It has been asked before, but I am still not clear with the answer.

[annabruce]

"1.) The only thing she needs to qualify as a sponsor is to not be bankrupt and not be on social assistance. No job necessary, though it's always nice. But even people with no income can sponsor, so it's not an issue.
"

If this is true, why does the application and REQUIRED forms for sponsoring only my spouse require such detailed information about my financial situation?

I am a 38 year old guy who returned to university a few years ago. My income is VERY limited, but will be much better in the near future when my degree is finished. I am afraid to fill out some of the financial questions asked.

 

[Leon]

Fill out anything they ask for truthfully. The financial evaluation is there for people who are sponsoring some other relative than their spouse. Or just because immigration is curious. But really, you do not need to prove income to sponsor your spouse.

 

[tgchi13]

"1.) The only thing she needs to qualify as a sponsor is to not be bankrupt and not be on social assistance. No job necessary, though it's always nice. But even people with no income can sponsor, so it's not an issue.
"

If this is true, why does the application and REQUIRED forms for sponsoring only my spouse require such detailed information about my financial situation?

I am a 38 year old guy who returned to university a few years ago. My income is VERY limited, but will be much better in the near future when my degree is finished. I am afraid to fill out some of the financial questions asked.

Which form and which questions do you find requesting detailed financial information - I'm the sponsor on an outland application and wonder if I missed something...I used 5481 and all I see is employer and income.

 

[annabruce]

"employer and income"

Yes, that is what I am refering to. There are asking very specific information so they can call my employer and confirm the information. This is what worries me. If income doesn't matter, why do they need this specific information?

They also ask for employment history over the last 5 years including questions about income.

 

[tgchi13]

"employer and income"

Yes, that is what I am refering to. There are asking very specific information so they can call my employer and confirm the information. This is what worries me. If income doesn't matter, why do they need this specific information?

They also ask for employment history over the last 5 years including questions about income.

I wouldn't worry, your employer(s) can confirm the information, if it can't already be confirmed by your tax return. There is nothing in IMM 5481 about five year employment history. That is form IMM 5540. They can not create a form for each individual situation and it also helps to in checking the honesty of the applicant and provides a source for pulling questions from should an interview be requested.

Personally we feel far more uncomfortable providing personal, rather than professional or financial information! But it's like many things here, if you want to apply you have to follow the rules, fully, completely and honestly.

 

[annabruce]

Yes, but 5540 is a required form in my case, isn't it?

You'd be a little worried like me if you were a student for 5 years and had a very spotty employment history as a result.

 

[tgchi13]

Yes, but 5540 is a required form in my case, isn't it?

You'd be a little worried like me if you were a student for 5 years and had a very spotty employment history as a result.

I'm sorry, but honestly, no. I'd not be anymore worried in your situation that in mine or most anyone else's. There are lots of sponsors in a similar situation, or not even employed, or not even students. For the most part, the sponsor part is the easiest part of this whole process. If you are that anxious about it, I'd suggest considering selecting the option to withdraw on IMM1344 (A 1.) - you'll at least get your application fee back, less processing.

Good luck to you.

 

[annabruce]

Yes, each person's situation is different. In my case, I am not even remotely worried about proving that our relationship is genuine. The marriage is real and easilly proven. She is a top quality woman with a perfect history, fluently english speaking, with 7 years living in the USA.

I, the sponsor, am the only weak link in this application because of my employment history as a student.

Oh well, we all want our love one(s) to be with us, and we each are nervous about the application in our own way.

 

[RobsLuv]

"1.) The only thing she needs to qualify as a sponsor is to not be bankrupt and not be on social assistance. No job necessary, though it's always nice. But even people with no income can sponsor, so it's not an issue.
"

If this is true, why does the application and REQUIRED forms for sponsoring only my spouse require such detailed information about my financial situation?

I am a 38 year old guy who returned to university a few years ago. My income is VERY limited, but will be much better in the near future when my degree is finished. I am afraid to fill out some of the financial questions asked.

Just to clarify - the exemption to the minimum income requirement is applicable only to sponsorships of spouse/common-law/conjugal partners and their dependents (but not if the dependent has dependent children of their own).

From the Sponsor's Application Guide, page 8 - "Who Can Sponsor?"

You may be eligible to sponsor if:you have an income that is at least equal to the minimum necessary income, the amount of which is published yearly by the Canadian government. You will have to provide us with documents that show your financial resources for the past 12 months and prove you are financially able to sponsor members of the family class. You may solicit the help of a co-signer (must be your spouse or common-law partner). This condition does not apply if you are sponsoring only

• your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner who has no dependent children, or
• your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner whose dependent children have no children of their own, or
• your dependent child who has no children of his or her own.

The reason the application forms ask for financial information is two-fold: 1) some of the forms are used universally - for all types of Family Class sponsorships, including ones where a minimum income does apply, and 2) because, even when you're sponsoring a spouse, you need to demonstrate that you can fulfill your obligations under the Sponsorship Agreement, which says, in part:

As a sponsor, I promise to provide for the sponsored person, and his or her family members' basic requirements for a period that begins the day on which the sponsored person enters Canada and . . . . becomes a permanent resident . . .

Basic requirements include food, shelter, clothing, fuel, utilities, household supplies, personal requirements and healthcare not provided by public health, including dental and eye care . . .

Even spousal sponsorships have been refused when doubts have existed about the sponsor's ability to meet this obligation - especially when it cannot be proved that the applicant is willing and/or able to provide for themselves when they come to Canada.

 

[Karlshammar]

Why is it required? Because immigration is weird. I don't think there's a more accurate answer than that.

There is no income requirement for sponsoring, so your income is irrelevant. For those who say that CIC has violated the rules and denied spousal sponsorships without dependents because of income concerns; please provide a citation or source. This sounds like so much hearsay to me.

"1.) The only thing she needs to qualify as a sponsor is to not be bankrupt and not be on social assistance. No job necessary, though it's always nice. But even people with no income can sponsor, so it's not an issue.
"

If this is true, why does the application and REQUIRED forms for sponsoring only my spouse require such detailed information about my financial situation?

I am a 38 year old guy who returned to university a few years ago. My income is VERY limited, but will be much better in the near future when my degree is finished. I am afraid to fill out some of the financial questions asked.

 

[ColorMePanda]

The reason the application forms ask for financial information is two-fold: 1) some of the forms are used universally - for all types of Family Class sponsorships, including ones where a minimum income does apply, and 2) because, even when you're sponsoring a spouse, you need to demonstrate that you can fulfill your obligations under the Sponsorship Agreement, which says, in part:
Even spousal sponsorships have been refused when doubts have existed about the sponsor's ability to meet this obligation - especially when it cannot be proved that the applicant is willing and/or able to provide for themselves when they come to Canada.

May I ask what could the applicant and sponsor include extra to make them have less doubts of the sponsor's ability to meet that said obligation?

 

[canadianwoman]

Even though you have very little income, you will be accepted to be a sponsor for your spouse. Occasionally PR applications have been rejected when the Canadian spouse has no job: these cases are usually because the visa officer is questioning whether the marriage is genuine. One test of the genuineness of a marriage is whether or not the couple has made plans for their future together. If the Canadian spouse has no job, the visa officer can question how exactly the two of you are going to survive in Canada together. No job = no plan for a future together = not a genuine marriage = PR refusal.
The solution is to make sure you provide evidence of your future plans as a couple: provide evidence that once you graduate you will be able to get a good job, provide evidence that your spouse is willing and able to support herself or himself in Canada.

 

[ColorMePanda]

May I ask what could the applicant and sponsor include extra to make them have less doubts of the sponsor's ability to meet that said obligation?

I would appreciate if RobsLuv could help me with my question. Thanks.
What could we include as to assure the IO's belief that we can thrive as a couple in Canada?
Would a letter from each of us for our future plans together help at all?

 

[RobsLuv]

"1.) The only thing she needs to qualify as a sponsor is to not be bankrupt and not be on social assistance. No job necessary, though it's always nice. But even people with no income can sponsor, so it's not an issue.
"

If this is true, why does the application and REQUIRED forms for sponsoring only my spouse require such detailed information about my financial situation?

I am a 38 year old guy who returned to university a few years ago. My income is VERY limited, but will be much better in the near future when my degree is finished. I am afraid to fill out some of the financial questions asked.

Which forms are you looking at? You shouldn't be filling out the Financial Evaluation form, it's not applicable to spousal/common-law or dependent child sponsorships, even though it is included in the Document Checklist. That's because many of the forms, and the checklists, are generic to ALL Family Class applications - and someone sponsoring a parent, or a dependent child who has a child of their own, etc., does have to meet minimum income requirements.

Go by what it says in the Sponsor's Guide, page 8 & 15

You may be eligible to sponsor if:
the person you want to sponsor is a member of the family class;
• you have an income that is at least equal to the minimum necessary income, the amount of which is published yearly by the
Canadian government.
This condition does not apply if you are sponsoring only
• your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner who has no dependent children, or
• your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner whose dependent children have no children of their own, or
• your dependent child who has no children of his or her own.

from page 15 - forms required
"If the person you are sponsoring is: a) your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner and he or she has
dependent children who have children of their own; or b) your dependent child and he or she has dependent children,
you will have to complete the Financial Evaluation form instead (of the Sponsorship Evaluation Form IMM5481).

The financial information required with a spousal sponsorship ap is just an Option C printout (to verify that you are not in receipt of social assistance) and a letter from your employer stating your date of employment, position and salary. The application forms themselves, that I can remember, only include a very generic question about your annual net income over the twelve months period preceding submission of the application.