Hello all, I've just graduated from University and finished travelling Europe with my Canadian girlfriend. I myself am English. I'm coming to Canada as a visitor and I and my partner will be travelling the country and living at her house when not. In order to stay with my girlfriend and support myself I will need a job. Her father works for an oil company and has friends who could offer me some work, however I need to be in Canada first? Apparently there has been lots of people a using the system recently and things are becoming very heavily regulated. I really will need to sort this as I don't fancy the prospect of leaving my girlfriend after living together for a year. I just need to know what route to go down as I'm very confused right now and 6 months is the max I have as a tourist, and I have 5k left in money. Best, Josh.
Please help as I'm very lost.
- Thread starter DukesArcher
- Start date
If you have lived with your gf for 12 consecutive months while traveling through Europe, then you could apply immediately for PR status as a common-law spouse. However you need to provide proofs/evidence you lived together, so I imagine this could be difficult if you were traveling a lot and living in multiple countries over those 12 months. After you are approved for PR (through London office takes about 8-10 months) then you could work anywhere in Canada.DukesArcher said:
Separate from the PR application, you will only be able to work in Canada a couple ways:
1. See if you qualify for UK version of working holiday/IEC program, and get a 1-year open work permit. This could be your best bet if you are a recent graduate.
2. To work for her dad's oil company they will need to go through official LMO process (takes time and money from his company), get approved by government, and then you can get a closed work permit based on that to work only for that company
You can NOT work in any capacity whatsoever with just tourist/visitor status. Although even if you enter with 6 month status, usually you can apply to extend that status another 6 or 12 months just before the time is up to at least stay with your gf in Canada.
Thank you for your reply 
Yeah I feel like I would be putting her dad out if I put him through all of that. I heavily respect how hard Canada is to immigrate too, I've seen my country destroyed by lenient immigration policies, but leaving behind my girl friend after all we have been through would be hard! I can actually make money by writing for a magazine based in the Uk, but I'd prefer steady work if possible. I was under the impression that 6 months is the absolute maximum one can stay in Canada as a tourist?
Yeah I feel like I would be putting her dad out if I put him through all of that. I heavily respect how hard Canada is to immigrate too, I've seen my country destroyed by lenient immigration policies, but leaving behind my girl friend after all we have been through would be hard! I can actually make money by writing for a magazine based in the Uk, but I'd prefer steady work if possible. I was under the impression that 6 months is the absolute maximum one can stay in Canada as a tourist?
Working for a UK magazine is fine, as long as payments only come from the UK.DukesArcher said:
I would really investigate UK IEC program for an open work permit: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/experience_canada_experience/
No, many visa-exempt people simply request an extension when that 6 months is almost up. People have gotten up to a 12 month extension. Of course as soon as you leave Canada, any visitor status you have is gone and you would basically get a new status next time you cross the border.
Hey Rob, it's closed until December now, but I'll have to just be a visitor until I can apply. Just worried about the money situation. Cash in hand jobs sound tempting, but that is too risky and wouldn't be fair on Canadian citizens as I'd essentially be an illegal worker. I have to basically last 6 months on a few thousand dollars. If I were to gamble or possibly set up a very small business, such as private tutoring, would this be
100 percent legit
100 percent legit
It would still be illegal work - which if caught, makes you removable from Canada.DukesArcher said:
You need a work permit to work legally. Unfortunately setting up a very small business, such as tutoring, won't allow you to apply for a work permit.
As a visitor, you aren't allowed to work in Canada, period. Not self employed, cash in hand, nothing.
However, if you are working from Canada for a company in the UK and getting paid in the UK, then you are not really considered to be working in Canada.
If you still want to stay as your 6 months as a visitor are expiring, you can apply to extend your visitor status based on that you and your girlfriend are in the process of living together for a year to qualify as common law partners so she can sponsor you for PR. Or you marry her and then she can sponsor you for PR right away. In any case, they will most likely let you extend your visitor status. You may not even need to because in December, you can apply for a working holiday visa which will give you an open work permit for one year. That should be more than enough time to qualify as common law and have your girlfriend sponsor you. Or if you manage to work in a skilled position for her father for 1 full year, you can apply for immigration yourself under Canadian experience class or possibly under a provincial nominee program. However, rather than wait a year to apply and endure those processing times, it would be faster for her to sponsor you.
However, if you are working from Canada for a company in the UK and getting paid in the UK, then you are not really considered to be working in Canada.
If you still want to stay as your 6 months as a visitor are expiring, you can apply to extend your visitor status based on that you and your girlfriend are in the process of living together for a year to qualify as common law partners so she can sponsor you for PR. Or you marry her and then she can sponsor you for PR right away. In any case, they will most likely let you extend your visitor status. You may not even need to because in December, you can apply for a working holiday visa which will give you an open work permit for one year. That should be more than enough time to qualify as common law and have your girlfriend sponsor you. Or if you manage to work in a skilled position for her father for 1 full year, you can apply for immigration yourself under Canadian experience class or possibly under a provincial nominee program. However, rather than wait a year to apply and endure those processing times, it would be faster for her to sponsor you.
We can prove we have been together for a year, but not too sure about proving we've been living together for a year as we have done a lot of travelling. Won't even consider any cash in hand jobs, I'll have to continue with whatever writing jobs I can get from EU based employers.