Graphic Designer Girlfriend from the US to BC

[DanSara9079]

My girlfriend and I met in New Zealand in May 2013 and have been in a long distance relationship since and have met a few times since then
after she returned to the United States following a cancer diagnosis. Meanwhile I’ve been living in Canada where I’m from in BC and while over the last
year and a half she’s healed and is back working while in Minnesota.

What we want to do is be able to live in the same place and while I go to school and work up here, she’s already graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Recreational Administration with an emphasis in Outdoor and Therapeutic Recreation as well as an Associates Degree in Visual Communications with an emphasis in Graphics Design. She has had extensive experience with the graphic design side of things, more so than with her Outdoor degree.

Finding the right visa though seems to be tough and complicated when navigating the CIC’s website, we’re not married and we’re not common-law either.

While graphic design is covered under the BC PNP visa it seems like , she doesn’t have an offer of employment from anyone here in that field yet and I worry that they won't hire anyone in Vancouver from outside of the country even with years of experience in her field.

Any advice on our situation? questions? I'm just trying to throw everything but the kitchen sink onto the wall to see what sticks.

 

[scylla]

You've pretty much summed up the options. In order for you to sponsor her for permanent residency, you must either be married or common law. Alternatively, to come here as a temporary worker, she would first need to find an employer in Canada willing to offer her a full time job. US citizens can benefit from something called a SWAP visa which allows them to come to Canada for a year to work without finding an employer first. However you must be the right age and have just finished college/university. You'll have to look up the program details to see if this may be a possibility for her.

Another option would be for her to come to Canada as a full time student to continue her studies (e.g. Master's). However this is an expensive option since foreign tuition fees are high.