I'm hoping I can get at least some basic suggestions for what me and my fiance are trying to do as all this immigration stuff is making my head spin.
I am a US citizen and my fiance is a Brazilian exchange student who is here until August 2008 when she has to go back to Brazil and take 1 more class to get her second degree. Part of her schoolship, however, says that she cannot live in the US for 2 years after she finishes her degree for some stupid reason. We want to be together and can't be apart for 2 years so we are trying to move to Canada (Vancouver most likely, my father lives in Seattle which isn't that far away) to live for 2 years and then most likely move back to the US. I've wanted to perminatly relocate to Canada before and have visited before so it's not a big deal to us.
She would move in December 2008 and I would move when I am able August-December 2008 so that is a 12 month timeframe for her and a 8-12 month timeframe for me. I know that permanent residence visa take about 2 years to process from what I've been reading and although it would be nice to do eventually, I can't wait 2 years for everthing to process because we would both need to work while we are up there. Can I get a work permit that would last 2 years? Or can I keep extending a normal one? I know our skillsets are needed (Culinary Arts, Tourism and Hopitality, both type B) and I don't think getting employment would be too difficult.
I would also like to get my 2 year baking certificate at the International Culinary Arts School of Vancouver while I'm there which I would need a study visa for. Would my best bet for what we are trying to accomplish is me applying for a student visa AND a work permit insted of permanent residence and my fiance just apply for a work permit and temporary visitor visa (which I don't believe I need because I'm a US citizen)? Or is there something I'm missing that would make everything easier?
Thanx for any help.
I am a US citizen and my fiance is a Brazilian exchange student who is here until August 2008 when she has to go back to Brazil and take 1 more class to get her second degree. Part of her schoolship, however, says that she cannot live in the US for 2 years after she finishes her degree for some stupid reason. We want to be together and can't be apart for 2 years so we are trying to move to Canada (Vancouver most likely, my father lives in Seattle which isn't that far away) to live for 2 years and then most likely move back to the US. I've wanted to perminatly relocate to Canada before and have visited before so it's not a big deal to us.
She would move in December 2008 and I would move when I am able August-December 2008 so that is a 12 month timeframe for her and a 8-12 month timeframe for me. I know that permanent residence visa take about 2 years to process from what I've been reading and although it would be nice to do eventually, I can't wait 2 years for everthing to process because we would both need to work while we are up there. Can I get a work permit that would last 2 years? Or can I keep extending a normal one? I know our skillsets are needed (Culinary Arts, Tourism and Hopitality, both type B) and I don't think getting employment would be too difficult.
I would also like to get my 2 year baking certificate at the International Culinary Arts School of Vancouver while I'm there which I would need a study visa for. Would my best bet for what we are trying to accomplish is me applying for a student visa AND a work permit insted of permanent residence and my fiance just apply for a work permit and temporary visitor visa (which I don't believe I need because I'm a US citizen)? Or is there something I'm missing that would make everything easier?
Thanx for any help.