Time to AOR

[amye2024]

Hello, I'm new to this forum.
I'm a Canadian citizen but I've never lived in Canada. I want to sponsor my common law partner and our two young children to move to Canada, so I have to apply via family class for outland application.
How long does it take to receive the AOR once you've appliee? I would like to let my son finish the school year before we move and my partner can request for a work permit when we arrive.
Also did you find it necessary to advise a lawyer or an immigration consultant for this process? It seems pretty clear on the website.

 

[armoured]

Hello, I'm new to this forum.
I'm a Canadian citizen but I've never lived in Canada. I want to sponsor my common law partner and our two young children to move to Canada, so I have to apply via family class for outland application.
How long does it take to receive the AOR once you've appliee? I would like to let my son finish the school year before we move and my partner can request for a work permit when we arrive.
Also did you find it necessary to advise a lawyer or an immigration consultant for this process? It seems pretty clear on the website.

AOR is usually 30-90 days. But that's the beginning of the process. Expect the whole process to be <12 months.

Do your family members (spouse) need visas? Are your children citizens? (Are you a citizen by descent, i.e. born abroad of Canadian parents?)

Overall you do not need an immigration consultant. If you choose to hire one for convenience, fine, but my own experience looking into it was that it was going to cost a fair bit - and I'd still have to do most of the work providing info myself anyway.

Note you will need to show intent to return to Canada, which may be difficult if you have few ties in Canada. It can still be done, you'll just need to put some effort into it.

 

[amye2024]

Thank you for the speedy response!
My partner and children already have etas, I'm not sure if they need anything else. My children are sadly not eligible for Canadian citizenships (I checked, and the bill currently in progress won't apply to them anyway because I hadn't spent enough time in Canada before having them) so I have to sponsor them as well.
The intent part is the most problematic as my whole life is here, I have many relatives in Canada but we can't live with them as we're 4 people and that's a lot to ask... So we would have to get creative. But my thought was to move once we received the AOR so we can start rebuilding our lives. Perhaps upon further consideration I would think otherwise but that is my plan currently.
Thank you again!

 

[armoured]

Thank you for the speedy response!
My partner and children already have etas, I'm not sure if they need anything else. My children are sadly not eligible for Canadian citizenships (I checked, and the bill currently in progress won't apply to them anyway because I hadn't spend enough time in Canada before having them) so I have to sponsor them as well.
The intent part is the most problematic as my whole life is here, I have many relatives in Canada but we can't live with them as we're 4 people and that's a lot to ask... So we would have to get creative. But my thought was to move once we received the AOR so we can start rebuilding our lives. Perhaps upon further consideration I would think otherwise but that is my plan currently.
Thank you again!

Good luck. They do not need anything more to travel to Canada. You do want to have them squared away for health insurance and the like.

Moving either as soon as you can during the process or before is the easiest way to show intent - if you can afford it. Update IRCC via webform as soon as you arrive in Canada with an address.

Citizenship: we will see what happens but it seems possible that govt may have to grant citizenship to cases like your children (eg those hit by old version but born before the new law passed, whenever it does), as there are / will be arguments about whether the new test is retroactively being applied to them. And if there's any further delay in adopting it, they may have to come up with arrangements (see what the judge says in August I think it is?).

This might be important to you as - depending on province - they could be eligible for health insurance earlier (before they become PRs). It's going to be a mess in that regard.

At any rate, even if they are not covered by new amendments, as children of a citizen, they can apply for citizenship as soon as they are PRs in Canada - no minimum residence period required. (Obviously that scenario won't get them on health coverage, they'd be eligible as PRs anyway, but citizenship more quickly).

 

[amye2024]

Thank you so much for the information and tips! I really appreciate it.
Do you happen to know if they can enroll in school once the request is still in progress?

 

[armoured]

Thank you so much for the information and tips! I really appreciate it.
Do you happen to know if they can enroll in school once the request is still in progress?

I honestly know nothing about that. I believe in many places children of citizens are allowed but not certain. You should expect the answer will depend on province and even city.

 

[armoured]

Thank you so much for the information and tips! I really appreciate it.
Do you happen to know if they can enroll in school once the request is still in progress?

I apologize, I found the answer for this, and it's quite important:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/minor-children.html

Quoting here: if the child is...

a foreign national (either inside or coming to Canada) accompanied by a parent who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Child’s passport, child’s birth certificate, or Permanent Resident Card

No

So as child of a citizen, they can study in Canada and no study permit is required. I do not know specific local requirements (eg for public school) so you will have to check but I'm fairly sure many will accept on basis that they are children of a Canadian citizen. (If not, possible that they'd accept evidence of application for PR status for them).

It's possible in some places you'd have to pay tuition and that could get expensive - so be sure to check. If you know what province/city, just ask the local school board, eg TDSB for Toronto.

 

[amye2024]

Thank you so much Armoured! Cheers!