I'm Mexican and married to a Canadian citizen, want to migrate to Ontario

[Caloto]

Hello,

I'm a 28-year-old guy married to a Canadian citizen. We're living in México. She hash's lived in Canada for 26 years but has a valid Canadian passport and a Montreal birth certificate. She has experience working at a bank and working with franchises. I have 5+ years of experience running/owning 4 Cinnabon shops. We both have college degrees and speak/write Spanish and English fluently.

We want to move to Ontario, preferably Toronto, and work there. I suppose it won't be very hard for her to find a job. I, however, am not sure which route to take. I see there are International Experience programs between México and Canada but that is only up to a year. The sponsorship program can take a year to be resolved. I am looking for a way to move there and start working as soon as possible and not having to wait a year. Waiting a few months is ok. I am not sure how long it would take to just get a visitor's visa from the Canadian embassy in México (the waiting time is less than a month) and just try to get a work permit once I'm there. Maybe I can get my visitor's visa extended once I apply for a permanent residency or spousal sponsorship?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Ponga]

The fastest way for you to get a work permit (OWP) might be for you and your wife to come to Canada, (you as a visitor), and have your wife sponsor you with an Inland (within Canada) Sponsorship application. Once she is approved as your sponsor (currently ~ 8-9 months), you could then apply for your Open Work Permit.

If there is a faster way for you to be able to work in Canada, someone will surely tell you as this forum is filled with really smart people...mostly.

 

[Caloto]

Thanks! I think my wife would have to get a job offer before we move. How hard do you think that would be? I know the Canadian economy isn't very good right now, but I am sure it is 10 times better than it is in México right now. She studied Tourism Administration, but she has worked all kinds of jobs (something normal in México) from banks, to clothing and food franchises. I don't know how realistic it is to expect she can get a $18+/hour job. I've seen some job-searching webpages and I see that it is not uncommon for mid-low (not very low, of course) positions to make that much. But, still...

 

[Ponga]

Thanks! I think my wife would have to get a job offer before we move. How hard do you think that would be? I know the Canadian economy isn't very good right now, but I am sure it is 10 times better than it is in México right now. She studied Tourism Administration, but she has worked all kinds of jobs (something normal in México) from banks, to clothing and food franchises. I don't know how realistic it is to expect she can get a $18+/hour job. I've seen some job-searching webpages and I see that it is not uncommon for mid-low (not very low, of course) positions to make that much. But, still...

Well she has the advantage of being a Canadian citizen and therefore doesn't need a work permit. If she finds a job, the employer won't have to `jump through hoops' (i.e. LMO) to hire her.

You would be able to work remotely from Canada (via the internet, by telephone or computer) and would not need a work permit. So long as you are remunerated outside of Canada, you would be able to earn some money while you wait for your OWP. Take a look at the CIC Resource Manual: FW01-ENG.pdf, which you can find on the CIC website. You'll find this information in section 5.1

Will you find a job that also pays you $18/hour working remotely? Maybe.

Something to consider.

*EDIT*

Have you looked into possible NAFTA jobs that you could be qualified for in Canada?

 

[Caloto]

Thanks for the info, Ponga! I have researched about working online for a while now, but seems a bit complicated or too tedious (clicking thousands of ads for a few Dollars). I think my best bet would be to help the wife find a decent job so I can wait for the OWP without going bankrupt.

I just looked at the NAFTA job site and, sadly, all the approved professions are out of my possibilities. Damn, makes me wish I had studied something more specific or important. (I studied International Business Relations).

Thanks for the help!

 

[Caloto]

I just read that I can apply for an OWP as soon as the first step of the spousal sponsorship is approved, which takes around 1 month if I do it inland... Did I understand correctly?

 

[Leon]

If you get a visit visa, you can come to Canada with your wife and she can sponsor you inland or outland. If it's inland, you would have to stay in Canada for the duration of the processing time. If you leave for any reason, you risk that you will not be allowed back in which case you are no longer living in Canada and could lose your application. The visit visa would allow you 6 months and you can apply to extend before it expires. It would take 8 months (not 1) to get first stage approval and be able to apply for an OWP. Another 8 months or so to get PR. If it's outland, your wife is approved as a sponsor after 1 month, then the processing moves to the visa office responsible for your country but there is no OWP available for outland.

If you don't get a visit visa, your wife can sponsor you for PR outland. She could either go to Canada alone or she could sponsor you while you are both living in Mexico in which case she would however have to show some concrete plans on moving to Canada when you get your PR.

There is no specific income requirement to sponsor a spouse but immigration would like to see that you can support yourselves and will not end up on welfare.

 

[Caloto]

Thanks, Leon! I just scrolled down the page and found out that it takes 8 months for an inland application... My bad. All this reading confused me a bit. So my friend Ponga was right on his/her first post about having to wait 8 months to work. Now, just need to help the wife find a job