Questions regarding immigration

[KirillTaylor]

Hello everyone,

I'm completely in the dark here. My wife and I wish to immigrate to Canada; she's a British Citizen and I'm an Israeli citizen (well, I'm from Moldova originally, I had to give up my Moldovan passport to live in Israel at a very young age) and we don't know how to go about it.
I'm a junior web developer (not much work experience on paper) with a Bachelor in Sound Production Diploma and she is Film school graduate (FdA from Leeds Met, UK).
We both currently work.
My questions are as follows:
1. Which route/visa application would be the best for us to try and apply through?
2. I've heard that British Citizens get free entry to Canada and just need to apply for stay permit every 2 years. Is that remotely true?
3. Can I apply for a visa based on my occupation (web developer) and/or based a job offer from Canada? (don't really have a job offer, I just want to know for the bigger picture)

I think that's about it. If you need to know anything more, ask

Sincerely,
Kirill.

 

[Leon]

1. For short term, one of you gets either a work or a study permit and the other gets an open work permit as their spouse. For long term, try to find a program that allows you to apply for PR but that will take a while, couple of years maybe. You can find the immigration programs here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp Many of them require a job offer. Getting a regular work permit also requires a job offer and the employer to prove he can not find a Canadian for the job and in order for a worker to take a spouse with them, the job must be considered skilled.

2. Not even remotely. There is a working holiday program where you can get a 1 year open work permit if you are under a certain age but that would not allow her to take you with her.

3. You will need a job offer or what is called an LMO (Labour Market Opinion) where the employer has been approved to hire you based on not being able to find a Canadian or PR for the job.

 

[KirillTaylor]

[edit] sorry didn't read properly.

Hey Leon,

Thank you very much for your reply.
Just to clarify, if we get to Canada for short term, study/work permit, can we apply for permanent residency while we're in Canada?
Also, what if my brother lives there, can this help?

Thanks,

 

[scylla]

[edit] sorry didn't read properly.

Hey Leon,

Thank you very much for your reply.
Just to clarify, if we get to Canada for short term, study/work permit, can we apply for permanent residency while we're in Canada?
Also, what if my brother lives there, can this help?

Thanks,

Yes - you can apply for PR from Canada - but you still have to qualify / meet the criteria for submitting an immigration application (i.e. being in Canada as a student or worker doesn't by default mean you qualify to apply to immigrate). For example, if you come here as a student, generally the path people take is applying for PR via the Canadian Experience Class program. However to qualify for CEC, you must first finish a degree/diploma from a recognized school that's at least two years in lenght and also obtain one year of full-time paid work experience in Canada in a skilled profession.

Assuming your brother is either a PR or citizen, you may get additional points when you apply to immigrate since he's living here (not all immigration streams/programs work off the points system). What province does he live in?

 

[KirillTaylor]

Right now, he's in Ontario but he plans to move to Alberta.

 

[scylla]

Unfortunately neither of those provinces have a provincial nominee immigration stream that's currently accepting family class applications. What this essentially means is that your brother cannot sponsor you for PR.

However if you apply through a program such as the Federal Skilled Worker program - you'll get additional points for having a brother who is established in Canada.

 

[Leon]

If you get a study permit for example and your wife gets an open work permit as your spouse, instead of you completing a 2 year course and 1 year of work to apply under Canadian experience class, if your wife gets a skilled job right from the start on her open permit, she could also apply under CEC as a worker after 2 years of work.

If you are on a work permit, there is also the option to apply under PNP. An employer can sponsor you for PR. Your brother can sponsor you if he moves to SK or MB. He would have to have lived there for at least one year, you both have to qualify, you will have to have funds. In SK, you would also need a job offer.

 

[KirillTaylor]

If you get a study permit for example and your wife gets an open work permit as your spouse, instead of you completing a 2 year course and 1 year of work to apply under Canadian experience class, if your wife gets a skilled job right from the start on her open permit, she could also apply under CEC as a worker after 2 years of work.

If you are on a work permit, there is also the option to apply under PNP. An employer can sponsor you for PR. Your brother can sponsor you if he moves to SK or MB. He would have to have lived there for at least one year, you both have to qualify, you will have to have funds. In SK, you would also need a job offer.

Really great answer and informative, thank you very much
And thanks scylla as well

Very much appreciated!