Express Entry or Common Law - Which to apply?

[jettiemeister]

Hi folks,
I am wondering about which option to apply my PR with: Express Entry or Common Law. If you can give your suggestions and input, that would be great.

Background:
Age - will be 30 in March 2021
Master's degree in Canada
On PGWP (exp. Feb 2022)
Working in a NOC 0 category - 5 months and counting (since July 5, 2020)
Living with my partner (Canadian citizen) since Jan 1, 2020

Express Entry:
I will qualify on July 5, 2021 when I complete 1 year in my current NOC 0 job.
Processing time currently is six months, so I can expect my decision by Dec 2021/Jan 2022
CRS Points - 479 (as of today)

Common Law:
Dating for just under 2 years (since Feb 2019)
Have been living together with my partner. Will complete 1 year on Dec 31, 2020
Have a joint bank statement (May 2020 onwards). Couldn't open an account due to COVID restrictions at the start of the year.
Have been paying rent through our joint account. Utilities are included in rent, so no separate utility bills.
Have a joint rental lease
Have same address on our provincial IDs and driver licenses
Have same address on our personal bank accounts
Have photos from our trips taken together (2 trans-border trips in 2019)
Can have friends and family write reference letters, if needed

Dilemma:
I can apply Common Law in Jan 2021 - potentially get decision by Dec 2021 (1 year processing time)
I can apply EE in July 2021 - potentially get decision by Dec 2021 (6 months processing time)

Are there any benefits/limitations for either?
Has anybody gotten their PR through Common Law that has any input?

Thank you community!
X-posted

 

[Maverick28]

Hi folks,
I am wondering about which option to apply my PR with: Express Entry or Common Law. If you can give your suggestions and input, that would be great.

Background:
Age - will be 30 in March 2021
Master's degree in Canada
On PGWP (exp. Feb 2022)
Working in a NOC 0 category - 5 months and counting (since July 5, 2020)
Living with my partner (Canadian citizen) since Jan 1, 2020

Express Entry:
I will qualify on July 5, 2021 when I complete 1 year in my current NOC 0 job.
Processing time currently is six months, so I can expect my decision by Dec 2021/Jan 2022
CRS Points - 479 (as of today)

Common Law:
Dating for just under 2 years (since Feb 2019)
Have been living together with my partner. Will complete 1 year on Dec 31, 2020
Have a joint bank statement (May 2020 onwards). Couldn't open an account due to COVID restrictions at the start of the year.
Have been paying rent through our joint account. Utilities are included in rent, so no separate utility bills.
Have a joint rental lease
Have same address on our provincial IDs and driver licenses
Have same address on our personal bank accounts
Have photos from our trips taken together (2 trans-border trips in 2019)
Can have friends and family write reference letters, if needed

Dilemma:
I can apply Common Law in Jan 2021 - potentially get decision by Dec 2021 (1 year processing time)
I can apply EE in July 2021 - potentially get decision by Dec 2021 (6 months processing time)

Are there any benefits/limitations for either?
Has anybody gotten their PR through Common Law that has any input?

Thank you community!
X-posted

Personally I would prefer to go with EE as sponsorship under common-law comes with a few conditions for the person being sponsored. You should check those conditions and decide yourself.

 

[jettiemeister]

Personally I would prefer to go with EE as sponsorship under common-law comes with a few conditions for the person being sponsored. You should check those conditions and decide yourself.

Thank you for your reply. I have checked those conditions, and they are okay for my partner and I.

 

[jettiemeister]

Save to assume your EE application would take 1 year as well. (Was 7-9 months pre-COVID)

Yes. Seems like Common law is a good option. At least the processing can start right away, rather than waiting another six months for EE to start.

 

[LinhB]

Same thing happened to me but I went with EE and just got PR recently. One of the reason is that I dont want to feel dependent to someone

 

[joy857]

If your current point is 479 (without waiting till June) then I would recommend going with EE. You'll never know what will happen down the line and unless you are set to be with the person then go for common-in-law.