Appendix D – Guide IMM 5482: Instructions to Fill the Financial Evaluation Form (IMM 1283)
The Financial Evaluation form (IMM 1283) will enable applicants to assess whether they (or their spouse or common-law partners – in case they are co-signing the undertaking) will have the financial ability to support the persons the applicants are planning to sponsor as well as their family members.
Applicants would need to provide that they have an annual income that is at least equal to the minimum necessary income for supporting the group of persons comprising:
- The applicant and the applicant’s family members, regardless of whether these family members reside with the applicant or not
- The person that the applicant is sponsoring, as well as the sponsored person’s family members
- All the individuals that the applicant has sponsored in the past, along with their family members, in situations where an undertaking is still in effect or is not yet in effect
- All other individuals for whom the applicant has co-signed an undertaking, regardless of whether the undertaking is still in effect or is not yet in effect and,
- All the individuals not included in the above points for whom the applicant’s spouse or common-law partner has given (or has co-signed) an undertaking that is still in effect or is not yet in effect, especially if the applicant’s spouse or common-law partner has co-signed the applicant’s current sponsorship undertaking
However, it is worth noting that applicants would only need to provide proof of their annual income in case they are sponsoring people other than:
- Their spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, who has no family members or,
- Their spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, who has dependent children, who have no dependent children of their own or,
- Their offspring, who have no children of their own
Situations could arise where the applicants might have declared bankruptcy and still need to meet the settlement arrangements prescribed. In situations such as this, the authorities would not consider any income earned during the period of the bankruptcy.
It is also worth highlighting that the residents of Quebec do not need to complete this form.
The Co-signer
Situations might arise where applicants have to meet various financial requirements. But, they might not have sufficient reserves of money for sponsoring their relatives on their own. In this scenario, the applicant’s spouse or common-law partner could help the applicant to meet the prescribed income requirements. They could do this by co-signing the undertaking.
The co-signer would need to:
- Meet the same eligibility requirements as the sponsor
- Agree to co-sign the applicant’s application to sponsor and,
- Agree to be responsible for the basic requirements of the persons the applicant wishes to sponsor and their family members for the term of the undertaking
It is worth noting that the authorities will hold the co-signer as being equally liable, in the event that the applicant or the co-signer fail to meet their commitments. In addition, applicants cannot have a co-signer, in case they are sponsoring a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner. However, applicants can sponsor a dependent child, who does not have any children. For this, the applicant does not require a co-signer.
The authorities would not consider any assets, potential earnings or assistance received from any other family members. Applicants would need to ensure that they complete questions 1.B and 15 to 19. This is especially so if their spouse or common-law partner is co-signing their sponsorship undertaking.
Social Assistance
Social assistance refers to any benefit (including money, goods or services), provided to or on behalf of a person by a province under a program of social assistance. It also includes assistance for items such as:
- Food
- Shelter
- Clothing
- Fuel
- Utilities
- Household supplies
- Personal requirements and,
- Health care that public health care does not cover or provide
Family Members and Persons Included in Undertakings in Effect or Not Yet in Effect
While filling the form, applicants would need to declare the number of persons described in questions 2 to 6. The number of persons described in these questions would play a role in determining the minimum income that the applicant would need for meeting the requirements of the applicant’s sponsorship undertaking.
Questions 3 and 4 typically describe a group of persons. While answering these questions, the applicants would need to enter the number of persons included in that group. In addition, they would need to provide the relevant details for each person specified in the group as instructed on the form.
The authorities have already entered 1 in the box provided for question 2. This accounts for the applicant. In case the applicant has a spouse or common-law partner and their details do not appear in question 3, the applicant would need to complete question 5. For this, the applicant need to provide the details as required.
Similarly, the applicant would need to enter the number of the applicant’s other family members in question 6. This is applicable for all family members not included in questions 2, 3, 4 or 5. The applicant would need to give details of each person in the group as instructed on the form. It is worth noting that the applicants would need to read each description carefully. Thereafter, they would need to add the numbers they have entered in each of the boxes provided for the number of persons specified in questions 2, 3, 4 and, if applicable, 5 and 6 as well.
Lastly, the applicant would need to enter the total in the box provided for question 7. This total and the low income cut off (LICO) table would enable the applicants to determine the minimum amount they would need to sponsor.
The Minimum Necessary Income
Given subsequently in this document is the low income cut off (LICO) table i.e. Table 3. Applicants would need to go down the columns of this table, until they come to the line that matches the number of people they have arrived at in Box 7. This figure denotes the amount of income the applicant would need to have for sponsoring their relatives. The applicants would need to enter this amount in the box provided for question 8.
Income Tables and Charts – Quebec and Federal Income Scales
The Quebec Income Scale, 2015 – Effective from January 01 to December 31, 2015
The government of Quebec is responsible for determining the financial capability of sponsors living in Quebec. Applicants would need to use the income scale for assessing their ability to meet the provincial requirements prescribed. However, applicants would need to note that their calculations would only be an estimate at best. This is so because the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI) will make the official financial assessment.
The authorities would deem sponsors (or guarantors) as being able to satisfy their undertaking, if in the last 12 months, they have had a gross income from Canadian sources equal to the SUM of the amount shown in Table 1 and the amount shown in Table 2 (given below). The authorities index these amounts each year.
| Table 1 – The Basic Income Required by a Sponsor to Meet the Basic Needs of Own Family | |
| The Total Number of Family Members | The Basic Annual Income Required |
| 1 | 22,590 |
| 2 | 30,495 |
| 3 | 37,650 |
| 4 | 43,301 |
| 5 | 48,192 |
Note:
- All amounts specified above are in Canadian dollars
- The authorities typically increase the applicant’s gross annual income by 4,891 for each additional dependent
| Table 2 – The Additional Income Required by the Sponsor for Meeting the Basic Needs of the Sponsored Person and the Sponsored Person’s Family Members | |||
| The Number of Persons Aged 18 years and over | The Number of Persons Below 18 years of age | The Gross Annual Income Required by the Sponsor | The Increase to Required Gross Annual Income |
| 0 | 1 | 7,819 | 4,133 for each additional person below 18 years of age |
| 0 | 2 | 12,393 | |
| 1 | 0 | 16,524 | 2,865 for each additional person below 18 years of age |
| 1 | 1 | 22,201 | |
| 1 | 2 | 25,068 | |
| 2 | 0 | 24,231 | 2,151 for each additional person below 18 years of age and, 7,704 for each additional person aged 18 years or above |
| 2 | 1 | 27,145 | |
| 2 | 2 | 29,303 | |
Note:
- All amounts specified above are in Canadian dollars
The Federal Income Table 2015
The following table applies to all provinces except Quebec.
| Table 3 – Low Income Cut Off (LICO) | |
| The Size of the Family Unit | The Minimum Necessary Income |
| 1 person (the sponsor) | 23,861 |
| 2 persons | 29,706 |
| 3 persons | 36,520 |
| 4 persons | 44,340 |
| 5 persons | 50,290 |
| 6 persons | 56,718 |
| 7 persons | 63,147 |
| For family units with more than 7 persons, add the amount specified for each additional person | 6,429 |
Note:
- All amounts specified above are in Canadian dollars
- Applicants using this kit after December 31, 2015, would need to contact the Call Centre for obtaining the revised Low Income Cut Off (LICO) figures
The Total Income Available to Sponsor
The applicants would need to add the amounts specified in boxes 14 and 19. Thereafter, they would need to enter the total in box 9, on page 1 of the form. This amount denotes the amount of money that the applicant (and, if applicable, their co-signer) have available to sponsor.
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
