Wanting to move to Canada from US to be with girlfriend

[sevans1979]

Hello,

I have been with my girlfriend for sometime now and everything is going good. I would like to eventually move to canada (in about a year or two) and I was wondering what my options are? Find a job and get a work visa then apply for permanent residency papers? Can I apply for permanent residency papers without being married? I've read a bunch of threads here and I am confused as to the best option to go about this legally and without problems.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Rob_TO]

Hello,

I have been with my girlfriend for sometime now and everything is going good. I would like to eventually move to canada (in about a year or two) and I was wondering what my options are? Find a job and get a work visa then apply for permanent residency papers? Can I apply for permanent residency papers without being married? I've read a bunch of threads here and I am confused as to the best option to go about this legally and without problems.

Thank you for your time.

You can only apply for PR once you are married or are offcially common-law (have lived together for 12 consecutive months). Without one of those 2 options, your girlfriend can't sponsor you.

Other than that, you can always come to Canada as a visitor, see if you can find an employer in Canada willing to go though the LMO process to hire you, or check out if you qualify for working holiday as a US citizen (SWAP program).

 

[Leon]

If you qualify to apply for PR yourself or you get a job offer and a work permit, you don't have to be married. However, failing that, if you need your girlfriend to sponsor you, you need to be married or common law (12 months living together).

 

[sevans1979]

Thank you both for the very quick and helpful reply.

Some follow up questions if you don't mind.

1)When I apply for permanent residency and once approved do I remain a US citizen?

2)If I find a employer willing to work with me on a work permit and I move there. While my permanent residency paperwork is in the works can I leave canada to visit family in the US? Or will it be wise to stay in Canada during the paperwork period.

3)If I get a job there and get a work permit do I have implied residency status?

Thank you so much for the help

 

[Rob_TO]

1)When I apply for permanent residency and once approved do I remain a US citizen?

Yes of course. PR is not citizenship, it is PR.

After several years of having Canadian PR status, you can then choose to apply for Canadian citizenship if you want. This will be 4 or 5 years after you get PR status.
If you eventually get Canadian citizenship, I think you can maintain dual citizenship with US and Canada.

2)If I find a employer willing to work with me on a work permit and I move there. While my permanent residency paperwork is in the works can I leave canada to visit family in the US? Or will it be wise to stay in Canada during the paperwork period.

To be able to come and go from Canada during processing, you need to do an OUTLAND PR application. Do not do an inland one.

3)If I get a job there and get a work permit do I have implied residency status?

"Implied" status is for people applying inland that do not have real status, and are only in Canada because their inland PR app is in progress.

If you have a valid visitor, study or work permit, then you have actual visitor, study or work status, not implied status.

 

[sevans1979]

Awesome.

Thank you so much for the information and quick response