Do family class immigrants have to pay EI?

[British Matt]

Hello everyone,

It is almost a year to the day since I landed in Canada as a family class immigrant from the UK.  To all the people still awaiting for their visas or are just about to land, good luck and congratulations!  It will be the best thing you ever did (it has been for me).

One question I need advice on.  I have been paying EI tax through my employer since landing, but am under the impression that I could not claim it if I ever needed as my sponsor (common law wife) signed a declaration that she would be financially responsible for me for 3 years and that I would not be entitled to any welfare assistance of any kind during this time.

Does anybody know if this makes me excempt from paying it, or is it law that PR on a family class visa still have to?

The reason I ask is that my employer is an American company new to Canada in the last year and may not be familiar with this type of visa.

Any help gratefully received.

Thank you very much in advance!!

[dakonej]

Hello everyone,

It is almost a year to the day since I landed in Canada as a family class immigrant from the UK.  To all the people still awaiting for their visas or are just about to land, good luck and congratulations!  It will be the best thing you ever did (it has been for me).

One question I need advice on.  I have been paying EI tax through my employer since landing, but am under the impression that I could not claim it if I ever needed as my sponsor (common law wife) signed a declaration that she would be financially responsible for me for 3 years and that I would not be entitled to any welfare assistance of any kind during this time.

Does anybody know if this makes me excempt from paying it, or is it law that PR on a family class visa still have to?

The reason I ask is that my employer is an American company new to Canada in the last year and may not be familiar with this type of visa.

Any help gratefully received.

Thank you very much in advance!!

Every person employed in Canada is required to contribute to EI, and receiving EI benefits because of unemployment has no impact on your sponsorship undertaking. Your wife is still financially responsible for you in the event you become unemployed and, for whatever reason, you do not qualify for EI benefits. That is, you cannot be on welfare, but you can still get other Canadian government benefits.

I'm surprised your US employer is not familiar with the rules, as any business operating within Canada should be aware of them.

You can find out more about EI here: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/faq/faq_general.shtml

[Kedeisha]

The agreement you sign is about welfare, EI is not welfare and if you are working and lose your job in a means that make you qualify for EI you would be entitled to benefits same as your sponsor.

As a permanent resident you live in Canada and provided you meet residency requirements for healthcare (ie for Ontario 3 mths before you qualify )you are entitled to all the benefit as the next Canadian you just cannot vote until you are a citizen and its not a visa anymore you are landed, your Visa was cancelled the day you landed.