First-time post, trying to get answers on how to bring GF to Canada

[rs7k]

this is a repost from the general section

Yeah, I'm sure these topics have been covered through and through, and I've done some research as well, but I want to make sure I understand the immigration process in general.

I'll start with my background,

-police officer in major western Canadian city
-rookie officer but currently making $70k a year, with sizeable increases in the next few years
-28 years old

Her background,

-S. Korean national
-has been in North America for 13 years
-high school graduation in Ontario
-4-yr BA in Economics from NYU
-currently on full scholarship for MBA program at Georgetown University
-has been in the USA since 2005

I've known her since 2004, we were in a relationship for roughly 7 months before she moved to NYC. It was an amicable split, one that we both foresaw anyway, since her family was very intent on getting her an education. I didn't do very well in high school, and my parents couldn't really afford to send me to post-secondary, so I found my own way through the military and eventually became successful enough to be independent. We had just started talking again late last year, and agreed to meet again. I went down to Washington for Xmas and hit it off right away, just like old times. Both of us don't want to rush into things, we realize that ten years have elapsed since we were last together. But we both agree there's tremendous potential, and that it's better to learn about the immigration process now should we get very serious (which I anticipate). Even with all her education, it's hard for her to get a job because of her citizenship status. She has to compete with US students for MBA internships, and it's looking likely she won't be able to secure one. That's what she says, I know next to nothing that doesn't involve the military, hockey, or my own job in general Smiley

With that said, if she doesn't secure an internship, I plan to bring her up to visit my city and live with me for a while (at least 12 weeks until the 2nd year of her MBA will start). She would have no plan to remain in Canada then, she'd be spending the summer with me.

She's been burnt out for the last few years from work, and she's having a hard time dealing with her MBA courses currently, so she's not ruling out quitting Georgetown. I said that she might regret it later, but she is very unhappy with her current situation. She already has a very impressive resume and a bachelor of Economics from NYU, which I'm told is a better program than any undergrad program available in Canada. She's worked on Wall St, as well as two years with a microfinance company in Africa.

I told her from my own research, that she could take a break from everything and come live with me for a year, then we could declare common law. I said that was an option because frankly it is the simplest I can think of. I don't want to do that, only because she'd have to renounce her full scholarship at Georgetown. We both realize that if things get serious, we could get married to cut into that time. She and I don't want to get married so she can stay here for a job, but rather because it would be the right thing to do, love and all that.

If she quits her MBA, I figured she could stay with me as a visitor to Canada, see how things go, and then when and if it's obvious she's the one, we could get married. My question is, if we were to get married, then apply for PR, how long would it take for her to get an open work permit? I heard there's a pilot program that has just started or is starting soon. My understanding is the only wait would be whatever processing time the permit would take, but I'd like to know what the timelines would be realistically. This is assuming she's applying inland.

If she continues with her MBA in Washington, if we do get married, I guess she could apply outland. I understand there is no permit in this case, but that it's faster for her to become a PR?

Theres just so many options, I can support her financially no problem if she decides to move in anytime, it's just that I can't see her being happy not working, although she says she needs a long break from work in general.

Of course, the other thing would be for her to look for an employer that could do a LMO. But my understanding is that if we were to get married, and then for her to get an open work permit, she could apply to any job in Canada in the same way as a citizen?

 

[keesio]

Welcome to this forum!

There are a few things to consider regarding immigration:

When you decide to sponsor her, you can apply inland or outland. Inland means she must remain in Canada for the duration of the sponsorship. Outland means she can remain outside Canada or visiting you inside Canada. So YES, you can sponsor her Outland while she is staying with you in Canada. Normally outland is the best option for people like your wife who have a visa-exempt passport because timelines are shorter and she is free to leave Canada if she wishes. However she cannot work in Canada until her sponsorship is all done. Since she is a Korean national living in the USA, CIC can choose to send her application either to the office that handles South Koreans (Manilla) or US residents (Ottawa). I'm not sure what the current timelines are for outland South Koreans but I think it is less than a year. I think the same goes for US residents who are not US citizens or green-card holders. Now if you go inland, it takes longer (I think about 2 years) but you can get a work permit after stage 1 approval (which takes about a year). That is why most will tell you to go outland since you can be all done in a year. HOWEVER there is this new pilot program planned that will allow inland applicants to work much sooner. Since this is really new, I don't have much details. But until more details come about, most would still recommend outland in your wife's case.

You also mentioned trying to get your wife a work visa. Since she is not a US citizen, it will be harder since she cannot qualify for programs under NAFTA. One option is she can get an employer to sponsor her and go through the whole LMO process. And if she gets a work visa that way via employer, she can only work for that employer. There are other types of work permits that are more flexible but I don't know much about them so I'll let others comment. But I doubt there is one that will give her the same access a Canadian citizen/PR.

Personally I think you have a good plan if she came up to visit you and you lived together for awhile and then got married, I think you have a solid case so I would recommend outland sponsorship. Her time living in Canada is also good.

I'd also check out this thread:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t137874.0.html

It is a thread for Canadians sponsoring their Korean spouses. Your case is a bit different since she is living in the US but I think that thread will be useful since the seniors there know a lot about what documents she will need from Korea during the sponsorship and how long outland times are for Korean nationals being processed in Manilla (if by chance her file ends up there instead of Ottawa).

Good luck!

 

[canadianwoman]

One thing you can start doing now to help is to keep all evidence of communication, such as phone bills, proof of travel, photos, meeting each other's friends, and so on.