Option C for non-residents

[Camelboy]

I friend of mine is working on her application she is working overseas for last 3 years and now she want to go back and apply sponsorship for her husband, she didn't fill tax return as she pay tax in her resident country, Although she still have driver license, health care, bank account ...etc bank back in Canada. Although Canda Revenue Agency claims that overseas working Canadian with ties to Canada should file Tax returns.

If she calls CRA , they will probably tell her they dont' have Option C as she was working overseas. If she attaches pay slips of her current job will this be enough to show that she can support her husband when she comes back.
Also how do CIC knows that she didn't receive welfare and social benefits, as one of the things they check from the Option C is these goverment assistances?

Will the CIC notify the CRA or ask the applicant to fill tax returns if they notice that the applicant has worked overseas and there are no tax returns?


What are the risks here?
These two articles scared me

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/taxseason/story/2011/02/24/f-tax-season-deveau-international.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/taxseason/story/2012/04/18/f-taxseason-filing-taxes-living-abroad.html

 

[MrSputnik]

Is your friend just living abroad or is she actually registered as a non resident?

My wife registers herself as a non resident and she does not need to pay tax in Canada. When we called CRA about an option c printout they told us that my wife cannot obtain such a printout since she never filed taxes in Canada. My wife left Canada right alert finishing university.

The safest way would be calling CRA and asking for an option c. If they tell her that she cannot get one just explain that to CIC.

We added an additional sheet of paper to our application stating that we called CRA and my wife cannot obtain an option c printout. In addition we asked her employer for a letter stating that she is working in a permanent position, since when she is working at her current job, that she is working 40h/week and her monthly salary.

We assume that should be sufficient for CIC. Since we haven't mailed in our application yet (still waiting for my police certificate) I cannot say if it's actually sufficient.

 

[Betina]

I friend of mine is working on her application she is working overseas for last 3 years and now she want to go back and apply sponsorship for her husband, she didn't fill tax return as she pay tax in her resident country, Although she still have driver license, health care, bank account ...etc bank back in Canada. Although Canda Revenue Agency claims that overseas working Canadian with ties to Canada should file Tax returns.

If she calls CRA , they will probably tell her they dont' have Option C as she was working overseas. If she attaches pay slips of her current job will this be enough to show that she can support her husband when she comes back.
Also how do CIC knows that she didn't receive welfare and social benefits, as one of the things they check from the Option C is these goverment assistances?

Will the CIC notify the CRA or ask the applicant to fill tax returns if they notice that the applicant has worked overseas and there are no tax returns?


What are the risks here?
These two articles scared me

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/taxseason/story/2011/02/24/f-tax-season-deveau-international.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/taxseason/story/2012/04/18/f-taxseason-filing-taxes-living-abroad.html

If your friend never filed taxes in Canada, she can't get an Option C. If she ever did, she should ask for it, even if she did not pay anything in the last 3 years (if she was not a resident of Canada, she did not have to pay taxes in Canada). What she should do then is ask for a proof for the money she earned and for the taxes she paid in the last fiscal year in the country where she resided and worked. Than attach a letter explaining why she is not supplying an Option C or she has no taxes mentioned in the Option C.

If she had a full time job and made a decent living in the country of residence she should not be worried. There are no financial requirements for spousal sponsorship. All CIC is trying to asses is that she and her husband have the means to care for themselves financially and will not go on welfare. Maybe in the letter she can detail their plans for employment after getting to Canada (jobs that they would pursue, if they have friends and contacts in the fields they are interested in etc.)