Apply In-Canada or Outside of Canada?

[toMontreal]

Hi there,

I'm looking for some advice to figure out which immigration option is the best fit for my family.

I'm an American woman married to a Canadian man from Quebec. We currently live in France. My husband has accepted a job in Montreal, so we are looking into how he can sponsor me to move with him to Canada. We have two young children and would need to not be separated. The job would start in May 2018.

We understand that we can apply for him to sponsor me either from the embassy here in France or from inside Canada, but we're not sure which is the better choice for our situation. Specifically, we have the following questions:

1. If we apply in France, we will need to enter Canada before the application is fully processed (processing time is 12 months, but we plan to move in about five months). Are there any restrictions on doing so?

2. We will want to be free to travel to the U.S. to visit my parents. Would I be able to leave Canada for short periods (around one week at a time) while my PR application is being processed? Does this change depending on whether we apply inland or outland?

3. I will leave my job in France and will be looking for a new job in Canada. A work permit would potentially allow me to start working more quickly. Is it possible to apply for a work permit if I'm applying outland, or is this only an option for inland applicants?

From your perspective, which route would be best?

Many thanks for your time and advice!

 

[Miraclejj]

Hi there,

I'm looking for some advice to figure out which immigration option is the best fit for my family.

I'm an American woman married to a Canadian man from Quebec. We currently live in France. My husband has accepted a job in Montreal, so we are looking into how he can sponsor me to move with him to Canada. We have two young children and would need to not be separated. The job would start in May 2018.

We understand that we can apply for him to sponsor me either from the embassy here in France or from inside Canada, but we're not sure which is the better choice for our situation. Specifically, we have the following questions:

1. If we apply in France, we will need to enter Canada before the application is fully processed (processing time is 12 months, but we plan to move in about five months). Are there any restrictions on doing so?

2. We will want to be free to travel to the U.S. to visit my parents. Would I be able to leave Canada for short periods (around one week at a time) while my PR application is being processed? Does this change depending on whether we apply inland or outland?

3. I will leave my job in France and will be looking for a new job in Canada. A work permit would potentially allow me to start working more quickly. Is it possible to apply for a work permit if I'm applying outland, or is this only an option for inland applicants?

From your perspective, which route would be best?

Many thanks for your time and advice!

As a US citizen, you can pack it up with few suite cases and move to Canada as a visitor, after your husband goes back to Canada with your house full of stuff. Although there is still a chance that you might be refused to enter into Canada, but the risk is at its minimal. And the only thing that you need to put into consideration is if you file inland (you have to be physically in Canada), you cannot visit US frequently, even it is a short trip, because it bears a risk that you might be refused to enter Canada, and once it happens, your application will be seen as abandoned. If visiting family in US is more important to you, than an outland application is more likely for you, and you can file it either abroad or in Canada. With an outland application, you cannot file an OWP, and you have to extend your staying till the decision made of your application.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi there,

I'm looking for some advice to figure out which immigration option is the best fit for my family.

I'm an American woman married to a Canadian man from Quebec. We currently live in France. My husband has accepted a job in Montreal, so we are looking into how he can sponsor me to move with him to Canada. We have two young children and would need to not be separated. The job would start in May 2018.

We understand that we can apply for him to sponsor me either from the embassy here in France or from inside Canada, but we're not sure which is the better choice for our situation. Specifically, we have the following questions:

1. If we apply in France, we will need to enter Canada before the application is fully processed (processing time is 12 months, but we plan to move in about five months). Are there any restrictions on doing so?

2. We will want to be free to travel to the U.S. to visit my parents. Would I be able to leave Canada for short periods (around one week at a time) while my PR application is being processed? Does this change depending on whether we apply inland or outland?

3. I will leave my job in France and will be looking for a new job in Canada. A work permit would potentially allow me to start working more quickly. Is it possible to apply for a work permit if I'm applying outland, or is this only an option for inland applicants?

From your perspective, which route would be best?

Many thanks for your time and advice!

Hi

1. You can come to Canada as a visitor while the app is processing. Carry proof of funds and proof of your PR app and you should have no issues.

2. Inland applicants are advised to not leave Canada, as their inland app is cancelled if they are refused re-entry. Outland applicants have no such restriction.

3. Outland applicants don't qualify for OWPs.

If you waited and applied inland in May, you wouldn't get an OWP until August-September and you would be advised to remain in Canada. If you apply outland now, you will likely be a PR by the end of the year, if not sooner, and you are free to travel without risk to your app while it processes.

 

[toMontreal]

This is exactly what we needed to know -- thank you both!

One follow-up question: we think that my husband and kids, being Canadian, will be able to buy into the health insurance system in Quebec until they've been living there long enough to not pay. I would also of course like health insurance. Do you know if I can also buy in, and does whether I'm applying inland or outland impact this?

Thank you again for your help!!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

This is exactly what we needed to know -- thank you both!

One follow-up question: we think that my husband and kids, being Canadian, will be able to buy into the health insurance system in Quebec until they've been living there long enough to not pay. I would also of course like health insurance. Do you know if I can also buy in, and does whether I'm applying inland or outland impact this?

Thank you again for your help!!

Not sure what you mean by "buying in". If Quebec has a waiting period, then they should buy emergency insurance for those few months. Once the wait period is up, they qualify for coverage.

For you, once you are a PR and serve any any potential wait period, you will also qualify for coverage.