I've fallen in love with a Canadian PR....help!

[mcswa]

I met a phenomenal female PR in July of 2015 (I am not joking, she is amazing), and we have been internationally travelling to spend time with each other every 2-3 weeks. I estimate, based on how it is going, that we will be desiring to move in together, if not get married, early next year. It's really been wonderful falling in love with her.

She has been a Canadian PR for about 7 years (she lives & owns a home in Toronto), and has international business that has caused her to be outside Canada for 3-5 months a year, so that has delayed her getting full citizenship...though she wishes it very much in the next 3-4 years. I am a U.S. realtor by current trade (though I have a finance degree), and U.S. born citizen all my years. Neither of us have any criminal or even driving record issues. The more I look into residency, either by PR or citizenship, it appears that there are some hurdles standing in our way. I don't have a fast track type career (I'm self employed), and we are not married yet. Marriage looks like it might be the fastest route, but will I face additional challenges going that way? Would my leaving my career to get employment (this sounds somewhat challenging from what I've read) and getting Canadian employment first help us in getting my PR, or is this a significant consideration in our scenario? Is hiring an immigration attorney recommended and could it help us to strategize/save time in completing this process? Any insight into navigating around the perceived Catch 22's would be sincerely appreciated!

 

[scylla]

In order for her to sponsor you for PR you must either be married or common law. Common law means you have physically lived together at the same address for a minimum of one year continuously. You don't have to have a job in Canada in order for her to sponosr you.

The main challenge you might face in having her sponsor you is her absences from Canada. In order to sponsor a spouse/common law partner as a PR, you must be living in Canada. Occasional absences of a few week are fine. If you have very frequent travel or are out of the country for months at a time, there's a definite risk CIC could claim the sponsor is spending too much time outside of Canada and deny the application. (Note that Canadian citizen sponsors don't face the same restrictions). So if her pattern of travel outside of Canada is going to continue, that could possibly cause issues (or it may not - impossible for any of us to say).

Make sure you apply outland (not inland).

Most of us here have gone through the process without a lawyer. But ultimately your choice.