Would my girlfriend and I qualify as conjugal partners?

[jghfdfg]

That's only because the Open Work Permit takes about 4-5 months to process and arrive. It doesn't matter if she's on a study visa or visitor status, she can still apply for PR after you are either common-law or married.

If I were you, I'd ditch the lawyer. It sounds like s/he is giving you incomplete information that is easily found online. In my opinion, it's not worth the money unless you have serious issues like criminality.

Thank you. I think he told me what you said (about the 4-5 months), it was only a short consultation. Also, I didn't ask about what if she was here on a study visa.

 

[Ponga]

She'll be shocked at the difference in tuition for those with a study permit, versus a PR!

 

[jghfdfg]

She'll be shocked at the difference in tuition for those with a study permit, versus a PR!

No doubt. It's manageable though; my province has the lowest tuition fees in the country. There is still a chance her parents will come around. She hasn't explained to them how much easier getting married now, as apposed to later, will make this entire process for us.

 

[Aquakitty]

The best choice is to get married when you go down there, and apply outland before you leave. Then she can land when her schools done, or switch to taking classes in Canada as a PR. If you apply right away it won't take more than a few months for her to have it.
Her parents will just have to deal with it

You could also stay longer to perhaps appease her parents.

 

[canadianwoman]

I would just like to add to the opinion of those above: conjugal will not work. Do not even bother considering it - it would be a waste of time and money.

You have to have real barriers to living with each other or for getting married. Her parents thinking it would be better not to get married right away is not sufficient. Her having to break a contract is not sufficient - and BTW breaking a contract is not actually against the law: contracts have penalties in them which come into play if one side breaks the contract. For example, she would have to pay back the money already spent on her education in Canada. However, she would not be arrested. She just would have to pay the penalty. The kind of barrier that CIC would consider sufficient is something like a gay couple in a country where homosexuality is illegal, and where the foreigner cannot get a visa to come to Canada to get married here. CIC considers not wanting to get married or live together because of work or school to be insufficient for a conjugal application.

Applying outland would be much faster than inland for someone from Brazil. The easiest thing would be to get married, then apply.