Common law sponsorship - CIC checks with CRA EI income?

[mel82]

Hello,
My partner was on IE and left Canada to join me overseas since I have no work permit in Canada and I had to go away for work for 2.5 months.
We still want to claim this period as part of our 1 year cohabitation to be Common Law. In fact we lived together overseas and I have proof of that.
Will CIC know that he was on IE that period if he doesn't mention it? He would state just unemployment. Do CIC and CRA work together in these parts of the common law sponsorship application and verify?
Thanks for any insights about this!

 

[zardoz]

Hello,
My partner was on IE and left Canada to join me overseas since I have no work permit in Canada and I had to go away for work for 2.5 months.
We still want to claim this period as part of our 1 year cohabitation to be Common Law. In fact we lived together overseas and I have proof of that.
Will CIC know that he was on IE that period if he doesn't mention it? He would state just unemployment. Do CIC and CRA work together in these parts of the common law sponsorship application and verify?
Thanks for any insights about this!

One insight, don't commit benefit fraud...

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/while-receiving.html

Outside of Canada while on EI
You are not usually eligible to receive regular benefits while you are away from Canada. However, you may receive regular benefits if you show that you are available for work in Canada while abroad. You must also notify Service Canada of your travel by filling out a travel form on My Service Canada Account (MSCA)or through your bi-weekly report.

You can be outside Canada for a period of seven consecutive days for the purpose of:

• attending the funeral of a member of your immediate family or a close relative
• accompanying a member of your immediate family to a medical facility, provided that the treatment sought is not readily available in the family member's area of residence in Canada
• visiting a member of your immediate family who is seriously ill or injured
• attending a bona fide job interview

You can be away from Canada for a period of 14 consecutive days for the purpose of conducting a bona fide job search.

If you indicate that you have taken measures to be reached if an employment opportunity presents itself during your absence and that you are able to return to Canada within 48 hours, we will accept that you have proven your availability.

One measure we take to enforce this rule is to compare EI information with information from the Canada Border Services Agency. If we find you have been out of the country while collecting benefits, we will determine whether you were entitled to receive those benefits. If you were not entitled to receive them, we will calculate how much we overpaid you, and you will then have to repay the benefits.

We may also impose penalties of up to three times your weekly benefit rate or three times the amount of your overpayment. As well, you may have to work more hours or, in the case of fishing benefits, you may need more insurable earnings to qualify for benefits in the future.

 

[mel82]

Yes, I guess it is stupid to go with that lie into the application. I'll look into the option of refunding the EI he received so none of us has to lie and risk a lot. Thanks.

 

[Copingwithlife]

So, when your partner went with you and per the requirements of receiving IE they have to do their weekly reports. One of the questions is “ Are you actively looking for work ?”
What did your partner put ?
If they put Yes, and were out of the country , for not one of the allowable reasons, then they have already committed IE fraud
I’d write them a letter ASAP before EI integrity contacts you
EI integrity is the department assigned to enforce the rules of social benefit programs
You may not be contacted by them today or tomorrow, but as mentioned above departure/arrival records are shared by departments to enforce rules on benefits
I was on EI, I did a 2 hour job training for a job that never panned out. The company send me a cheque for like $50. Even though it was non traceable I sent a letter to EI, just detailing the money received , couple weeks later they sent me a invoice for the overpayment of benefits.

 

[mel82]

So, when your partner went with you and per the requirements of receiving IE they have to do their weekly reports. One of the questions is “ Are you actively looking for work ?”
What did your partner put ?
If they put Yes, and were out of the country , for not one of the allowable reasons, then they have already committed IE fraud
I’d write them a letter ASAP before EI integrity contacts you
EI integrity is the department assigned to enforce the rules of social benefit programs
You may not be contacted by them today or tomorrow, but as mentioned above departure/arrival records are shared by departments to enforce rules on benefits
I was on EI, I did a 2 hour job training for a job that never panned out. The company send me a cheque for like $50. Even though it was non traceable I sent a letter to EI, just detailing the money received , couple weeks later they sent me a invoice for the overpayment of benefits.

Thanks! I really appreciate you are answering me even though it seems it must be obvious for me that this is fraud and I have no way to work with this in my common law sponsorship. But I cant make it undone and just try to deal with it somehow....
If my partner writes them today and tells them what he did, would he be able to "just" refund the money? Is there a chance you might know how this works? He'd probably would get a penalty by now anyway.... We've been away mid December to March. And yes, he lied, said he was in the country and available.