Hi everyone, I am a PhD student at uOttawa and began in May'2013. I am married and have a son as well. My wife went with me to Sweden during my MS and she has that travel history. But recently I applied for her TRV along with my son. I was shocked to get a rejection, it is the first ever visa rejection my family experienced and made no sense to me.
Reason given: "Haven't satisfied me that you will return to your home country after intended visit period" on following grounds:
1. Travel History
2. Family ties in Canada and your home country
3. Length of proposed stay in Canada
4. Personal assets and financial status

So This is all the detail they gave, embassy doesn't respond to phone calls or emails, CIC is not helping me in this regard as well. I feel Canada visa system is worst in the world for students. How can they deny a PhD student a spouse visa, I am re applying now and have got supporting letter from local PM, my professor and will add an explanation letter to cover above points.
My wife has no personal assets, she is stay home mom and her family and my family all are back home in Pakistan. I originally applied for a 4 year visit visa, same as duration of my study permit, this is what CIC website says is allowed.

Can anyone help me out here, specially folks who recently got student spouse visa.
Regards,
K

If you really look closely than all the answer you are seeking are with in your own post .
Canadian visa has been always a lotto and no there is set criteria ( atleast IMO ) .
You can try again but without substantial changes in your circumstances chances may be bleak .
People with big assets and having a sound income have been denied in past .

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Thanks AshwaniG,

The issue is that I find it frustrating when neither CIC nor embassy would elaborate or suggest the best way forward. Some suggest that go for open work permit, others say just go ahead with TRV. I am perplexed and really at a point where I feel like leaving the program and going back home. It is really affecting my performance in studies too.

I do not agree with your comments on Canadian Visa System.
leaving it aside, you have already made a mistake of applying non-professionally for your wife's visa. Do enough research or take a professional help this time and apply for open work permit for your wife.

It is not very complicate thing to get a spouse work permit if you are a Phd student. But still you have to follow the procedures and do the paper work in way the consulate people like to see. If not results will certainly surprise you.

@ Gurram I put up every document I could, from my pay stubs, bank statements, my lease documents, marriage certificates etc. All was there, how much research do you think one needs to put in to get a Visa, I have had UK as well as Schengen Visas before and they were hassle free. It is a fact that a lot of graduate students spouse visas are rejected here in Canada. The agency itself confuses applicant a lot and which visa agency asks people who call for clarification to contact an immigration consultant, this is blasphemous. Anyway, I am reapplying with adding a few redundant papers too, I think they like a fat file. I will be trying to explain the reasons of each point they mentioned in rejection, some help would be appreciated here but I fail to see how can they point to travel history when clearly her passport has the visit to Schengen territory mentioned.

@kawan: did you apply only for TRV or did you also apply for work permit for your wife?