What does living exclusively outside Canada really mean for a sponsor?

[Lifter]

I have been residing and working in China with my wife since 2005. The first couple of years were on Chinese F business Visas and more recently the one year spousal L Visas.

Now I still have a Canadian drivers license, Credit Cards and I even own property back home. Where is my residency?

Confused.

 

[raycrawford]

I am in the process of sponsoring my common law spouse in the Philippines, I have been here for 14 months consecutively.  I also own property in Canada and fully intend to live there again soon.

For the purpose of immigration you are temporarily living exclusively outside Canada.  If you are sponsoring spouse or common law partner you must prove you will reside in Canada once she gets her PR.

Regards,

Raymond.

[Leon]

I have been residing and working in China with my wife since 2005. The first couple of years were on Chinese F business Visas and more recently the one year spousal L Visas.

Now I still have a Canadian drivers license, Credit Cards and I even own property back home. Where is my residency?

Confused.

 

You already answered that.  If you are outside Canada for more than 180 days consecutively, you are generally not considered to be living there anymore.  That is the qualifier for healthcare anyway.  Besides, you have not been working in Canada for the last 3 years, you have not been paying taxes in Canada?  I would say that tells you that you are not living in Canada.  As well as when you go home at night and put your head on your pillow in your bed, what country is your bed located in?

What you need to do if you want to sponsor your wife for PR is to prove to immigration that you are planning to return to Canada with your wife when she gets her PR.  Since you have property in Canada, that might not be too hard.