Spousal Sponsorship/Permanent Resident.. utter confusion as to the best path

[ChiaraAmbrose]

I'm an Australian citizen who has lived in Canada for the past three years. I have one year left on my work permit.

My partner (a Canadian citizen) and I are completely confused as to the best way for us to handle our potential future immigration issues when my work permit expires. We are not married yet but it's certainly on the cards.

Although I more than qualify for Permanent Residence under the Worker Class (my score was in the high 80s) the idea of having to wait up to two years to have my application approved and potentially being bound to my current job for that time is very discouraging and I see it as career suicide.

Our primary question is after we get married if we apply for my resident through the Family Sponsorship Category will it provide me with a swifter, and hopefully less convoluted way, to not only stay in Canada together but also provide me with the option to work beyond my current approved employer.

Additionally what exactly is a Open Employment Authorization and how does it differ from the Permanent Residency? Apologies if that question demonstrates our unfamiliarity with this terrain.

A thousand thanks for helping us to make our way through the immigration fog.

 

[Magik]

Hello, You might want to contact the Call Centre at 1-888-576-8502 and find out if you even have a chioce. When I first came to Canada 4 years ago I was told I could do sponsorship or apply for P.R. card on my own, I applied for a P.R. Card and all my applications where sent back to me and I was told I have to do sponsorship. Your situation may be different because you are currently working in Canada but until my sponsorship goes through I am not allowed to work in Canada. If you do sponsorship and your work permit runs out, you may not be allowed to work in Canada at all, that may also but a problem you might what to ask about. Hope this helps you out.

 

[PMM]

Hi

I'm an Australian citizen who has lived in Canada for the past three years. I have one year left on my work permit.

My partner (a Canadian citizen) and I are completely confused as to the best way for us to handle our potential future immigration issues when my work permit expires. We are not married yet but it's certainly on the cards.

Although I more than qualify for Permanent Residence under the Worker Class (my score was in the high 80s) the idea of having to wait up to two years to have my application approved and potentially being bound to my current job for that time is very discouraging and I see it as career suicide.

Our primary question is after we get married if we apply for my resident through the Family Sponsorship Category will it provide me with a swifter, and hopefully less convoluted way, to not only stay in Canada together but also provide me with the option to work beyond my current approved employer.

Additionally what exactly is a Open Employment Authorization and how does it differ from the Permanent Residency? Apologies if that question demonstrates our unfamiliarity with this terrain.

A thousand thanks for helping us to make our way through the immigration fog.

1. Assuming that you are a common/law couple been living together for at least 1 year in a marriage like relationship your partner should sponsor you as the processing would be less than a year.
2. You have 2 choices, either as an in-canada application, which your looking at a least a year for processing, where you will not be able to work or attend school (subject to other factors) until you receive Approval in Principle about 8/9 months into the process.
3 Or your application could be processed in Buffalo, as an out of Canada applicant, since it appears that you have been admitted to Canada for at least 1 year. Processing would be 31 days in Mississauga and 3-13+months in Buffalo.
4. If you have been c/law for a year, why haven;t you started the process already?

PMM

 

[mariannamurrieta]

I'm an Australian citizen who has lived in Canada for the past three years. I have one year left on my work permit.

My partner (a Canadian citizen) and I are completely confused as to the best way for us to handle our potential future immigration issues when my work permit expires. We are not married yet but it's certainly on the cards.

Although I more than qualify for Permanent Residence under the Worker Class (my score was in the high 80s) the idea of having to wait up to two years to have my application approved and potentially being bound to my current job for that time is very discouraging and I see it as career suicide.

Our primary question is after we get married if we apply for my resident through the Family Sponsorship Category will it provide me with a swifter, and hopefully less convoluted way, to not only stay in Canada together but also provide me with the option to work beyond my current approved employer.

Additionally what exactly is a Open Employment Authorization and how does it differ from the Permanent Residency? Apologies if that question demonstrates our unfamiliarity with this terrain.

A thousand thanks for helping us to make our way through the immigration fog.

fg

 

[canuck_in_uk]

My partner (a Canadian citizen) and I are completely confused as to the best way for us to handle our potential future immigration issues when my work permit expires. We are not married yet but it's certainly on the cards.

Our primary question is after we get married if we apply for my resident through the Family Sponsorship Category will it provide me with a swifter, and hopefully less convoluted way, to not only stay in Canada together but also provide me with the option to work beyond my current approved employer.

Additionally what exactly is a Open Employment Authorization and how does it differ from the Permanent Residency?

If you have lived together for a year, you already qualify as common-law and should apply now instead of waiting until after you marry. If you can get your app submitted in a month or two and you apply outland through Sydney (it's one of the faster VO's), there is a good chance (depending on the outcome of the current visa officer strike) that the PR app would be processed before your work permit expires in a year.

By Open Employment Authorization, I assume you mean an Open Work Permit? An OWP is the same as a closed work permit except you can work for any employer. PR status gives you most rights and privileges given to citizens, like benefits, health care, the right to live, work or study anywhere in Canada. It's permanent, provided you meet the residency obligation and it also allows you to eventually apply for citizenship.

Are you on a closed work permit at the moment? If so, you won't qualify for an OWP. See here http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=177&t=17