Social Security and Immigration

[Nej]

I will be sending out my application soon and was wondering something. My husband will sponser me under the family class outland app. I'm visually impaired and since 18 my mother has me on Social Security Disability. It hasn't affected my getting a job, working or anything. Would having this affect my getting PR status?

 

[Nej]

Just a note: I'm not planning to ever getting on social assistance and am totally willing and able to work and not looking for a free ride for medical or anything. I'm just worried that this would be bad for immigration.

 

[Leon]

For spousal sponsorship, it will not matter at all. Spouses are exempt from the excessive demand on healthcare. You will however not be able to collect any benefits for 3 years after becoming PR because your husband will be responsible for you financially.

 

[Nej]

Thank you Leon! Yes, I am aware of the 3 year financial commitment and as far as I'm concerned I will not be applying for any social assistance in Canada even though I might quality in the future. I'd rather use the body God gave me to work for what I get or have for as long as I can than live off the govt. I understand some people have to, but I know I don't and would rather leave those resources for people who really need it.

 

[Karlshammar]

I'm pretty confident that disability support does not count as welfare either way, so even if you did receive it in Canada your husband would not be liable. I'm not sure, but I am 99% confident.

 

[Leon]

I'm pretty confident that disability support does not count as welfare either way, so even if you did receive it in Canada your husband would not be liable. I'm not sure, but I am 99% confident.

I would have thought that too but apparently not. I have heard of two cases where sponsor had to pick up the bill for disability payments. One of them I saw on TV on the news. It was an interview with a woman who was the victim of a marriage scam. Once she had sponsored her husband and he landed as a PR, he told her that she really wasn't his type and left her. He then went on welfare which she had to pay for and after some time on welfare he started collecting disability which she also had to pay for. She said she had asked about the nature of his disability because as far as she knew, he was in perfect health and she was told that it was none of her business because of his privacy.

The other case was somebody who came to this forum to ask for advise. He and his wife had sponsored her parents, that is he co-signed the sponsorship with his wife. They later divorced. After his alimoney payments to her stopped, her mother started collecting disability. He as the co-signer was being billed for half of it. He felt it was done to scam him for money but who knows. It's hard to prove.