Want to move to Canada from the U.K.

[matthewjam1]

Hi everyone!
 
Myself and my soon-to-be-wife are considering a move to Canada in the near future (preferably in the Ontario region - Toronto). We are from the U.K. Manchester. I am 32 and she is 33. We both have Master's Degree's and have around 5 years experience in our professions. I am a landscape architect and she is a secondary school teacher. We can also speak moderate French.
 
I am aware that Canada operates on a points system. We would ideally prefer to secure work prior to moving to Canada.

We also have no criminal record and have no health problems.
 
Would it be a fairly straight forward for us to obtain permanent visa's?
 
We would appeciate any advice you could offer us

Cheers,

Matthew and Hayley
 

[scylla]

It SHOULD be a relatively straight forward process provided that:

One of your occupations appears on the following list and you have sufficient points (note that this list will likely be updated sometime in June and it's impossible to say what occupations will/will not be on the updated list):

http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/immigrate/skilled/complete-applications.asp#tphp%20idtphp

OR

One of you has a job offer in Canada.

Note that your wife will likely have to be re-certified to teach secondary school in Ontario.

Hope this helps.

[matthewjam1]

Hi Scylla,

thanks for the info!

Wev'e since done a bit more research and apparently every region in Canada has different teaching requirements. You also need to contact the Canadian board of teachers to register yourself, as well as meeting other requirements, such as proficiency in speaking French. With regards to finding work as a landscape architect, I understand that I will have to make more than one trip over to arrange some face-to-face meetings with some firms, as these types of job vacancies are rarely advertised.

We never envisaged moving over and finding work would be a fast/easy process. We will hopefully get there in the end! 

[scylla]

Sounds like you're off to a very good start with the research. Good luck!

[georgecombey]

...I am aware that Canada operates on a points system. We would ideally prefer to secure work prior to moving to Canada...

I think this point system is also known as "Assessment". You can have free assessment online.

[matthewjam1]

Hi George,

thanks for that. I'm taking a look at that now!