Sole Parent Support - widows and widowers moving to Canada

Under the agreement with Canada a widow or widower can be paid the New Zealand Sole Parent Support when they are living in Canada.

When a client is getting Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower and advises that they intend to move to Canada they will need to:

• complete an Application for Payment Overseas form (WIS7W)
• complete an Application for Payment Overseas Interview form (WIF9W)
• provide details of the total period of their residence in New Zealand
• provide two forms of identification one must be their passport and
• provide their air tickets or travel itinerary to confirm that they are travelling to Canada
• verified bank account details if different from those currently on SWIFTT

The application form, interview form and supporting documents should be sent to International Services for processing.

The client will need to meet the following qualifications:

• intend to be ordinarily resident in Canada, and be present either in Canada or New Zealand at the time they apply
• have the intention of remaining ordinarily resident in Canada for at least 26 weeks
• have had at least 12 months continuous residence in New Zealand since the age of 20 and
• meet the qualifications for Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower

If the client is not currently getting Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower an application should be taken and entitlement assessed with the qualifications.

The client must be ordinarily resident in Canada, and be present either in Canada or New Zealand at the time they apply.

Before any current benefit is cancelled or suspended contact International Services.

If a client leaves New Zealand intending to live in Canada for 26 weeks or more, they have up to 26 weeks to take up residence in Canada. Clients may go to other countries before they get to Canada, but they must arrive in Canada within 26 weeks from the date they left New Zealand to be considered ordinarily resident in Canada on the date they left New Zealand.

Example

A client may want to have a four-month holiday in the United States of America before taking up residence in Canada.

In this example, the client would be considered ordinarily resident in Canada for the purposes of deciding their application for payment of Sole Parent Support in Canada.

For more information contact International Services.