Immigration Confusion

[Sunwise]

I will be graduating from university in April. My intention is to move to Canada and live in the GTA within a reasonable commute of the numerous animation houses in Toronto, as I am a Character Animator. My fiancee presently lives in Ontario and it is our intent to have our wedding in Ontario at the end of July/beginning of August. Since Animation is exempt from needing a work permit, since it falls under Graphic Design, I shouldn't run into a problem in that area. However, I'm simply not sure how to go about beginning my applications.

Many animation studios require that you be legally allowed to work in Canada in order to apply to them... yet the Temporary Worker requirement is that I already have a job lined up with proof of such. How am I supposed to secure a job if I can't secure the right to apply to one?

I have spent months in Canada in the past 2-3 years, over the course of visiting my fiancee. I know I can't just waltz in as a visitor and get an apartment/job/married without bad repercussions, so I really need to figure out how to approach this correctly. Being routed in circles by the CIC website is dizzying and I can't find anywhere that will let me speak with anyone, so I'm hopeful someone here has some know-how about this sort of thing.

I'd like to become a Permanent Resident eventually, but it's my understanding that I should start out as a Temporary Worker as I work to meet all of the PR criteria while within Canada.

I'm rather concerned that my fiancee and I will end up booking a hall, paying our down-payments, planning everything, and then I'll get stuck in red tape as I try to immigrate properly.

Please, if you have any helpful input, I'm all ears.

 

[helios]

I will be graduating from university in April. My intention is to move to Canada and live in the GTA within a reasonable commute of the numerous animation houses in Toronto, as I am a Character Animator. My fiancee presently lives in Ontario and it is our intent to have our wedding in Ontario at the end of July/beginning of August. Since Animation is exempt from needing a work permit, since it falls under Graphic Design, I shouldn't run into a problem in that area. However, I'm simply not sure how to go about beginning my applications.

Many animation studios require that you be legally allowed to work in Canada in order to apply to them... yet the Temporary Worker requirement is that I already have a job lined up with proof of such. How am I supposed to secure a job if I can't secure the right to apply to one?

I have spent months in Canada in the past 2-3 years, over the course of visiting my fiancee. I know I can't just waltz in as a visitor and get an apartment/job/married without bad repercussions, so I really need to figure out how to approach this correctly. Being routed in circles by the CIC website is dizzying and I can't find anywhere that will let me speak with anyone, so I'm hopeful someone here has some know-how about this sort of thing.

I'd like to become a Permanent Resident eventually, but it's my understanding that I should start out as a Temporary Worker as I work to meet all of the PR criteria while within Canada.

I'm rather concerned that my fiancee and I will end up booking a hall, paying our down-payments, planning everything, and then I'll get stuck in red tape as I try to immigrate properly.

Please, if you have any helpful input, I'm all ears.

Graphic animation may be LMO exempt, but it is not Work Permit exempt. You must still apply for a work permit with all the required documents except the LMO. This means your employer does not need to apply for an approved LMO through HRSDC.

Possible methods of becoming PR in Canada:

1. You may go through the FSW stream after 1 year of full time work and an offer of permanent employment letter from your employer.
2. If you and your Canadian significant other live in a common-law relationship beyond 1 year, or if you marry your Canadian significant other, he/she may sponsor you for PR through the family stream.