Canada: Visa Advice?

Energizer_Bat

Hello All,

I'm trying to figure out my options for moving to Canada.

I'm a 30 year old IT Administrator based in London for the last 4 years.

My girlfriend is French Canadian from Montreal. Her UK visa expires in October so she has to leave.
I want to go also but the visa options seem very restricted. I seemingly cannot get a Working Holiday visa because I don't live in Ireland(I especially don't understand that rule as I'm an Irish Citizen and should be considered the same as everyone else.)

My field of work is not on the skilled migrant list so that avenue is not open to me.

Can anyone advise on what i should do? I have been getting conflicting information all over the place.

My girlfriend has friends in the embassy and they advised that i should travel as a visitor then try to get a job in Canada that will sponsor me on a short term visa. Process is meant to be easier internally.

Any advice?

DaveDaRave1

Marry her!!

retalivity

DaveDaRave1 wrote: »

Marry her!!

You dont even need to do that.
Look into common law sponsorship. I cant speak for quebec but in ontario, proof of a year cohabiting is all thats required for a common law partnership.

Assuming you are going to montreal, Quebec also has lots of different visa options to the rest of canada. There are others in this forum who may be along to offer more quebec-centric information

Energizer_Bat

Haha Thanks, Sadly we haven't moved in together yet.

If we did marry i would need to give proof of 12 months of cohabitation so that's wouldn't work as she has to leave in October.

I had a look at Quebec visa but its not a huge amount different from what i could tell but it does have the added French language competency. Which isn't much help as i've just started to learn.

Tough Situation.

DaveDaRave1

That sucks!


Could you not fill out all the forms using a friends address send them to the friend and get him to send the forms via registered post for you?

If you did apply through a friends address is there anyway they'd find out if you have been in England for the last few years?


You might need an irsih bank account though.

Energizer_Bat

Yeah, i have my parents address and an Irish bank account and i was told that they probably wouldn't check if i did kinda lie.

But that would then follow me forever and if i did settle down in Canada my London experience would be written out of my life and all my future CV's would have to reflect that.

Probably not the best idea.

Lolabear

just a thought, but could you not move home to your parents for a few months and apply then??

Energizer_Bat

I had thought of that but nope it won't work!

You need to be resident for 3 years before application.

They don't make it easy on ya!

ICANN

I'm in the same boat as I want to go over but I've been in the UK 2 and a half years but last time I was home the woman in Sayit told me she reckoned the UK might count as residency because it's the EU. I'm really not sure, I'm trying to find an email address to query it.

Energizer_Bat

Residency Requirements

What does “3 years habitual residency requirement” mean?

This means that that a candidate’s habitual residence (i.e. physically residing/living) must be in Ireland for a period of at least three years full-time directly prior to applying to the IEC. An exception can be made if the candidate has temporarily resided in a foreign country for studies or short-term work, but the time spent outside Ireland must not exceed 18 months cumulative over the three previous years.

Doubt my time in the UK would count. Wish it would though.

Really at a loss as how to proceed with this.

DaveDaRave1

The Canadian Embassys definition of resident

The candidate must have physically resided in Ireland for at least three years (36 months) right before applying to take part in IEC. An exception can be made to this rule if the candidate resided in another country to go to school or to work for a short period of time, but the period of time outside Ireland must not exceed 18 cumulative months in the three years preceding the application to IEC.

retalivity

you could look at the provincial nomination program in saskatchawen or one of those places....
afaik its a roundabout way to get a visa but involves living and working in the backarse of nowhere in saskatchewan for a year (i think). Not sure if it even has to be a skilled job - more info here http://www.aeei.gov.sk.ca/sinp

Energizer_Bat

DaveDaRave1 wrote: »

The Canadian Embassys definition of resident

The candidate must have physically resided in Ireland for at least three years (36 months) right before applying to take part in IEC. An exception can be made to this rule if the candidate resided in another country to go to school or to work for a short period of time, but the period of time outside Ireland must not exceed 18 cumulative months in the three years preceding the application to IEC.

I've been in the UK for nearly 4 years so i don't fit in that criteria.

expatrebel

I two have lived outside of Ireland for over 3 years and plan on immigrate to Canada on an IEC visa early next year. Sorry now but I`m just going to ask these really simple question and hopefully someone can help me out as I`m quite confused!!!
· Can I not just apply for an IEC visa through the UK system?
· Will my Irish passport effect my application if from the UK?
· Will I have to supply both an AECO form from the British Police force and a Garda criminal record check?
If anyone has been in a similar position your help would be greatly appreciated, cheers.

coll123

If you are a British Citizen you can apply through Uk initiative - you would need to hold a British passport for this. As an Irish Citizen holding an Irish passport you have to apply through Irish side and being outside Ireland for over 3 years makes you ineligible. Your best bet is to see how easy it is to get Citizenship in UK if that is an option for you.

naldface

Does anybody have experience with the common law visa?

I have been living in the UK with my Canadian girlfriend for just over two years now. She returned to canada for a 4 week stint and and a seperate 6 week stint though. Durign those periods she worked in an elections office over there.

Does anyone know how forgiving they are about visits home?

DaveDaRave1

who? the embassy? why would they care if your canadian girlfriend went to canad for 4 weeks?

retalivity

yeah....10 weeks out of 2 years is nothing to be worried about.
If youve got proof that you cohabited during that time (Bills at the same address, lease with both names, etc) you could more than likely get a visa through her

DaveDaRave1

what kind of visa are you looking for?