Proof : intend to live in canada with your spouse

[drwatsonhk]

Hi,

I have been married for 18 years. Our family lives outside of Canada. My kids and I are Canadian Citizen, but my wife is not. As kids are ready to go high school. I want to move back to Toronto and apply my wife to go with us.
In form IMM 5491 , It says that “proof that you intent to live in Canada with your spouse” . What should I do to prove to Immigration? Currently, I don’t have anything in Canada (No house, Car … ) . Please help . Many Thanks

Watson

 

[Skitz]

Hello, basically you have to show proof of how you intend to settle in Canada and support your family given you have been living abroad from what I gather. This could include opening bank accounts (sending them proof of this), emails with real estate agents identifying houses for rent or sale, correspondence with schools to secure admission for your kids, emails to recruitment agencies or headhunters seeking jobs or a plan on how you see yourself supporting your family when you are there (business, job, area of experience/expertise etc), if your wife plans to work - detail what she does and how she will go about looking for a job in her field (assuming she works), notarized letters from friends or families saying they know your plans of moving to Canada or are willing to support you and your family until you find work/business etc when you move.

Alternately, you could move to Canada ahead of your family to establish yourself while your wife awaits her PR - timelines for processing the PR for your wife will depend on the Visa Office her file is sent to (based on country of nationality).

Hope this helps!

 

[drwatsonhk]

Thanks Skitz, It is very helpful .

I still have 2 more questions .
1. Opening bank accounts: I am not in Canada, Can I still open a Canadian bank account ?
2. I have identified a few houses in the city , I am not sure when immigration approval will come , and I want to keep my job until my wife application approved . If I present my email conversation with Estate agent to show my interest on the house ? Will this email conversation help ?
Thanks

 

[Skitz]

Thanks Skitz, It is very helpful .

I still have 2 more questions .
1. Opening bank accounts: I am not in Canada, Can I still open a Canadian bank account ?
2. I have identified a few houses in the city , I am not sure when immigration approval will come , and I want to keep my job until my wife application approved . If I present my email conversation with Estate agent to show my interest on the house ? Will this email conversation help ?
Thanks

Hi,

1. Yes you can as a Canadian citizen and transfer funds. You should check with a few of the big banks in Canada and see what the procedure is or look at an HSBC or other international bank with offices in Canada who can do it for you - you may be able to do this online.

2. I think this part of the question you will need multiple opinions from others who have sailed the same boat. From what I gather, you can stay outside the country and go through the application process so long as you can show solid proof of intent to make Canada your home...eg: job search history in Canada and correspondence, notarized letters from family and friends in Canada and outside of your plans to move, multiple emails with estate agents to show interest on the house, opening bank accounts, correspondence from schools in Canada for your kids and a covering letter detailing your plan on how you will support the family when you move to Canada and what jobs etc you are qualified for.

More experienced members can add to this further.....

 

[drwatsonhk]

Thanks!

 

[katdanger]

Thanks Skitz, It is very helpful .

I still have 2 more questions .
1. Opening bank accounts: I am not in Canada, Can I still open a Canadian bank account ?
2. I have identified a few houses in the city , I am not sure when immigration approval will come , and I want to keep my job until my wife application approved . If I present my email conversation with Estate agent to show my interest on the house ? Will this email conversation help ?
Thanks

I also want to keep my job until my husband's PR is approved. I had my employer write a letter stating that she knows of my intentions to return to Canada and that my employment with her will terminate when my husband received his PR.

I also submitted letters from family and friends in Canada showing they know I'm planning to move back and several offers of support for when we arrive (place to stay, financial, etc.), plane tickets from my recent trip home to Canada showing continued ties, letter of good standing from my Canadian bank that outlines my accounts and products that I've maintained with them while living abroad, and arrangements for an event I'm planning in Canada about a year from now. I summarized all my evidence of intention to return in a letter where I also outlined my reasons for wanting to return to Canada and wanting to leave Brazil (family, education system, political and economic instability, safety, standard of living, salary expectations, etc.)

I believe this will be sufficient for us and you likely have more evidence (school enrolment for the kids, correspondence with realestate agents, etc.) so as long as you submit everything you can I believe you'll be fine!

 

[ali N]

Hi,

This is great, very helpful. I am a Canadian living in the US and want to know what financial proof i need to show. My wife is American and we both hope to move to Canada soon. I want to apply for her PR. Do i need to show my letter of employment from US employer? how can i make this work?

 

[canuck78]

Hi,

This is great, very helpful. I am a Canadian living in the US and want to know what financial proof i need to show. My wife is American and we both hope to move to Canada soon. I want to apply for her PR. Do i need to show my letter of employment from US employer? how can i make this work?

You can show a resignation letter from your US employer. That certainly helps.