sponsor leaving canada to work abroad

[etienbjel]

Hi. Just a quick question. Would appreciate any help.

I currently live and work in Canada. I am a Canadian citizen. And I have just submitted the PR visa application for my wife, who is currently living in Thailand. She is Thai. She has been refused for a CDN tourist visa twice now. We will likely have to wait 1 to 3 years before she may get her PR visa and actually land in Canada for the first time. Common story on here, I know.

Thing is, I have a job offer to work in Qatar. Best part of it is I can bring my wife to live with me. Ideally, I would like to claim non resident status so that I wont be paying tax in Canada while I am away. Will this affect the PR visa?

 

[keesio]

By leaving for a new job abroad and declaring non-residency status you are doing the opposite of what CIC wants to hear - that you and your wife plan on settling down in Canada. You will need to convince them that you will return back to Canada ASAP when her PR application is complete.

 

[screech339]

It may affect the PR process since you will have to prove that you will be moving back to Canada once your wife gets PR. Taking a new job in Qatar may show that you are no longer intending to settle in Canada. While it in theory doesn't affect the PR status, you may now have to prepare proof of intending to move back to Canada as part of the process.

Screech339

 

[etienbjel]

Thanks for the replies. I was arrogantly hoping that once I pass the sponsorship evaluation then it wont matter where I work while the PR application is under way. But you both make good points. I'll have to provide another form to CIC, I guess. Grrrrrrr!!!


Thanks!

 

[Hasan9999]

Thanks for the replies. I was arrogantly hoping that once I pass the sponsorship evaluation then it wont matter where I work while the PR application is under way. But you both make good points. I'll have to provide another form to CIC, I guess. Grrrrrrr!!!


Thanks!

If the sponsor is a Canadian citizen, sponsorship approval done many months ago, GCMS notes indicate interview waived, can the sponsor goes back to the home country of the applicant (spouse) to live together until PR is granted? Does the sponsor needs to inform visa office prior to leaving Canada?

 

[PMM]

Hi

If the sponsor is a Canadian citizen, sponsorship approval done many months ago, GCMS notes indicate interview waived, can the sponsor goes back to the home country of the applicant (spouse) to live together until PR is granted? Does the sponsor needs to inform visa office prior to leaving Canada?

Yes, Canadian citizen spousal sponsors don't have to reside in Canada during the processing of the application.

 

[truesmile]

By leaving for a new job abroad and declaring non-residency status you are doing the opposite of what CIC wants to hear - that you and your wife plan on settling down in Canada. You will need to convince them that you will return back to Canada ASAP when her PR application is complete.

Here's the thing. CIC wouldn't necessarily hear about it. The CRA are not inclined to share information with ANYONE, which is why WE must submit the Option C with our spousal sponsorship application.

 

[BCKev]

Hi. Just a quick question. Would appreciate any help.

I currently live and work in Canada. I am a Canadian citizen. And I have just submitted the PR visa application for my wife, who is currently living in Thailand. She is Thai. She has been refused for a CDN tourist visa twice now. We will likely have to wait 1 to 3 years before she may get her PR visa and actually land in Canada for the first time. Common story on here, I know.

Thing is, I have a job offer to work in Qatar. Best part of it is I can bring my wife to live with me. Ideally, I would like to claim non resident status so that I wont be paying tax in Canada while I am away. Will this affect the PR visa?

I did something similar without any problem. I was working in Mexico while my wife's PR application was collecting dust on the shelf in an embassy somewhere. I kept my Canadian residency though, it may be in your best interests to do so also.

As mentioned by another poster, CIC may not want to hear you are giving up residency. In my case, I told them that I still owned my house in Canada, was a resident for tax purposes, and would be returning to Canada once my wife received her PR visa.

There is a very good tax benefit that may be applicable to you. It is called the "Overseas Tax Credit". To qualify you need to be working out of the country at a job that has a minimum of 6 months duration, maintain your residency in Canada, and be working in certain industries. I think "resource" industries was one of them, in my case it was mining. I was working for the Mexican subsidiary of a Canadian company, and was paid through their Canadian office. All the normal payroll stuff, same as working in Canada.

The benefit was a good chunk of tax free income. It was explained to me that it was roughly equivalent to having a tax deduction of about $80,000. Check it out, it made for some nice $20k+ tax refund checks.

Don't take this advice on its own: check it out yourself, make sure it applies to your situation, and be sure to do it correctly - it is worth it.

Best of luck!

 

[etienbjel]

I did something similar without any problem. I was working in Mexico while my wife's PR application was collecting dust on the shelf in an embassy somewhere. I kept my Canadian residency though, it may be in your best interests to do so also.

As mentioned by another poster, CIC may not want to hear you are giving up residency. In my case, I told them that I still owned my house in Canada, was a resident for tax purposes, and would be returning to Canada once my wife received her PR visa.

There is a very good tax benefit that may be applicable to you. It is called the "Overseas Tax Credit". To qualify you need to be working out of the country at a job that has a minimum of 6 months duration, maintain your residency in Canada, and be working in certain industries. I think "resource" industries was one of them, in my case it was mining. I was working for the Mexican subsidiary of a Canadian company, and was paid through their Canadian office. All the normal payroll stuff, same as working in Canada.

The benefit was a good chunk of tax free income. It was explained to me that it was roughly equivalent to having a tax deduction of about $80,000. Check it out, it made for some nice $20k+ tax refund checks.

Don't take this advice on its own: check it out yourself, make sure it applies to your situation, and be sure to do it correctly - it is worth it.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the reply and sorry for the late response. Unfortunately, the OTC is not relevant to me this year. Only 2.5 months working in Qatar for 2014. And it looks like they're phasing it out too. Only 20% of income for 2015 and 0% for 2016. I guess if I'm still here after June 2015, I can apply for it. Thanks for the info!