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Panos

Member
Feb 9, 2010
14
0
Hi everyone.I have a question about my family's dream moving to Vancouver.
Can we(me,my wife and my 3 year old son),go to Vancouver on vacation,and decide then
that we want live there?Is it possible to do all the paperwork needed without going back home?
Can we find also a job during our vacation time there?Thank you in advance.
 
Uhh... That's my dream too... and of many others in this forum, or elsewhere !

Yes, of course, u can land there, complete your 'record of landing' formalities, stay sometime, assess the situation & if not wary already, move on...

Jobs in Vanc is tight. Residential costs will give us the 'chill'... The chillier regions of Canada are much better off, in both those aspects. I'd say, Edmonton & Calgary, in AB [quite close to BC] is much-much better on both fronts. Leon would vouch for that...
 
Thans a lot for the info.I have one more question please..Can my son go to pre- school,or we have to do the paperwork to stay first?
Thanks again.
 
Panos said:
Hi everyone.I have a question about my family's dream moving to Vancouver.
Can we(me,my wife and my 3 year old son),go to Vancouver on vacation,and decide then
that we want live there?Is it possible to do all the paperwork needed without going back home?
Can we find also a job during our vacation time there?Thank you in advance.

If you are going with your PR, you can land there. If you are going on a visitor's visa, I don't think you can stay there and complete your papers. I don't know the rules for sure, so perhaps someone will clarify with regard to visitor's visa. On what visa are you planning to go to Canada ?
 
A visitor's visa!... So i guess if you travel there ...there is no way that you can stay if you decide it(with wife and son). Which is the easiest way to stay there and work there legally???
 
I hope someone else will answer it. If you get a job opportunity, you could try get work permit, etc I guess but I really don't know the process.

By the vancouver was just voted as the number 1 city to live in by the Economist so a good choice for sure.
 
Panos said:
Hi everyone.I have a question about my family's dream moving to Vancouver.
Can we(me,my wife and my 3 year old son),go to Vancouver on vacation,and decide then
that we want live there?Is it possible to do all the paperwork needed without going back home?
Can we find also a job during our vacation time there?Thank you in advance.

Great to have dreams.... Enjoy your visit and then come back and decide!
 
Hi Panos,
I live in Vancouver (for 3 years now) and so I can give you my opinion. Rupeshhari is right. You cannot apply for Permanent Residence while on a TRV (Visitor) within Canada. Also, unfortunately you cannot apply for a work permit from within Canada unless you fulfil one of the conditions listed on the CIC website (follow link below, choose the visitor self assessment tool which will direct you to the list of eligible people who can apply for a work permit from inside Canada):
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/extend-visit.asp

If you fulfil one of the conditions above, you can apply to Vegreville, Alberta to change your condition from a visitor to worker atleast 30 days before expiry of your visitor’s visa. You will be required to satisfy all conditions for a work permit and in most cases will need a job offer and might also need a positive LMO from HRSDC. In my case, my partner came to Canada on a visitor’s visa and was able to change conditions and obtain an open work permit within 2 months only because I had a valid study permit.

Of course you can also apply to extend your stay as a visitor but a visitor's visa will limit you in so many things e.g. medical insurance. You cannot be granted the British Columbia Medical Services Plan if you are a visitor (medical expenses are very expensive unless you have insurance). As a visitor, you have to buy your own temporary insurance either in Canada or from your country.

All in all, it can be hectic (and most times impossible) getting things done on a visitor's visa. The best advice for you would be to be patient and enter Canada as a PR. However, as Commonwealth advised, come and visit, return to your home and decide.

You will like Vancouver. Very beautiful (mountains, ocean, fantastic weather - Vancouver is hosting this year's Olympics but we've had no snow so far!!!), great schools, parks, health care is good. It is multicultural so you will surely not fail to fit in. This however comes with a price tag - It is generally expensive living here and you must be prepared more so for family of three.
Essat, Vancouver
 
OH THANK YOU ESSAT! I M GONNA START THE PROCESS FOR THE PR ...I FIGURED IT S THE BEST WAY! tHANKS ANYWAY! CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE ME MORE CLEAR OF HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS! i FOUND SOME NICE PLACES IN SOUTHEAST VANCOOVER WERE THE PRICE OF RENTAL SOUNDS OK! wHAT ABOUT MONTHLY GAS ,CAR INSURANCE ,GROCERY??DOES REALLY IT HAS THE BEST CLIMATE IN CANADA?? i APPRECIATE IF YOU ANSWER...THANK YOU!
 
Hi all,

I'm eager to know about Vancouver as well. Any other good fellas here [besides 'Essat'] who can throw some more light on this 'dreamland'?

An useful & imaginative discussion from Vancouver residents', is solicited on:
1. Whether Vacouver is 'really' a good choice for 'newcomers', vis-a-vis the other major cities?
2. Cost of Living.., is it really 'overboard'?
3. How about 'immediate accom' [prior to renting]? Cost? Websites?
4. If on job inside Vancouver Metro, is it Ok to reside in the suburbs? Commuting time wise.
5. Is it Ok to go beyond 'Surrey'?

Anything else on personal opinion basis shall be also be a help.
Qorax.
Ps.: Dear Essat, your post was much appreciated. Thank you brother.