Best Options to Join BF on Study Permit in Canada

[Delosic]

Hello and a pre-emptive thanks to all of the contributors to this forum!

My boyfriend is currently studying in Newfoundland on a student visa (he is from Vietnam). He is supposed to graduate in Jan 2018 and plans to seek a PGWP and/or PR though the PNP. We have been together for several years and plan to get married but don't know if we should get married prior to his graduation or after he gets his PGWP and/or PR. We want to settle in Canada.

I am USA citizen and currently live in the USA. For what it's worth, I am an attorney so I think I could theoretically get a work permit under NAFTA if I could find someone to give me a job. A big IF since I am not licensed in Canada and Newfoundland isn't exactly an explosive legal market.

I am okay with finishing out the year in the USA but would like to join him as soon as possible after that. Does anyone have any thoughts on what my best options are?

 

[scylla]

It's really up to you when you get married. Note that in order for you to qualify for an open work permit based on his PGWP - he'll need to already have and be working in a full time roll that is NOC A, B or 0.

If you get married earlier, you can also apply for an OWP based on being married to someone who is in Canada on a study permit. If you go this route, you'll want to apply while he has more than six months left of studies.

And yes - as you've said, if you can secure a job offer in Canada for an occupation that falls on the NAFTA list, you can get a work permit without your employer needing to go through the LMIA process.

 

[Delosic]

Thanks! My worry is that there will be some penalty for him to apply with a spouse vs. him applying just by himself. Would having a spouse negatively affect his chances as scoring a PGWP or PR via PNP?