Ok to sponsor my common law spouse if I am currently unemloyed?

[figgy]

Hi, any help would be great!

My partner and I are currently filling out forms for Perm. Residence within Canada (common law). I am a Canadian citizen, my boyfriend is Australian. We are both living in Canada as he is here on a 2 yr working holiday visa. We are almost ready to send the application, but I am hesitant to because I am currently unemployed and looking for work. He works full time however, and is currently supporting us both.

Also, my T4 and tax form stuff says zero income because we have been living in the UK for the past 3 years and just returned to Canada in June 2011.

Is it a bad idea to send the forms saying I am unemployed?! or does it not matter? If anyone has any insight or ideas I would be very grateful

thanks,
~ S

 

[sidkrose]

Ok first: No, it doesn't matter that you are unemployed, just show how you support yourselves (whether that is living with family, working part time, savings, etc) and that you are looking for jobs. If not submitting an Option C, explain why.

Second: I know that you say you are almost done with the inland app, but DON'T go the inland route!!!! You can still apply ouland (Outside of Canada), even if your partner is living in Canada THE WHOLE TIME the application is being processed. Inland has ONLY disadvantages for visa-exempt applicants. There are very few situations where a visa-exempt person would want to apply inland.

Outland is much faster
You have the right to appeal
He can leave the country if he needs to
If you have a complete and straightforward app, there is very little chance of needing an interview

 

[figgy]

oooh! thanks for the help and advice!

I just assumed since we are both living IN canada and he is working and established here we would have to apply INLAND, since we are indeed, INLAND!

the thing is, we looked at the outland applications before we came to canada and won't it be weird if we are putting canada as our address?

also, i didn't realize that he wouldn't be allowed to leave canada while the appliaction is being processed! we are planning to go to australia this year, but there would be no problem for him to get back into canada since he has a valid visa for 2 years.

so confused now as to what to do, but thanks for your insight!!!

 

[Baloo]

oooh! thanks for the help and advice!

I just assumed since we are both living IN canada and he is working and established here we would have to apply INLAND, since we are indeed, INLAND!

Lots of people make that assumption, but you can apply outland when you are physically inland.

the thing is, we looked at the outland applications before we came to canada and won't it be weird if we are putting canada as our address?

Not weird at all, loads of people do it.

also, i didn't realize that he wouldn't be allowed to leave canada while the appliaction is being processed! we are planning to go to australia this year, but there would be no problem for him to get back into canada since he has a valid visa for 2 years.


so confused now as to what to do, but thanks for your insight!!!

Unless you have a good reason, apply outland

 

[MandyUK]

oooh! thanks for the help and advice!

I just assumed since we are both living IN canada and he is working and established here we would have to apply INLAND, since we are indeed, INLAND!

the thing is, we looked at the outland applications before we came to canada and won't it be weird if we are putting canada as our address?

also, i didn't realize that he wouldn't be allowed to leave canada while the appliaction is being processed! we are planning to go to australia this year, but there would be no problem for him to get back into canada since he has a valid visa for 2 years.

so confused now as to what to do, but thanks for your insight!!!

Im with everyone else on this, apply outland, it wont look weird putting your Canadian address, I applied outland when I was in the UK and my hubby back in Canada, I came to Canada on a visitor visa and changed my address to our Canadian one, all they want is an address to send any communications/documents to. Also as your not married you need to show that you are living together for at least a year, so putting your Canadian address will confirm this.
I am wondering what you would have put as your boyfriend address if he is in Canada on a working holiday, surley he is living with you, then if this is the case, you should be truthful and put your Canadian address.

 

[pinklady]

Agreeing with everyone so hopefully you make the right decision and apply outland.
I applied outland through London and was in canada the entire time. Outland is much faster!!

Good luck!

 

[Baloo]

Agreeing with everyone so hopefully you make the right decision and apply outland.
I applied outland through London and was in canada the entire time. Outland is much faster!!

Good luck!

OT did you see that Terry's Chocolate Oranges are on sale at Walmart for $1

Happy new year BTW

 

[figgy]

thanks everyone!

i had no idea we could apply as "outland" even if we are actually both in canada. we have lots of proof of living together as we lived together in the UK for 1.5 yrs and just signed a new lease here and canada, so yes, i would be putting my boyfriend's address and mine as our new place in canada.

I called CIC this morning and only had to wait a few mins on hold (bonus!!) and the guy confirmed everything you guys had told me and also that me being unemployed makes no difference at all.

so, OUTLAND it is!!! so they will be sending it to the sydney offifce as he's an aussie.

thanks so much for the help, it's just a shame that I had all the INLAND forms completed!

 

[MandyUK]

thanks everyone!

i had no idea we could apply as "outland" even if we are actually both in canada. we have lots of proof of living together as we lived together in the UK for 1.5 yrs and just signed a new lease here and canada, so yes, i would be putting my boyfriend's address and mine as our new place in canada.

I called CIC this morning and only had to wait a few mins on hold (bonus!!) and the guy confirmed everything you guys had told me and also that me being unemployed makes no difference at all.

so, OUTLAND it is!!! so they will be sending it to the sydney offifce as he's an aussie.

thanks so much for the help, it's just a shame that I had all the INLAND forms completed!

Yep! once the sponsorship part has been approved, they then send it to the VO of the country the applicant is from, good luck with your application

 

[pinklady]

You will now send everything to the Mississauga office for sponsor approval. This is taking around 60 ish days at the moment, then they will forward the application to Sydney.
Hopefully it won't take you too long to fill out the new forms. I think most of the documents on the checklist are the same other than the forms.
Make sure you pay all the fees in advance ($1040) to avoid delays later on. If they have to request the right of permanent residence fee (RPRF), it can add up to 2 months on to processing!!
Good luck!

 

[figgy]

thanks for the advice everyone, just going to check out the new forms we have to fill out now that we are going to apply "outland". I told my boyfriend all this and he couldn't believe we didn't know about this! we assumed outland meant.....if you live outside canada!

thanks again, this help has saved us months of waiting and now we can go to australia on holiday and no worry about him not being able to come back into canada!

ps- i might have some questions about forms later, where is the best place to put them

 

[Kazakhstan]

Inland processing times used to be much shorter than they are now. In 2008, it took my wife and son about 5 months all in all inland. My niece applied in 2009 inland too and is receiving her PR only now in Feb 2012 = 20 months... In our cases, we had no much choice as the sponsored family had single-entry TRVs only.

For Sydney, Australia the current processing times are 74 days (sponsorship approval) + 7 months (PR app outland) = 9.5 months

Inland: 12 months + 8 months = 20 months.

Makes a difference, doesn't it?

Just as everyone already explained, submit everything you can and even more to prove a bona fide relationship to avid a possible interview.

 

[sidkrose]

About the new forms: Read the guide very thoroughly, it's your best friend. Try to get your head around the language, sometimes it's tricky. Search the forum first, as many people ask questions about forms, and if you still can't figure it out, start a new thread or use this one. I'll keep checking if I see this thread and see if I can help you. All in all, I think the forms are relatively similar. Just read the instructions/guide VERY carefully

 

[figgy]

thanks again!

I have a couple questions for now..... do we need to follow the "region specific forms" (my boyfriend being from Australia) as well as all the other forms even though he resides in Canada and not Australia? or... are we to follow the region specific forms as we are sending the forms outland?

also, we want to get the medical done in the next few weeks but are wondering where the doctor sends the results? and what if we get the medical done in couple weeks but don't send the application to Mississauga for a month or so.... how does that work? do they keep the results until they receive the forms?

any advice would be appreciated! thank you!

 

[CharlieD10]

Use the region specific forms for Australia, yes. Technically, he does NOT reside in Canada (not yet). He is a temporary resident by virtue of the WHV, but the requirements he must meet will be based on his country of nationality, not the country he has temporary residence in.

The doctor will send the results to the regional medical centre responsible for applications from Australia, from where it will be requested by Sydney when they are ready for it. It does not go directly to Sydney from the doctor. You will receive a copy of the IMM1017 to go along with your application to CPC-M and then to Sydney. That copy will be used as proof you had the medical done, and is what Sydney will use as their reference to request the results when they need them.