Sponsoring my spouse and ODSP

Permanent Resident Card
1

My wife recently received her PR card. I am on ODSP and have been for my entire adult life, and will be for the rest of it. Our application was successful even though I am on ODSP.

Our worry is that, although it CLEARLY states that my wife cannot collect welfare, my social worker at the Ministry of Social Services, as well as her supervisor, have both said that she needs to be added to my disability unit.

This simply means that she would receive free prescription coverage, free vision care, and my disability benefits would increase approximately $425.00.

But in theory since her name would be included on my disability unit, this would be money she would also be receiving.
Our social worker has assured us that it’s entirely legal, but we are worried it may be too similar to welfare.

Our immigration lawyer has said he has no idea about this rule.

We worked hard (and paid a lawyer a lot of money) to get to where we are now, and while the extra money and prescription coverage would assist in helping me meet my obligation of supporting her for three years, we’re more concerned that we do not do ANYTHING to jeopardize her status, or create a situation wherein I need to repay money later.

If anyone has any information on about this or has gone through anything similar I would be grateful to hear.

It’s been impossible to speak to a human being at CIC.

Thank you,

B

2

Sorry, I should have been clearer. My social worker never actually did say it was legal. She said she had to add my spouse, and that WE had to contact CIC to make sure we weren’t breaking any rules or going into sponsorship default. The problem as I guess everyone here knows, is that it’s not really possible to contact CIC and find out what the rules are, particularly if you’re application has already been processed, it’s not possible to use the web form option to write a message. I hope this makes my question clearer.

3

Hi Brad
Can you provide the name of the lawyer that helped you since I am in the same situation and need help.

4

Hi there! I’m wondering if you ever heard anything back about this? I just got my PR and I’m in the exact same boat and it’s so confusing and frustrating.

5

My husbands ODSP worker is still insisting that I’m all okay to be added to his benefit unit but I’m worried about my husband and I owing a federal debt