Help...what is the best way?

[Bunny]

Hey all,

I recently returned to England from a 3 month stint travelling through the US and Canada. Whilst in Canada, however, I met a lovely guy and fell completely head over heels. We speak every evening and I spent the last month of my trip staying with him, meeting and getting to know his family and generally doing all the sappy things new couples do. Coming back to the UK was a reality check and we are now looking into the best way to get me back on a more permanant basis with the hope that this will be possible within the next two years. The thing is, Canadian Immigration is incredibly confusing if you hav no previous knowledge of it. I am 23 and he is 28 and we are both university educated, I have a BA from one of the top 10 British Universities and I have a year's experience in Human Resources (previous to my trip) I am planning on getting into HSE as soon as I pass my driving test. I spent most of my savings on my trip but am a bit tight so it won't take me long to collect funds again and he is willing to support me also. Obviously we are a new couple but it would be so nice to have some kind of time frame so that we have a goal to work towards.

So, my questions are as follows:

1) What would be the best way to go about getting into Canada?
- Skilled worker (if this is the answer how do I go about contacting employers in Canada?)
- Spousal (if we were to get married this time next year)
- Open work visa (if I lived with his for the year that the visa is valid would we qualify as common law?)

2) Can I come in on a temporary 6 month visa, extend it whilst I'm in Canada then apply for common law if I have sufficiant funds to support myself?

3) If we apply for common law do I have to be in or out of Canada in order to do it?

4) If I apply for BUNAC how long after my working visa has expired do I have to wait before I can return on a visitors visa?

We are already compiling a collection of photos, my various plane stubs, phone bills etc to ensure we have evidence of our relationship later on. Any help from anyone right now would be great!

Thanks!

[Leon]

1. If you want to try to get a temporary work permit as a skilled, you can try looking for jobs at some of these job websites:

http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/
http://www.eluta.ca/
http://www.monster.ca/
http://www.workopolis.com/

But you would have to convince them that you are worth the hassle of getting a work permit for you.  Bunac would be easier.  Spousal should be pretty straight forward but you can't start spousal sponsorship until you are either married or qualify as common law.

2. If your visitor visa was extended to the point that you could live with him for a full year, then you would qualify as common law.  If you stay with him while you are applying, you have another 6 months of waiting for a work permit, all in all, 18 months not working if you can afford that.

3. You can be either in or out of Canada.  Inside Canada, 6 months to get work permit, 1 to 2 years to get PR, no appeal rights if you are refused, not advised to leave while you are in process.  Outside, 7 weeks for sponsorship approval and another 3 to 9 months at London office for PR status and you can travel back and forth while you wait.  That is unless you just spent 1 year on a tourist visa and can't get it extended again.

4. Don't know this one.