American Boyfriend wants to move in with me in Alberta

[colingallant]

Hello,

Wading through all the information about this stuff online has been really confusing so I hope someone here could help me out. If this is the wrong subforum to post in, please say so and I'll move the topic.

I've been dating an American (from Helena, MT) for about 6 or so months. We met up in Seattle and spent some time together there and he has visited me in Calgary for just a week recently. I'm going to visit him in Montana and we have some travel plans over the course of the next few months. Though it has been a short time, we are in love and want to be together desperately.

A little info on me: Male, 22 year old full time university student and worker; not quite full time but close. I don't think I have enough money to convince immigration that I could support him for three years.
A little info on him: Male, 19 year old high school graduate working full time at a grocery store. This is his only job experience.

We want him to be able to live here (temporarily at first) and work a low-skilled job. He is not interested in full time education and doesn't have any trade/special skills qualifications. We don't qualify as a common law couple and are not married.

Options I have looked at:
Temporary Work Visa: seems this is most likely to be approved if he has a job offer from an employer willing to apply for LMO but given his education/work experience, it seems unlikely to succeed.
Open Work Permit: honestly the eligibility for this is really confusing to me.
Temporary Resident Permit: looks like a bust.
Get Married: still quite a wait and process to go before he would be able to work.
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program: don't think he qualifies.
Conjugal Partner: seems to be for extreme cases but is there any chance because same-sex marriage is not legal in his state, could we qualify if we state the intention to marry in Canada?

Are we completely screwed? What would be the logical option to pursue to get him working in Canada? What steps should we take before making applications to help ensure their success?

 

[Rob_TO]

Do not even consider conjugal, as you would definitely not qualify. Same-sex marriage is legal in Canada and many other states, so there is no legal or immigration barrier to you getting married. You could also live 12-months continuous as common-law if you wanted, which also exempts you from conjugal.

The best way I could see for him to work in Canada, is to get an open work permit. You could see if there's any working holiday or some similar work visa that is available to US citizens based on his age/education. Sorry but I don't know much about this so others will need to advise.

If he can't get an open work permit, then there aren't really any other options. You would need to wait until you're married or common-law, apply for PR, and then after that's approved he could then work. Considering where you're at now though, this sounds like its a few years away still. Trying to fast-track it and getting married after knowing each other for only 6 months, could be seen as suspicious and lead to an interview and longer processing time.

 

[CANUSA31]

Companies in Alberta these days won't bother doing LMO's and they won't get approved because their are so many jobs available and Canadians will get first shot, because any company won't have a hard time finding a worker especially over your boyfriend who has no trade or special skils.

I don't think any work permit is an option unless he was highly educated already then he could probably get a work visa under one of the many professional options.

I think the only reasonable option is for him to live with you in Alberta for 6 months at a time.

Or he could go to school in Alberta and get a student visa (which makes you eligible for a couple different work visas at the same time).

Considering the amount of time you have been dating, you don't have many options. You won't even qualify to apply for permanent residence until you live together for 1 year and it seems like your living arrangements are still up in the air.

I would say he should visit up in Alberta while you do your school and work and live for 1 year before you apply for PR, in the mean time living with someone in such a fresh relationship should help you guys figure out if your right for each other for the long term.

 

[CANUSA31]

Agree with Rob, if you fast track it and get married just to get him working, it won't look good. And the whole inland process is over 1 full year anyways.

 

[scylla]

He doesn't qualify for a regular open work permit.

The US equivalent of the working holiday visa is SWAP:

http://www.swap.ca/in_eng/us_index.aspx

However he doesn't qualify since he's not a university or college graduate.

 

[Leon]

Options I have looked at:
Temporary Work Visa: seems this is most likely to be approved if he has a job offer from an employer willing to apply for LMO but given his education/work experience, it seems unlikely to succeed.

Well, somehow AINP is still letting employers sponsor low skilled workers in certain fields for PR so if there are low skilled workers on work permits in Alberta, somehow they got their LMO's and work permits which means there is hope for your boyfriend too.

However, employers who are hiring foreigners often get people through agencies and actually might prefer to haul 10 people from a 3rd world country (who are likely to see it as a good opportunity and stick around) than to make the same effort to get an LMO and work permit for an 19 yo. US guy (who has a lot of other options than to stick around in that job).

Open Work Permit: honestly the eligibility for this is really confusing to me.

Pretty simple. He isn't. Very few are eligible for open work permits. A spouse of a TFW or an international student would be but the spouse of a Canadian wouldn't.

Temporary Resident Permit: looks like a bust.

Those are for people who are inadmissible but have H&C grounds to be in Canada anyway. Does not apply.

Get Married: still quite a wait and process to go before he would be able to work.

Yes but it is your best bet if you want him to live with you permanently. You can sponsor him outland and he could visit you and go back to the US and work when he needs cash.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program: don't think he qualifies.

Don't think so either.

Conjugal Partner: seems to be for extreme cases but is there any chance because same-sex marriage is not legal in his state, could we qualify if we state the intention to marry in Canada?

They say in the instructions that you should not apply as conjugal if you could get married or live together but don't want to. It is very hard to get approved as conjugal for a straight couple but same sex couple seem to enjoy some privileges. I remember a guy on here who was sponsored as conjugal even though he and his boyfriend were both European and could have lived together as common law in Europe and as he was visa exempt to Canada, they would have had no problem getting married in Canada or they could have been married in various European countries as well. However, the relationship has to have been ongoing for at least a year before you can try that. It seems simpler to me just to get married.

So your options. Have him visit. Ask around if any employers in your area do LMO's for low skilled. Preferably in a field where he has experience. At the same time, think about getting married so you can apply to sponsor him for PR.

 

[CANUSA31]

Also lets be clear here, getting married just so you can sponsor someone and so they can work is highly frowned upon. Yes I know you're in love with him, but after 6 months you will be under extreme scrutiny from CIC, for valid reasons.