Some advice needed ragarding spousal sponsorship.

[Stressedout]

Hi, I am a british man with british heritage who is married to a canadian woman. We met online over 3 years ago and I visited her a few months later for 1 month. Several months after my initial visit I visited her again and stayed in Canada with her for 6 months on a visitor visa until it ran out. Towards the end of that visit we got married in Ontario. During my 6 month visit I lived with her for the entire duration and have lots of proof of our relationship. Including skype logs, phone bills, many many photos from all aspects of our lives during the time we were together including our wedding photographs, family birthdays, family weddings and many more. Our original plan was for my wife to get work and sponsor me as we are aware she is not able to claim government assistance and sponsor me. She recently got a job and works full time but she is still on government assistance to help pay her rent and she has a son to somone else who does not pay child support at all. I help out where I can but I have my own rent to pay in the UK as well as other bills. As she cannot sponsor me under these circumstances  we heard that if I was to go and stay with my wife for 1 year, originally on a 6 month visitor visa and then applying for another visitor visa towards the end of the expiration of the first I would be able to stay permanently. Providing we prove we have lived together during that time. Is that true?

[canadianwoman]

No. That sounds like advice for someone who wants to apply common-law: come for 6 months, extend your stay for another 6 months, then you will have lived together for a year and can apply as a common-law partner. But they still have to apply.

What kind of gov't assistance is she getting for the rent? Not all types of gov't assistance are 'welfare'; that is, you can get money from the gov't under some programs and yet still be able to sponsor. Find out what exactly her benefits are called. My sister, for example, gets some money from the gov't as a single mother with a low income, but it is not considered welfare and would not disqualify her from sponsoring someone.

[Stressedout]

Thanks I didn't know that, I am not sure what she gets but I will find out when she gets home from work later.