PGP Sponsor Parents - When am I eligible?

[amanb014]

Hello,


I am trying to find out some information about sponsoring my parents, but have some specific questions maybe some of you have faced.
Some facts:

1. I received my PR recently on July 14, 2020
2. I lived in the U.S. before this, for 13 years
3. I have income tax filings in the US

I have read all the information on these pages regarding the PGP sponsorship program in Canada -
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-parents-grandparents/eligibility.html

My question is, the requirements ask for Canadian Income Tax proof for the income requirements. But obviously I do not have these. Is it possible or OK to use past income tax proof from the IRS in US?

Since the requirement is only asking for Income Taxes, is it possible to file for Canadian taxes for the last 3 years taxes (when I was in US) based on my income in the US to fulfil the requirement?

 

[YVR123]

You need to wait for 3 years of Candaian income/taxes before you are qualified to sponsor your parents. Unless they change requirement of PGP. There is no PGP application open for 2020. Let's see what happen in 2021.

 

[scylla]

Hello,


I am trying to find out some information about sponsoring my parents, but have some specific questions maybe some of you have faced.
Some facts:

1. I received my PR recently on July 14, 2020
2. I lived in the U.S. before this, for 13 years
3. I have income tax filings in the US

I have read all the information on these pages regarding the PGP sponsorship program in Canada -
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-parents-grandparents/eligibility.html

My question is, the requirements ask for Canadian Income Tax proof for the income requirements. But obviously I do not have these. Is it possible or OK to use past income tax proof from the IRS in US?

Since the requirement is only asking for Income Taxes, is it possible to file for Canadian taxes for the last 3 years taxes (when I was in US) based on my income in the US to fulfil the requirement?

U.S. tax returns will not be accepted. If you file taxes for the last 3 years in Canada this may or may not be accepted. So basically this approach is not guaranteed to work and you'll most likely end up owing CRA money through filing the returns.

See the guide:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/permanent-residence/non-economic-classes/family-class-assessing-sponsor.html

As a rule, financial resources must originate from Canadian sources. An officer can, however, consider income received from foreign sources if it was declared by the sponsor to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and appears on their Notice of Assessment (NOA).

 

[amanb014]

U.S. tax returns will not be accepted. If you file taxes for the last 3 years in Canada this may or may not be accepted. So basically this approach is not guaranteed to work and you'll most likely end up owing CRA money through filing the returns.

See the guide:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/permanent-residence/non-economic-classes/family-class-assessing-sponsor.html

As a rule, financial resources must originate from Canadian sources. An officer can, however, consider income received from foreign sources if it was declared by the sponsor to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and appears on their Notice of Assessment (NOA).

Thanks a lot for that link! It’s really helpful.

I have one last question if anyone knows-

I’m still working for the same US company (remote work). Since I’m living in Canada now permanently, I will file Canadian taxes at the end for the year. So it seems it should be okay if I have this same job for next 3 years and file Canada taxes appropriately right?

 

[canuck78]

Thanks a lot for that link! It’s really helpful.

I have one last question if anyone knows-

I’m still working for the same US company (remote work). Since I’m living in Canada now permanently, I will file Canadian taxes at the end for the year. So it seems it should be okay if I have this same job for next 3 years and file Canada taxes appropriately right?

How are you working for your US employer? As a consultant from Canada? H1B?

 

[canuck78]

Thanks a lot for that link! It’s really helpful.

I have one last question if anyone knows-

I’m still working for the same US company (remote work). Since I’m living in Canada now permanently, I will file Canadian taxes at the end for the year. So it seems it should be okay if I have this same job for next 3 years and file Canada taxes appropriately right?

Keep in mind that changes are being made to the program that nobody knows about especially about who qualifies.

 

[Paul09]

Thanks a lot for that link! It’s really helpful.

I have one last question if anyone knows-

I’m still working for the same US company (remote work). Since I’m living in Canada now permanently, I will file Canadian taxes at the end for the year. So it seems it should be okay if I have this same job for next 3 years and file Canada taxes appropriately right?

As long as you have an NOA (Notice of assessment) from CRA for the next three years you are good.

Note: Many get confused here, that if someone is sponsoring their parents in 2020, they need to provide NOA from 2018, 2017, 2016, but if you filed early and got 2019, they can submit 2019, 2018, 2017.

In your situations, you got here in 2020 (and able to make sufficient income to meet the benchmark) you can use your 2020, 2021, and 2022 to apply in 2023.

To get an estimate, here is the chart:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1445&top=14

Also, you can look for Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations, to sponsor your parents. For this type of application, I would recommend going through an ICCRC Licensed consultant.

If you are the only child and have kids, and there is no one to take care of your parents back home, giving it a try is a must, as you still will be waiting for 3 years to get the NOA.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5291-humanitarian-compassionate-considerations.html

 

[canuck78]

As long as you have an NOA (Notice of assessment) from CRA for the next three years you are good.

Note: Many get confused here, that if someone is sponsoring their parents in 2020, they need to provide NOA from 2018, 2017, 2016, but if you filed early and got 2019, they can submit 2019, 2018, 2017.

In your situations, you got here in 2020 (and able to make sufficient income to meet the benchmark) you can use your 2020, 2021, and 2022 to apply in 2023.

To get an estimate, here is the chart:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1445&top=14

Also, you can look for Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations, to sponsor your parents. For this type of application, I would recommend going through an ICCRC Licensed consultant.

If you are the only child and have kids, and there is no one to take care of your parents back home, giving it a try is a must, as you still will be waiting for 3 years to get the NOA.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5291-humanitarian-compassionate-considerations.html

Given that we haven’t seen the application it is very hard to say when people may qualify. Who gets selected for PGP will be changed given the disaster last year and it could be based on the amount of years one is a taxpayer in Canada.


Would disagree that one should apply for H&C especially if you are an only child. H&C does not replace PGP and you could end up with their H&C being denied which will make visiting in the future extremely difficult. Applying for H&C does not come without a lot of risk. A supervisa is in place for parents to spend long period of times visiting their children and would be my suggesting while you wait to apply for PGP.

Here are a few examples where H&C was denied. In subsequent application it will be very hard to convince CIC that a parent just wants to visit Canada and then return home if they applied for H&C to try to get PR. If a parent is physically able to do the basics by themselves even with paid help it isn’t really considered an H&C situation.

https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fc-cf/decisions/en/item/421303/index.do

https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fc-cf/decisions/en/item/479816/index.do

 

[canuck78]

As long as you have an NOA (Notice of assessment) from CRA for the next three years you are good.

Note: Many get confused here, that if someone is sponsoring their parents in 2020, they need to provide NOA from 2018, 2017, 2016, but if you filed early and got 2019, they can submit 2019, 2018, 2017.

In your situations, you got here in 2020 (and able to make sufficient income to meet the benchmark) you can use your 2020, 2021, and 2022 to apply in 2023.

To get an estimate, here is the chart:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1445&top=14

Also, you can look for Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations, to sponsor your parents. For this type of application, I would recommend going through an ICCRC Licensed consultant.

If you are the only child and have kids, and there is no one to take care of your parents back home, giving it a try is a must, as you still will be waiting for 3 years to get the NOA.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5291-humanitarian-compassionate-considerations.html

In 2019 PGP most has to use NOA 2016, 2017 and 2018. The application deadlines were soon after the tax filing deadline. Depending on how you are being paid and how much you earned in 2020 you may qualify at the earliest in 2020. There is a huge demand for limited spot and there are no guarantees that the program won’t change annually especially if there is a change in government or bigger issues like covid.

 

[Paul09]

Given that we haven’t seen the application it is very hard to say when people may qualify. Who gets selected for PGP will be changed given the disaster last year and it could be based on the amount of years one is a taxpayer in Canada.


Would disagree that one should apply for H&C especially if you are an only child. H&C does not replace PGP and you could end up with their H&C being denied which will make visiting in the future extremely difficult. Applying for H&C does not come without a lot of risk. A supervisa is in place for parents to spend long period of times visiting their children and would be my suggesting while you wait to apply for PGP.

Here are a few examples where H&C was denied. In subsequent application it will be very hard to convince CIC that a parent just wants to visit Canada and then return home if they applied for H&C to try to get PR. If a parent is physically able to do the basics with themselves even with paid help it isn’t really considered and H&C situation.

https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fc-cf/decisions/en/item/421303/index.do

https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fc-cf/decisions/en/item/479816/index.do

That's why I added, going through an ICCRC Licensed consultant. Parents can get a Super Visa or Visitor Visa, very easily and after arriving in Canada, they can try their luck.

If succeeded, he/she does not have to look forward to any PGP program, which is kind of really competitive and depends on govt to open or not. Like hopping to get selected in a lottery in 2018 and/or facing a short window of 8 mins life we faced in 2019.

If not succeeded, he/she can definitely go with PGP, when he/she finds themself eligible.

 

[canuck78]

That's why I added, going through an ICCRC Licensed consultant. Parents can get a Super Visa or Visitor Visa, very easily and after arriving in Canada, they can try their luck.

If succeeded, he/she does not have to look forward to any PGP program, which is kind of really competitive and depends on govt to open or not. Like hopping to get selected in a lottery in 2018 and/or facing a short window of 8 mins life we faced in 2019.

If not succeeded, he/she can definitely go with PGP, when he/she finds themself eligible.

Would disagree that a TRV or supervisa is easy to get as soon as you land in Canada. Usually takes around year to qualify for supervisa. I have a feeling that this person is working on an H1B so filing primarily US taxes so his/her NOA may not qualify for a supervisa and may not work for PGP. Not all parents are able to secure a TRV depending on their finances, ties to their home country, previous international experience.

No need to spend money on a consultant for a TRV or supervisa.

 

[Copingwithlife]

As long as you have an NOA (Notice of assessment) from CRA for the next three years you are good.

Note: Many get confused here, that if someone is sponsoring their parents in 2020, they need to provide NOA from 2018, 2017, 2016, but if you filed early and got 2019, they can submit 2019, 2018, 2017.

In your situations, you got here in 2020 (and able to make sufficient income to meet the benchmark) you can use your 2020, 2021, and 2022 to apply in 2023.

To get an estimate, here is the chart:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1445&top=14

Also, you can look for Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations, to sponsor your parents. For this type of application, I would recommend going through an ICCRC Licensed consultant.

If you are the only child and have kids, and there is no one to take care of your parents back home, giving it a try is a must, as you still will be waiting for 3 years to get the NOA.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5291-humanitarian-compassionate-considerations.html

Why would you even suggest the H&C route ? That program isn’t meant to neither circumvent the programs in place or used as a get out of jail card for free

 

[amanb014]

How are you working for your US employer? As a consultant from Canada? H1B?

Yes, I’m currently working on an H1B visa.

 

[canuck78]

Yes, I’m currently working on an H1B visa.

That may factor into many of your application because of the fact you file US taxes first and then Canadian taxes after. You must meet a certain level of taxable income on your Canadian tax return to qualify.

 

[amanb014]

That may factor into many of your application because of the fact you file US taxes first and then Canadian taxes after. You must meet a certain level of taxable income on your Canadian tax return to qualify.

US and Canada have a treaty so you avoid double taxation. My income will be enough to sponsor parents even after US taxes, plus whatever is left over for Canadian taxes. Also, I have my wife here who is working for Canadian employer.

Tax treaty: https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tips/using-the-united-states-canada-income-tax-treaty-to-reduce-double-taxation-6229

Taxes Paid in the United States

If taxes were deducted from your income, you can claim those taxes as if you paid them to the CRA. Because you have a duty to report all your U.S. income on your Canadian return, the income is deemed taxable as Canadian income.