beachygal said:
Thanks for your post, it was very informative. I'm a Canadian citizen (born and raised in Edmonton, AB) living in the UK with my English husband. We would like to move to Canada as soon as he gets his permanent residency. Im confused about one thing though - on the document checklist for sponsoring a spouse through the family class act, it says I need to provide 12 months of pay stubs + a letter from my employer. I've been living in London for the past three yrs as a stay at home mom, Im not employed, my husband is the sole earner. Can I still sponsor him?
Also, is sponsoring my spouse and him applying for permanent residency one and the same thing? or are there two separate applications we both need to fill out and send? Also, at the moment Im back in Edmonton visiting family. Can I send the application for him from here then go back to the UK? Or should I sponsor him from the UK once I return?
You are referring to item 19 on the checklist, correct? If so that is only if you need to meet the minimum income requirement. If it is just your husband you are sponsoring and you both have no other dependents then this does not apply to you.
You can sponsor your husband even if you do not work, however you should include info on how you will support yourselves. Things like evidence of savings, potential employers, job interviews lined up, etc. These can be for you the sponsor or for the applicant. Basically prove to CIC that you will not need social assistance.
There are 2 applications but together they make up the whole application to sponsor someone. The first application is for the sponsor, in this case you. Once that is approved CIC will forward the whole application to a visa office abroad, most likely London as your husband is British. London will then process the second application, the applicant forms.
You need to fill both sets of forms out and send them in together.
It does not matter where you send it from, but you have to make sure you have all of the valid documents.
The starting point for you is
here.
Good luck!