please help sponsored immigrant

[Joannee]

Hello, I have came to Canada almost 2 years ago recently, after a year me and my ex-husband had a baby, few months later my husband didnt like the idea of having a baby and left, when he left i went on social assistance(welfare) few months later i found a job and start working, now my husband calls me and tell me that someone from the government is asking him to pay back what i used to get, and after that he called me telling me that if i dont pay him the money i got before so he pays it back i wont be able to get my citizenship, he said my application will be denied because of this money, is it true? please help

thanks
Joanne

 

[ariell]

Nope. He's totally lying.

Your husband, as the sponsor, is responsible for providing you and your children with financial support to meet your basic needs (food, shelter, housing, medical care etc.) He needs to provide you with enough support so that you don't need to go on social assistance. However, if you do go on social assistance then it is his responsibility to repay the government. He signed an undertaking with the government which is a legally binding agreement agreeing to provide for your care. He is responsible for you for a period of 3 years. You do not need to repay them. You do not need to repay him. And having been on social assistance will not affect your ability to apply for citizenship. Please review the information on this page of CIC's website which will explain his responsibilities as a sponsor: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/information/applications/guides/5289E2.asp

 

[Joannee]

what if he doesn't pay it back? it still wont affect my ability to get the citizenship? i mean my application will be treated like anyone else who is applying?

 

[job_seeker]

what if he doesn't pay it back? it still wont affect my ability to get the citizenship? i mean my application will be treated like anyone else who is applying?

It is your husband who owes the government not you.

 

[ariell]

what if he doesn't pay it back? it still wont affect my ability to get the citizenship? i mean my application will be treated like anyone else who is applying?

If he doesn't pay it back, then he is considered in default of his obligation to the government. This means he would be banned from sponsoring anyone else until he pays back the money he owes in full. If he doesn't pay, then Ontario Works will then refer the case to the Overpayment Recovery Unit (ORU). If he still does not pay then they can essentially force him to repay by referring the matter to Canada Revenue. They can garnish his income tax refunds and/or take him to court. I would strongly encourage you to read through this document which explains things very clearly: atwork.settlement.org/downloads/atwork/D9_Understanding_Sponsorship_Breakdown.pdf


The sponsorship agreement which you both signed is a legally binding agreement. He is financially responsible for you for 3 years regardless of whether you separate or divorce.

No, having been on social assistance WILL NOT affect your ability to get citizenship.

To become a citizen, you need to:
a. be a PR
b. have lived 3 out of the past 4 years in Canada
c. have adequate knowledge of French or English
d. have adequate knowledge of Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship

You can be denied citizenship if:
a. you are under a deportation order
b. there are reasonable grounds to suspect that are involved in activities that are a threat to Canadian security
c. you are on probation, on parole, in jail, charged with or on trial for an indictable offence under any Act of Parliament or an offence against the Citizenship Act, or if you have been convicted of an indictable offence in the 3 years preceding your citizenship application.

Put simply, indictable offences are serious criminal offences such as murder, kidnapping or robbery. So that sure doesn't apply.

Indictable offences against the Citizenship Act include "making false or fraudulent statements or knowingly concealing any material circumstances for any purpose related to citizenship, using another's Certificate of Citizenship, giving a Certificate of Citizenship to someone else to use, and trafficking in Certificates of Citizenship". So that also does not apply. That is directly from the Canadian Citizenship Act which you can view here: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/BP/bp445-e.htm

Good luck.

 

[Karlshammar]

Ditto what the other said;

Your ex-husband is trying to trick you to pay his own debts! He owes this money and you don't owe anything. Don't pay the money; you can apply for citizenship and this won't affect your application at all. Your ex-husband is obviously a dishonest person, a liar and a manipulator, but you don't have to listen to him any more...

 

[Suin]

it was his own choice to leave you and the baby, so now he has to pay from that. if he tries to threaten you again, just tell him the info you know now to let him know that he cannot foolish you any longer.

 

[BCKev]

I agree with what the others have said. It was your husband that signed the undertaking saying he would be responsible for your expenses. (probably for a 3 year period). It is his debt, and his alone. It was also his responsibility to provide you with the necessary living expenses while you were unable to provide for yourself, so it would not be necessary for you to go on welfare. Apparently he has failed to meet this responsibility.

If I remember correctly, you were also required to sign this undertaking and your responsibility was to make a good effort to support yourself if it was necessary. You went out and found a job. You have lived up to your part of the agreement. Nothing for you to worry about.

 

[Karlshammar]

i mean my application will be treated like anyone else who is applying?

Yes, exactly.