CRA says I owe income tax: Problem for sponsoring partner?

[BeShoo]

I hate to admit it, but I'm several years behind in filing my income tax returns. I've been a full-time student for a few years and there always seems to be a more urgent deadline, plus my taxes are a little more complicated by the fact that I have sole proprietorship income from an Internet business in addition to regular wages.

Canada Revenue Agency probably owes me some refunds, but they've recently sent me an assessment based on my income over that last few years with no deductions. I'm starting to get the paperwork in order but in the meantime they say I owe them money.

I saw some message here recently that if you owe the government any money for anything, you could be ineligible for sponsorship. I can't find any such reference in any of the guides and I would appreciate if anyone could point me to it.

In addition, if this is indeed a possible barrier to sponsorship, I'm wondering if I should just send the money now that they claim I owe and wait for a refund later. I'm presently unemployed and looking for work (and in debt from student expenses), so I'd rather not give the money to the government till I figure out what I owe because I might need that money for expenses till I'm employed again.

 

[tgchi13]

It seems you may be okay so long as you do not owe the government of Canada or your provincial government money or other obligations due to previous sponsorships:

from http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/regu/sor-2002-227/73635/sor-2002-227.html#history

133. (1) A sponsorship application shall only be approved by an officer if, on the day on which the application was filed and from that day until the day a decision is made with respect to the application, there is evidence that the sponsor

(g) subject to paragraph 137(c), is not in default of

(i) any undertaking, or

(ii) any support payment obligations ordered by a court;

(h) is not in default in respect of the repayment of any debt referred to in subsection 145(1) of the Act payable to Her Majesty in right of Canada;

and

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/PDF/Statute/I/I-2.5.pdf or http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-2.5/FullText.html

see:

145(1)

BUT if you can, pay before the application is sent and wait for the refund otherwise your application may (*I* think) be subject to undue scrutiny!

 

[iarblue]

You can not owe the government money.If they say you do you need to clear it up befroe you apply

 

[bobshynoswife]

That's not true. It's only if you owe for an immigration loan, not for unpaid taxes.

 

[Asta]

my hubby who is a sponsor, owing for tax return 900 bucks. i dont know is it a problem or not. our application already started to process..

 

[suenim]

Unpaid taxes should not have any effect on sponsorship eligibility. The immigration loans etc are what are referred to in the application.

 

[mrs royal]

Can someone help me if your spouse owe cra and is sponsoring you and your Outland kids would it affect your landing for permanent residency

 

[k.h.p.]

Can someone help me if your spouse owe cra and is sponsoring you and your Outland kids would it affect your landing for permanent residency

As said multiple times in this thread, no.