Can you have multiple visa applications open at once? Also any advice..

[maplekitten]

Hi there!

I am a US Citizen with a fiance who is a Canadian Citizen. I still have 2 years of pharmacy school to complete in the USA, but upon graduating our plan is for me to move to Canada for us to be together.

Ideally, we would like to get married about 8-12 months before I graduate to begin working on an outland Spouse visa application. Unfortunately, due to issues with my fiance's past, he may be denied as a sponsor.

As a backup plan, we decided I could apply to study in Canada following graduation for a 2 year degree that would complement my pharmacy degree. This way I could at least be with my spouse. Then after graduating, I could apply for the post-graduate open work permit and begin working as a pharmacist and gaining work experience to apply for a skills path visa.

My question is, if my spouse visa application is still being decided by the time I would need to begin applying for a study visa, am I able to open an application for a study permit while a spouse visa application is in process? Also, if there are any possible options I am missing here, I would love to know. I really just want to make sure I can be with my spouse as soon as I graduate (May 2018) and optimally be able to work in my field (pharmacist).

 

[scylla]

Yes - you can apply for a study permit while you have a spousal sponsorship in progress. Note that applying under Canadian Experience Class is more difficult now. Previously, one year of Canadian work experience in a skilled occupation meant you were in. Now it's points based so there are lots of international students who have the required one year of work experience but aren't being selected. Of course this might change in the future.

 

[maplekitten]

Thanks Scylla. I have read how difficult the skills paths can be, and it really concerns me. I am really hoping we can find a way to make the spouse visa work out for us, so we don't have to have any more long gaps in being together.