Lanuage barrier

[astroduck]

Hey guys,

I am in the process of sponsoring my wife and I heard that if she takes some ESL training (my wife has very limited English background) while she is staying in Canada, it will give her a higher chance of success in terms of approving the application. This will give Immigration Canada the impression that she working on her English and willing to take the effort to live in Canada.
However, my wife is staying in Canada as a temporary resident and she is eligible for many of the training.

Can everyone confirm it is true?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ddobro2]

Spouses that are being sponsored do not need to prove their competency in French or English and almost 25% of the immigrants that come to Canada every year are actually not able to speak either one of the official languages of Canada. Having said that, if your wife's English is very poor and your ability to communicate in her language is very poor, and you don't share a language in common,this might be something that makes the IO question the genuineness of the relationship. Your posts makes it sound like she is already in Canada - are you doing an inland or outland application?

Hey guys,

I am in the process of sponsoring my wife and I heard that if she takes some ESL training (my wife has very limited English background) while she is staying in Canada, it will give her a higher chance of success in terms of approving the application. This will give Immigration Canada the impression that she working on her English and willing to take the effort to live in Canada.
However, my wife is staying in Canada as a temporary resident and she is eligible for many of the training.

Can everyone confirm it is true?

Thanks in advance.

 

[astroduck]

Spouses that are being sponsored do not need to prove their competency in French or English and almost 25% of the immigrants that come to Canada every year are actually not able to speak either one of the official languages of Canada. Having said that, if your wife's English is very poor and your ability to communicate in her language is very poor, and you don't share a language in common,this might be something that makes the IO question the genuineness of the relationship. Your posts makes it sound like she is already in Canada - are you doing an inland or outland application?

Thanks for the quick response, ddobro2. We are planning to submit an outland application. We both speaks a common language (Cantonese - both of us are from Hong Kong) so I believe that is genuiue enough.
So don't you think taking some ESL training while she is staying in Canada won't help her application. She cannot work due to her status so the immigration officer might question her if she has been learning English on free time. There are some paid ESL training out there that she is eligible. I don't know if I should register those program for her.

Thanks again.

 

[ddobro2]

It would certainly help, if anything for her personal growth. I don't know if you're in Vancouver but there's an organization called S.U.C.C.E.S.S. that is predominantly for Cantonese and Mandarin speakers. As far as whether her language abilities or lack thereof will affect her application, I highly doubt it. They are not examining her based on her chances of succeeding in Canada, as she's a family class applicant and not an economic one. The fact that you'll be guaranteeing she's taken care of financially by sponsoring her for her first 3 years is also a part of that. If she were to be refused for permanent residency, it would not be on the basis of language.

Thanks for the quick response, ddobro2. We are planning to submit an outland application. We both speaks a common language (Cantonese - both of us are from Hong Kong) so I believe that is genuiue enough.
So don't you think taking some ESL training while she is staying in Canada won't help her application. She cannot work due to her status so the immigration officer might question her if she has been learning English on free time. There are some paid ESL training out there that she is eligible. I don't know if I should register those program for her.

Thanks again.

 

[steaky]

There are other organizations which offers government-funded free english classes to new immigrants in the Greater Vancouver Area.

 

[astroduck]

Thanks for response, folks!!

On a different topic, I am planning to apply for another extension of stay (probably for 6 months) in Canada because we need more time to work on the documents. Do you think Immigration Canada will approve the extension? This is our second request for extension.

Thanks again.

astrox