limit.
The table below shows the earning exemptions for IA dependent on your family size.
ClassificationMonthly Earnings Exemption
Single Person: Aged 19-64$500
Single Person: with Confirmed Pregnancy$500
Single Person: Over 65$500
Couple: Under Age 65$500
 
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Headquake

Member
Jan 4, 2023
15
0
Looks like OP is from BC. And pretty sure low income is calculated per family (i.e. couple in OP's case). The following if or people who is already on social assistance and how much can they still earn per family to continue to receive income assistance.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/policies-for-government/bcea-policy-and-procedure-manual/support-and-shelter/family-composition

CAN I EARN MONEY WHILE ON INCOME ASSISTANCE?
You can earn some money while you are on IA, but there are limits to how much income you can earn (referred to as "earned income") without it affecting your assistance. For example, if you are a single person or a couple with no dependents, the earned income limit is $500 per month. If you earn more that your allowable monthly exemption, your IA payment will be reduced by the amount you have gone over.
For example: Your regular IA payment is $1,060 and your earnings exemption is $500. This month you earn $600, so your IA payment will be reduced to $960 ($1,060-$100) as you earned $100 over the $500 monthly earnings limit.
The table below shows the earning exemptions for IA dependent on your family size.
ClassificationMonthly Earnings Exemption
Single Person: Aged 19-64$500
Single Person: with Confirmed Pregnancy$500
Single Person: Over 65$500
Couple: Under Age 65$500
So lets assume is wife receive it legally . 500 $ a month is way to low income for supporting anyone immigration .

The following table shows LICO for 2023*. As you see, the LICO changes based on the household number.

Size
of Family Unit
LICO
– 12 Months
LICO
– 6 Months
one person$27,514$13,757
two persons$34,254$17,127
three persons$42,110$21,055
four persons$51,128$25,564
five persons$57,988$28,994
six persons$65,400$32,700
seven persons$72,814$36,407
If more than seven persons, for each
additional person, add
$7,412$3,706