Min Necessary Income requirement for sponsor

[rke001]

I have a few questions regarding the Min. necessary income for sponsors.

I have been working in Europe for a year, and I will be moving back to Canada. After I am back, i will be applying to sponsor a family member to immigrate to Canada.

However, since I have been working in Germany for the past year, I may not be eligible to declare my German income to CRA. This would mean that my income in the "Option-C Form" would not meet the Min. necessary income requirement. Does anyone know whether I could supply foreign income (my German tax return form) as evidence that I would be able to provide financial support to the family member?

Any input would be highly appreciated.

 

[zardoz]

I have a few questions regarding the Min. necessary income for sponsors.

I have been working in Europe for a year, and I will be moving back to Canada. After I am back, i will be applying to sponsor a family member to immigrate to Canada.

However, since I have been working in Germany for the past year, I may not be eligible to declare my German income to CRA. This would mean that my income in the "Option-C Form" would not meet the Min. necessary income requirement. Does anyone know whether I could supply foreign income (my German tax return form) as evidence that I would be able to provide financial support to the family member?

Any input would be highly appreciated.

A lot depends on which family member it is... More info needed.

 

[rke001]

A lot depends on which family member it is... More info needed.

I will be applying for my parents to immigrate to Canada. They are re-activating the parents sponsorship program in Jan. 2014.

 

[scylla]

I will be applying for my parents to immigrate to Canada. They are re-activating the parents sponsorship program in Jan. 2014.

You need to provide Canada Revenue Agency returns for the previous three years to qualify to sponsor your parents (and you must meet the Low Income Cut Off on each return). CIC will not accept returns from other countries.

 

[raquels787]

There's no income requirement if you're sponsoring you're spouse.

 

[zardoz]

So, the absolute earliest you could apply to sponsor would be at the end of the 2016 tax year (Jan 2017?)

 

[scylla]

There's no income requirement if you're sponsoring you're spouse.

OP is sponsoring his parents.

 

[rke001]

You need to provide Canada Revenue Agency returns for the previous three years to qualify to sponsor your parents (and you must meet the Low Income Cut Off on each return). CIC will not accept returns from other countries.

Thanks for the info!Do you know if I would have to meet the Low Income Cut Off for my gross income or for my net income.

 

[rke001]

So, the absolute earliest you could apply to sponsor would be at the end of the 2016 tax year (Jan 2017?)

'

I am not sure whether I could declare my German income in my Canadian tax declaration yet. If I could, then I can still apply for them to immigrate.

I guess i would also have to physically be in Canada when I apply to sponsor them?

 

[zardoz]

I suspect that CIC will refuse to accept income, declared or not, that comes from outside Canada. Yes, you would have to be in Canada to sponsor. Canadian citizens can only sponsor partners and dependent children from outside.

 

[scylla]

It's gross income - not net.

I don't see why you couldn't declare your German income on your Canadian tax return - however you should understand the tax consequences before you do so (I don't know what they would be). When you apply to sponsor your parents - as long as your Canadian tax returns from the past three years meet LICO, you should be fine. Note that LICO is going up 30% from what it was previously.

Yes - you must be physically living in Canada when you submit the application to sponsor your parents AND you must also continue to physically live in Canada while the application being processed (until it is finalized). So once you return to Canada and sponsor them, expect to have to live in Canada for the next several years if you want their application to be successful.

 

[scylla]

Yes, you would have to be in Canada to sponsor. Canadian citizens can only sponsor partners and dependent children from outside.

When sponsoring parents / grandparents - you must be living in Canada regardless of whether you are a citizen or PR. The "sponsoring outside of Canada as a citizen" rule only applies to spouses and dependent children.

 

[zardoz]

Look at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip02-eng.pdf Section 5.30 and 5.31 for the details of what is acceptable income for LICO.

 

[zardoz]

When sponsoring parents / grandparents - you must be living in Canada regardless of whether you are a citizen or PR. The "sponsoring outside of Canada as a citizen" rule only applies to spouses and dependent children.

Maybe I should have phrased my response more clearly..

 

[scylla]

Look at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip02-eng.pdf Section 5.30 and 5.31 for the details of what is acceptable income for LICO.

Interesting - you're abolsutely right. Looks like the foreign income is out regardless of whether it is declared in the CRA return or not.

5.31 explains the exceptions. However I don't think the second exception applies to the OP since the foriegn income was earned without actually living in Canada. My husband has income from several different foreign sources (his income is primarily from foreign sources) - but he's living in Canada full time (90% of his time is spent in Canada) and declares all of this foreign income on his CRA return. In my husband's case, I think his income would qualify for parent sponsorship (he's not sponsoring anyone - I'm just using his scenario as an example). However I think the OP's case is very different due to the lack of Canadian residency during the period when the income was earned and agree the income earned in Germany is likely out (i.e. won't be considered).