Questions regarding family class sponsorship

[Bspar]

I'm sorry for making my own topic but as I have a few different questions I thought it might be easier to group them in one place.
My situation is that I would like to move back to Canada (currently living in Japan) this summer with the intention of going to graduate school in Toronto starting in September. I have a Japanese wife and two children, the oldest of which already has their proof of citizenship and the youngest (6 months old) has been applied for. Going through this whole application process has got to be the most horrible and stressful thing I've ever done and I used to be in the army! So...

1) Can I bring my wife with me? We're hoping to go in July and I'd like to get the application mailed off by about the middle of April (I know, I've left it way to late). My thinking is that we could file outland, travel to Canada and my wife could get a 6 month visitor visa and if necessary file for an extension. Will they let her into the country if they know that she has applied for permanent residency? Is outland the right way to go? I know that with inland she could work but I've heard that you can't leave the country until you're approved which could be problematic if there were ever any health problems with her parents.

2) Will I be approved as a sponsor even though I won't have a source of income? I'll be studying full time for two years but I do have savings in Canada.

3) If we file outland, will she have to have an interview in Japan? I don't know how long it takes to have an interview but we may already be living in Canada at that time. Would it be possible to request an interview in Canada?

4) In Ontario, do you need to have permanent residency before you can qualify for OHIP? I know there's a 3 month waiting period once you enter the province but I don't know beyond that. If she were here on a visitors visa then I suppose that's not possible. If anyone could advise be about this situation that would be great.

That's all the questions I have right now (I had so many more, why didn't I write them down!?) I would love to hear some advice. Thank you so much.

 

[katdanger]

I'm sorry for making my own topic but as I have a few different questions I thought it might be easier to group them in one place.
My situation is that I would like to move back to Canada (currently living in Japan) this summer with the intention of going to graduate school in Toronto starting in September. I have a Japanese wife and two children, the oldest of which already has their proof of citizenship and the youngest (6 months old) has been applied for. Going through this whole application process has got to be the most horrible and stressful thing I've ever done and I used to be in the army! So...

1) Can I bring my wife with me? We're hoping to go in July and I'd like to get the application mailed off by about the middle of April (I know, I've left it way to late). My thinking is that we could file outland, travel to Canada and my wife could get a 6 month visitor visa and if necessary file for an extension. Will they let her into the country if they know that she has applied for permanent residency? Is outland the right way to go? I know that with inland she could work but I've heard that you can't leave the country until you're approved which could be problematic if there were ever any health problems with her parents.

2) Will I be approved as a sponsor even though I won't have a source of income? I'll be studying full time for two years but I do have savings in Canada.

3) If we file outland, will she have to have an interview in Japan? I don't know how long it takes to have an interview but we may already be living in Canada at that time. Would it be possible to request an interview in Canada?

4) In Ontario, do you need to have permanent residency before you can qualify for OHIP? I know there's a 3 month waiting period once you enter the province but I don't know beyond that. If she were here on a visitors visa then I suppose that's not possible. If anyone could advise be about this situation that would be great.

That's all the questions I have right now (I had so many more, why didn't I write them down!?) I would love to hear some advice. Thank you so much.

1) Yes, your wife can go. Read about dual intent here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/visa/dual.asp
If she may have to leave Canada during the processing of the application, outland is the right way to go!

2) If it were just your wife this would be fine, but since there are dependents involved, I'm not sure. - Definitely someone else on here can answer this better than I can.

3) When you arrive in Canada she can change her address with cic to show that she's in Canada. I believe this would cause them to schedule any interview in Canada - I believe phone interviews are also a possibility. But maybe an interview won't be necessary - you have children together and have been living together, sounds like a genuine relationship to me! Just make sure to submit all the necessary proof.

4) Visitors in Ontario need to get their own health coverage, and she'd need it for the first 3 months of PR - OHIP will not cover visitors.

Good luck!

 

[profiler]

You do not need to prove level of income, but you will need to prove that you are not in receipt of social assistance, and to do that, usually some source of income (even if you are dependent as well).

As to dependents, As long as you are only sponsoring immediate family members (so, you are not seeking to sponsor grandchildren of yours), then you are fine. No low income cut off assessment.

Your wife will be required to interview in Japan if she applies outland. Change of address won't matter.

 

[Bspar]

Thank you for your replies. It's a relief that my wife should be able to accompany me to Canada. I might have been in big trouble if I had to leave her in Japan. As for my dependents, they are Canadian citizens so I'm hoping that they won't have any effect.
Thanks for the heads up about dual intent. What should we say to customs when we arrive in Canada? That my wife has applied for permanent residency status and would like to receive temporary status until that time? And then show some kind of documentation showing that we have made an application?

So one person saying the interview can be conducted in Canada and another saying it can't. That's a little confusing! Is it possible that there might not be an interview at all or only a phone interview? I suppose my wife could return to Japan (is that where it would be conducted?) but that would be an expensive interview!

 

[Rob_TO]

2) If it were just your wife this would be fine, but since there are dependents involved, I'm not sure. - Definitely someone else on here can answer this better than I can.

There are no dependent involved, since kids are already Canadian. They are just listed in "other family" section. So no need to show a minimum income.

3) When you arrive in Canada she can change her address with cic to show that she's in Canada. I believe this would cause them to schedule any interview in Canada - I believe phone interviews are also a possibility. But maybe an interview won't be necessary - you have children together and have been living together, sounds like a genuine relationship to me! Just make sure to submit all the necessary proof.

No, all OUTLAND applications hold the interview in their home countries. Doesn't matter if applicant is in Canada, IRCC will not change interview location to Canada.

However as you said, from a visa-exempt country and with 2 kids together its 99.9% sure there won't be any interview required so this should not be a concern.

4) Visitors in Ontario need to get their own health coverage, and she'd need it for the first 3 months of PR - OHIP will not cover visitors.

Actually there is a way to start the 3 months waiting period if applicant is in Canada as visitor, with OUTLAND app in progress. It's a complex process that involves being denied for OHIP and then appealing to OERC who then needs to contact the outland visa office. http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/important-ohip-eligibility-info-for-all-pr-applicants-residing-in-ontario-t56695.0.html;msg2518001#msg2518001

Regardless, everyone here will need emergency travel medical insurance. Returning citizens/resident will need to go through 3 months waiting period also, and PR applicant will be waiting for OHIP much longer.