My husband works for a Canadian company here in the United States, and we have just been told that he is being transferred to Calgary. He is getting a work visa, but I don't plan to work (I am a writer, who will send all of my work to the U.S.). My son is due to start school in a few weeks.
My questions are: Do I need anything more than my passport to stay with my husband in Canada while he works? Is my son eligible to go to school using my husbands temporary resident status? How long can you stay in Canada as a vistor, from a visa exempt country?
In theory, you can stay for up to 180 days. However, the border officials might not believe you'll return to the US, if your husband is in Canada (even temporarily)—if you had a job that required you to be in the US, that would be evidence that you'll return, but if you can work anywhere then they may be concerned that you'll overstay.
Assuming your husband's job is relatively highly skilled, you should be eligible for a spousal open work permit; even if you don't need the "work" part, that would give you proper temporary resident status, which makes various things easier and might even get you medicare coverage, though I don't know what Alberta's rules are about that. Since you're visa-exempt, I believe you can apply for an open work permit at the border.
No idea about school, sorry.
Immigration Forum
