Advise - Business BC

[nialoira]

Hi forum members,

I am deciding to which program to apply to be able to stay in Canada (do business or work to develop my career)

My situation is the following:
- Common-law Relationship with Canadian Citizen
- Master degree, language certificates
- Five years working experience (outside Canada)
- Partner of a successful company (outside Canada)
- Staying with my partner in BC on a visitor visa for the past 10 months
- Enough money to sustain myself

I have the opportunity and skills to set an import business in BC, which as far as I know I can own it even if I am not a PR. My common-law partner will be my partner in this business as well.

The first question is if the Start Up Visa is my best option? How long does it take to start operating? And second, is it better to apply for common-law sponsorship and then open the business mentioned above while CIC process my application?

Thanks for the advise

 

[scylla]

Commonlaw sponsorship is probably your best bet provided you have lived together for a minimum of one full year and can prove it.

Note that submitting the sponsorship application won't actually allow you to work for the business you start (you can be a partial owner of the business but will be able to do absolutely no work for or in support of the business without this being classified as illegal work). If you submit an inland application, you will qualify for an open work permit around the 1 year mark after the application is submitted. If you submit an outland application, you will be able to work once the application has been processed and you have landed in Canada as a permanent resident.