Hey, everyone. I'm hoping to get some advice regarding how I should approach immigrating to British Columbia. Apologies if this post is a bit long.
A bit of background on me: I'm 34 years old and I have dual US/UK citizenship, but I've spent most of my life in the US. I have a Bachelor's degree in English and I'm about to finish a second degree in Software Engineering, but I understand the market's a bit rough at the moment, so I'm not terribly optimistic that'll lead to much for now. Professionally, most of my work experience has been in retail and warehouses, with a smattering of one-offs here and there (teaching, baking, editing, etc.). I've not done any of those for a substantial enough length of time to have much of an impact on my CRS score, and I worry my lack of a career is going to be a stumbling block for me moving forward.
I'm hoping to settle in Powell River, BC, because that's where my girlfriend lives. We've been long distance for about a year and a half now, and we're hoping to find some way to close the gap, but familial obligations have her tied to Powell River. It's a beautiful place and I would love to be able to settle down there with her, but it's a small community with limited job opportunities, which I worry will further complicate the immigration process.
I've been looking into immigration on and off for a few months now and I'll admit to feeling somewhat out of my depth about the whole thing. At the moment I think the most viable option for me, at least in terms of actually staying in BC, is to try to qualify for a student visa. I've been looking at the Post Baccalaureate Bachelor of Education program at VIU with the hope of enrolling next fall and eventually finding work in BC as a teacher. I have some experience teaching and I know it's something I'd enjoy, but the program is expensive for international students and there's no guarantee it would lead to employment in Powell River. Even if it did, I'd have to take out a loan to help offset the cost, which I'd rather avoid if I can.
Ultimately, I'm just not sure what my best option is. There's so much information out there it all feels a bit overwhelming. I'm sure the easiest approach would be to apply for work with my current resume, but I worry I don't have enough to offer to be worth the LMIA.
If anyone has any advice, insights, or suggestions I'd really appreciate the help. I feel kind of stuck at the moment and I want to make sure I'm making the right decision before I start to move forward with the process.
A bit of background on me: I'm 34 years old and I have dual US/UK citizenship, but I've spent most of my life in the US. I have a Bachelor's degree in English and I'm about to finish a second degree in Software Engineering, but I understand the market's a bit rough at the moment, so I'm not terribly optimistic that'll lead to much for now. Professionally, most of my work experience has been in retail and warehouses, with a smattering of one-offs here and there (teaching, baking, editing, etc.). I've not done any of those for a substantial enough length of time to have much of an impact on my CRS score, and I worry my lack of a career is going to be a stumbling block for me moving forward.
I'm hoping to settle in Powell River, BC, because that's where my girlfriend lives. We've been long distance for about a year and a half now, and we're hoping to find some way to close the gap, but familial obligations have her tied to Powell River. It's a beautiful place and I would love to be able to settle down there with her, but it's a small community with limited job opportunities, which I worry will further complicate the immigration process.
I've been looking into immigration on and off for a few months now and I'll admit to feeling somewhat out of my depth about the whole thing. At the moment I think the most viable option for me, at least in terms of actually staying in BC, is to try to qualify for a student visa. I've been looking at the Post Baccalaureate Bachelor of Education program at VIU with the hope of enrolling next fall and eventually finding work in BC as a teacher. I have some experience teaching and I know it's something I'd enjoy, but the program is expensive for international students and there's no guarantee it would lead to employment in Powell River. Even if it did, I'd have to take out a loan to help offset the cost, which I'd rather avoid if I can.
Ultimately, I'm just not sure what my best option is. There's so much information out there it all feels a bit overwhelming. I'm sure the easiest approach would be to apply for work with my current resume, but I worry I don't have enough to offer to be worth the LMIA.
If anyone has any advice, insights, or suggestions I'd really appreciate the help. I feel kind of stuck at the moment and I want to make sure I'm making the right decision before I start to move forward with the process.
