Picking the best PR battle!

[a_p]

Hi everyone,.. what an incredible site!  I'm hoping one of the many knowledgeable users around here can help point me in the right direction.  The CIC website has THOROUGHLY confused me!

I am a Canadian citizen.  My then GF, now wife is a U.S. citizen, who's been living in Canada since June 2005 through a series of renewed 1 year work permits as a skilled worker.  We've been married since July 2006.  Her current work permit expires in May 2009.  Her employer is willing to provide another temporary letter, or an offer of full-time employment.

I'm trying to determine what the best method would be for her to obtain her PR, and if any method will allow her to get "credit" towards citizenship for the time she's lived, worked, and paid taxes (:)) here since June 2005.

Also not sure how to deal with making sure she continues to be "legal" in Canada.  Seems like any PR application method is going to put her beyond the May 2009 timeframe when her current work permit expires??

Thanks in advance!

[BCguy]

And why dont you want to sponsor Her?????Even an Illegal Alien with sponsorship by Canadian spouse can stay as long as no removal order has been issued.A spouse within Canada does not even have to have status to be sponsored or Do you want to avoid responsibility for her???

[a_p]

Nooooo, not at all!  If sponsorship is the best/fastest/most efficient route to take, that's all fine with me!

When you say she doesn't even need status, does that mean she can legally continue to work after her permit expires in May 09, since we're married?

I'm just trying to determine the best route to take and what steps are required... the CIC site seemed to drive me in circles!

Thanks,

[BCguy]

No,she can legally stay in Canada the moment you sponsor her until the process is finished,Work permit is separate issue.But you should be done in 6-7 months

[a_p]

So then I'm going to take it that the sponsorship route would be the fastest and most efficient.

As for the work permit, she'd have to apply for another one to cover up that gap between May and whenever the formal approval comes through?

Are the 3+ years she's already been here going to qualify towards applying for citizenship if we go the sponsorship route?  She would eventually like citizenship as well.

Thanks again for your help!

[PMM]

Hi

So then I'm going to take it that the sponsorship route would be the fastest and most efficient.

As for the work permit, she'd have to apply for another one to cover up that gap between May and whenever the formal approval comes through?

Are the 3+ years she's already been here going to qualify towards applying for citizenship if we go the sponsorship route?  She would eventually like citizenship as well.

Thanks again for your help!

Only 1/2 the time prior to becoming a PR counts towards to citizenship to a maximum of 1 year.  So she would have to wait 2 years more after becoming a PR  to apply for citizenship.

PMM

[a_p]

Maximum of 1 year is better than nothing :)

Any insight on how to keep her here working legally until the PR goes through?

[CARL HOSEIN]

Hi I am Carl licenced onsultant
a) Your spouse is under " temporary status " even though she is employed in Canada
The ONLY  route is to sponsor her.
This takes about a year and a half , I have some previosu cases in this category who are Amercian citizens.
The good thing is that she has easy access to Canada and entry May not be an issue as she has a spouse here.
I assume that you all are living together and she has been here for more than a years
If you prefer you can sponsor under common law
The period of time she has been in Canada will not be calculated towards her citizenship .
Only persond under Refugee status are credited half the period spent here for accumulative points  for citizenship .
I can be reached at my office for further information
I am not soliciting buisness via this forum, I am assiting with some legal information
Thank you

l