Female US citizen wanting to move to Canada

[Amg5192]

I am a female I from the states and I am in a relationship with a female who is a Canadian citizen. I want to move to Canada so we can start our future together thing is I am not a skilled worker when I take the assessments I have a higher school diploma and in school to get a security certificate as well as have many years of retail expericance as well as call center experience. We are trying to figure out the best way for me to move there. I’m looking to move to bc.

 

[Rob_TO]

I am a female I from the states and I am in a relationship with a female who is a Canadian citizen. I want to move to Canada so we can start our future together thing is I am not a skilled worker when I take the assessments I have a higher school diploma and in school to get a security certificate as well as have many years of retail expericance as well as call center experience. We are trying to figure out the best way for me to move there. I’m looking to move to bc.

Since you don't have skilled education/work experience, your options are very limited in how you can "move" to Canada.

1. You can enter Canada as just a visitor. Visitor means when entering Canada you may need to show ties to USA, and have luggage typical of just a visitor. Typically you will be given 6 months visitor status upon entry, but can apply to extend that status when inside Canada. As a visitor you can't work, nor would you qualify for any work permits.

2. Not sure the secondary education you're taking now, but can perhaps see if it will qualify you for a 1-year working holiday/IEC under SWAP program. http://www.swap.ca/in_eng/ . This would allow you to live in Canada 1 year to become common-law with your partner.

3. If you can live together 12 months to become common-law, or you get married to your partner, only then she can apply to sponsor you for PR. If you do this while inside Canada you will also get an Open Work Permit.

 

[scylla]

2. Not sure the secondary education you're taking now, but can perhaps see if it will qualify you for a 1-year working holiday/IEC under SWAP program. http://www.swap.ca/in_eng/ . This would allow you to live in Canada 1 year to become common-law with your partner.

The SWAP program isn't an option. Only recent college graduates qualify. A security certificate isn't enough to qualify.

Agreed that getting married or becoming common law is the most feasible route.

 

[Amg5192]

The SWAP program isn't an option. Only recent college graduates qualify. A security certificate isn't enough to qualify.

Agreed that getting married or becoming common law is the most feasible

The SWAP program isn't an option. Only recent college graduates qualify. A security certificate isn't enough to qualify.

Agreed that getting married or becoming common law is the most feasible route.

Since you don't have skilled education/work experience, your options are very limited in how you can "move" to Canada.

1. You can enter Canada as just a visitor. Visitor means when entering Canada you may need to show ties to USA, and have luggage typical of just a visitor. Typically you will be given 6 months visitor status upon entry, but can apply to extend that status when inside Canada. As a visitor you can't work, nor would you qualify for any work permits.

2. Not sure the secondary education you're taking now, but can perhaps see if it will qualify you for a 1-year working holiday/IEC under SWAP program. http://www.swap.ca/in_eng/ . This would allow you to live in Canada 1 year to become common-law with your partner.

3. If you can live together 12 months to become common-law, or you get married to your partner, only then she can apply to sponsor you for PR. If you do this while inside Canada you will also get an Open Work Permit.

Thank you so much for your response. I had a feeling that it would mainly come down to it. Is there a way I could come as a visitor and then look for work and have the company apply for a LIMA?

 

[scylla]

Yes - you can come as a visitor and look for an employer. Be aware it's next to impossible to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process. So this route has a very low chance of success.

Also make sure it doesn't look like you're moving here when you arrive as a visitor - and that you can demonstrate ties to the US. Entirely possible to be given only a short visit or even refused entry if the CBSA officer has concerns you're trying to move to Canada without authorization.

 

[Amg5192]

Yes - you can come as a visitor and look for an employer. Be aware it's next to impossible to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process. So this route has a very low chance of success.

Also make sure it doesn't look like you're moving here when you arrive as a visitor - and that you can demonstrate ties to the US. Entirely possible to be given only a short visit or even refused entry if the CBSA officer has concerns you're trying to move to Canada without authorization.

When I visit I’m only bring a carry on and a small bag for the flight. What I am more concerned about is if I can apply for my or without a job offer or job waiting for me. I have so many years doing retail and call center type work and a security license so I am qualified to do that.

 

[scylla]

When I visit I’m only bring a carry on and a small bag for the flight. What I am more concerned about is if I can apply for my or without a job offer or job waiting for me. I have so many years doing retail and call center type work and a security license so I am qualified to do that.

Sorry - I don't understand your question. Apply for what?

 

[Amg5192]

Sorry - I don't understand your question. Apply for what?

I apologize apply for a PR. Would I necessarily need to have a work visa or a job offer?

 

[scylla]

I apologize apply for a PR. Would I necessarily need to have a work visa or a job offer?

No - you don't need to have a work visa or job offer to apply for PR. However if you plan on applying for PR on your own through one of the economic immigration streams (rather than being sponsored by your partner after getting married or becoming common law), there are a number of requirements you need to meet and in many cases you need to have enough points to be selected ahead of other qualified applicants in the pool (i.e. you have to have more points than them). Some of the work experience you have may not be counted depending on how you apply. Additionally, it will be harder to qualify without a college or university degree. You'll need to spend quite a bit of time researching the various programs to understand if you qualify and what your chances are of being selected. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp

 

[Amg5192]

No - you don't need to have a work visa or job offer to apply for PR. However if you plan on applying for PR on your own through one of the economic immigration streams (rather than being sponsored by your partner after getting married or becoming common law), there are a number of requirements you need to meet and in many cases you need to have enough points to be selected ahead of other qualified applicants in the pool (i.e. you have to have more points than them). Some of the work experience you have may not be counted depending on how you apply. Additionally, it will be harder to qualify without a college or university degree. You'll need to spend quite a bit of time researching the various programs to understand if you qualify and what your chances are of being selected. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp

Okay I understand. Thank you so much for your answers to my questions. It has clerified a lot of things for me.

 

[Rob_TO]

When I visit I’m only bring a carry on and a small bag for the flight. What I am more concerned about is if I can apply for my or without a job offer or job waiting for me. I have so many years doing retail and call center type work and a security license so I am qualified to do that.

Unfortunately you may find this type of work is not considered skilled enough to qualify in applying for PR. You need to match your job experience to the necessary NOC codes, and see if it will qualify you. As noted above, a lack of college/university may also be a big block to getting enough points to qualify.

In applying for jobs, most likely you would not qualify for jobs that fall under NAFTA specialties (which are easy to get work permits for) since they typically require college/university degrees. So for any other job, a potential employer would need to go through LMIA application, pay a hefty fee, and advertise the job for several months to prove no Canadian/PR could be found for the role instead. IRCC would then need to approve the company's request for a foreign worker.

So in the jobs you are describing (retail, call centre, etc) there are most likely ample Canadians/PRs also qualified for these roles meaning most will not even consider going through the LMIA process, since it would be so hard to be approved in the first place.

You may find your best/only chance to get PR status, is after you become common-law or married with your partner and she sponsors you for PR.

 

[Amg5192]

Unfortunately you may find this type of work is not considered skilled enough to qualify in applying for PR. You need to match your job experience to the necessary NOC codes, and see if it will qualify you. As noted above, a lack of college/university may also be a big block to getting enough points to qualify.

In applying for jobs, most likely you would not qualify for jobs that fall under NAFTA specialties (which are easy to get work permits for) since they typically require college/university degrees. So for any other job, a potential employer would need to go through LMIA application, pay a hefty fee, and advertise the job for several months to prove no Canadian/PR could be found for the role instead. IRCC would then need to approve the company's request for a foreign worker.

So in the jobs you are describing (retail, call centre, etc) there are most likely ample Canadians/PRs also qualified for these roles meaning most will not even consider going through the LMIA process, since it would be so hard to be approved in the first place.

You may find your best/only chance to get PR status, is after you become common-law or married with your partner and she sponsors you for PR.

I completely understand. Will my security background not really have much of an impact even though I am certified?

 

[Amg5192]

Unfortunately you may find this type of work is not considered skilled enough to qualify in applying for PR. You need to match your job experience to the necessary NOC codes, and see if it will qualify you. As noted above, a lack of college/university may also be a big block to getting enough points to qualify.

In applying for jobs, most likely you would not qualify for jobs that fall under NAFTA specialties (which are easy to get work permits for) since they typically require college/university degrees. So for any other job, a potential employer would need to go through LMIA application, pay a hefty fee, and advertise the job for several months to prove no Canadian/PR could be found for the role instead. IRCC would then need to approve the company's request for a foreign worker.

So in the jobs you are describing (retail, call centre, etc) there are most likely ample Canadians/PRs also qualified for these roles meaning most will not even consider going through the LMIA process, since it would be so hard to be approved in the first place.

You may find your best/only chance to get PR status, is after you become common-law or married with your partner and she sponsors you for PR.

How would I go about living with my spouse for a year to be considered common-law would I just stay there for 6 months and then ask for an extension? This is the first thing I have heard of the whole common-law thing.

 

[Rob_TO]

I completely understand. Will my security background not really have much of an impact even though I am certified?

I'm really not sure as I don't know much about that profession. As mentioned, you would need to match it up to an NOC job code to see how skilled it's considered.

How would I go about living with my spouse for a year to be considered common-law would I just stay there for 6 months and then ask for an extension? This is the first thing I have heard of the whole common-law thing.

Yes that's exactly how you would do it. Most difficult part will be staying in Canada 1 year and being unable to work here.

The only way you could work without a work visa, is if you're working online/remotely for a US company.

 

[scylla]

I completely understand. Will my security background not really have much of an impact even though I am certified?

It's just a certificate (rather than a multi-year diploma / degree) - so it will unfortunately have little or not impact.