American Student with American Fiancee looking for temporary work permit

[studentwithquestions]

Hello,

I'm an American studying in BC on a student permit, and I have an American fiancee who is looking for a temporary work permit. We've been together for several years, but haven't shared a lease or had a shared bank account for a year or more, and so I don't think we qualify for the common law spouse designation.

I have a couple of questions:

1) If my fiancee finds a job that is unwilling to sponsor her for a work permit, if we elope, how quickly would she be able to be eligible for work under my work permit?

2) If we were to elope, would it make more sense to get married in Canada vs the US? Or would we not be able to get married in Canada since neither of us are citizens here?

3) What are some other avenues we can pursue for her to get a work permit here? She is an experienced professional in non-profit management and the financial tech industry. We've looked at NAFTA but aren't entirely sure how you go forward with their limited professional groups.

Thanks

 

[rezafc]

Hello there,

1. Why would you elope? This process is not an easy one. Say if you did anyway, getting your spouse sponsored is not going to happen over night, right now for US citizens the processing time is 12 months. It's time consuming and needs a lot of background check. And specially because you are approaching it from this angle, it's not going to be easy for you guys.
2. Does not make any difference! You can get married wherever you want on this planet.
3. NAFTA is a good one. Sometimes they issue a work permit at the border. But you have to be providing strong documents. Other ways are looking into provincial nominee programmes. Still time consuming but possible.

Best of luck mate,

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1) If my fiancee finds a job that is unwilling to sponsor her for a work permit, if we elope, how quickly would she be able to be eligible for work under my work permit?

2) If we were to elope, would it make more sense to get married in Canada vs the US? Or would we not be able to get married in Canada since neither of us are citizens here?

3) What are some other avenues we can pursue for her to get a work permit here? She is an experienced professional in non-profit management and the financial tech industry. We've looked at NAFTA but aren't entirely sure how you go forward with their limited professional groups.

Hi

1. Once you have the marriage certificate, she can go to the Canada-US border with all of the necessary documents to get a spouse open work permit.

2. Doesn't matter where you get married.

3. If her profession isn't listed in NAFTA, her only other option is to find an employer willing to go through the LMIA process.

1. Why would you elope? This process is not an easy one. Say if you did anyway, getting your spouse sponsored is not going to happen over night, right now for US citizens the processing time is 12 months. It's time consuming and needs a lot of background check. And specially because you are approaching it from this angle, it's not going to be easy for you guys.

??

OP is an international student asking how his wife would be able to get a spousal OWP. This is not a sponsorship situation.

 

[studentwithquestions]

Thank you for the detailed response.

So it seems like the elope->border->OWP is an actually viable strategy if it comes to that? Obviously we would prefer to get married around our wedding, but we've discussed this and agreed that it's something we are both comfortable with if we need to exercise this option.

Do you know if there is any sort of waiting period? Or would it actually be a same-day kind of deal?

Thanks

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you for the detailed response.

So it seems like the elope->border->OWP is an actually viable strategy if it comes to that? Obviously we would prefer to get married around our wedding, but we've discussed this and agreed that it's something we are both comfortable with if we need to exercise this option.

Do you know if there is any sort of waiting period? Or would it actually be a same-day kind of deal?

At the border, it is same-day.

 

[jes_ON]

Do you know if there is any sort of waiting period? Or would it actually be a same-day kind of deal?

Umm... waiting period for what, exactly? Too ambiguous to answer...

For example, do you mean, can you get married and get the work permit on the same day?