Short College Course and Driver's License

[Boven]

Hello everybody,

My partner and I are working towards me emigrating to Manitoba over the next years.
He is a Canadian citizen and I am a student from Europe.

This summer I hope to graduate and receive my BA in education, however I still won't have enough work experience to apply for the Skilled Worker program. My current plan is to take a short course at the UoW for which I do not require a study permit (since it's less than 6 months) and stay with my boyfriend for 4-5 months while I go to college. After finishing the course I will be eligible to work in Canada and I am planning on applying for a temporary worker visa/conjugal partnership once I've gone back to Europe.

While I'm in Manitoba for 5 months I would love to enroll in Driver Education as well to obtain my Canadian Driver's License. Is this possible as a visitor? Or do I need a permanent residence card?

Could somebody give me a list of the documents I need and/or processes I have to start to make this happen?

Everything I've come up with so far is;
*My European passport
*Electronic Travel Authorisation
*Acadamic IELTS certificate (to apply for college)
*A couple more documents specific to the college course.

 

[scylla]

I can't help you with the driver's license questions - however it sounds like you may have some misunderstandings about the partner sponsorship process and working in Canada.

First of all, you and your partner must either be married or common law in order for you to be sponsored by him. Common law means that you have lived together continuously for a minimum of one full year. You do not qualify as a conjugal couple. This cateogry is reserved for those who face real immigration barriers to marriage or common law (you face no such barriers).

Secondly, in order to qualify for a work permit through the partner sponsorship process, you must apply using the inland route which requires you to be in Canada. If you return to Europe, your only option would be to apply outland. Outland comes with no work permit.

Additionally, completing a short course in Canada won't entitle you to a work permit. To be entitled to a work permit after you complete studies in Canada, you must study under a study permit and the course must be at least 8 months of full time studies.

 

[Boven]

I can't help you with the driver's license questions - however it sounds like you may have some misunderstandings about the partner sponsorship process and working in Canada.

I agree there is a lot unclear to me about the process of both options. What makes it complicated is the fact that they're two different ways of immigrating and I haven't decided which way to go yet.

First of all, you and your partner must either be married or common law in order for you to be sponsored by him. Common law means that you have lived together continuously for a minimum of one full year. You do not qualify as a conjugal couple. This cateogry is reserved for those who face real immigration barriers to marriage or common law (you face no such barriers).

We have visited an immigration lawyer together and they told us that applying for conjugal partnership was our best option and that we could already apply for it right now, since we're together for more than two years without being able to live together permanently. What type of barriers do you consider real immigration barriers?

Secondly, in order to qualify for a work permit through the partner sponsorship process, you must apply using the inland route which requires you to be in Canada. If you return to Europe, your only option would be to apply outland. Outland comes with no work permit.

Additionally, completing a short course in Canada won't entitle you to a work permit. To be entitled to a work permit after you complete studies in Canada, you must study under a study permit and the course must be at least 8 months of full time studies.

I don't know the details about either of those routes. All I've learned is that with my current qualifications I can't apply for a work permit since I don't have the work experience. The program I want to take allows me to get accredited as a ESL Teacher, which I assume is a profession I could take on in Manitoba. I understand I still have to apply for a work permit if I want to work, but I haven't figured out whether it's easier to take the inland or outland route.

My expectation wasn't that I would immediately be entitled to a work permit, but that I'd have a real chance to get one if I'd apply for it.

 

[scylla]

If your lawyer has advised you to apply under conjugal - fire your lawyer immediately and request a refund if you've paid any fees. This is horrible advice. Your application has no chance of succeeding.

Real immigration barriers are scenarios as follows:
(1) Couple is same sex. Non-Canadian partner lives in a country that doesn't recognize same sex marriage. Partner is also non-visa exempt and has been refused a visitor visa to Canada twice. Partner has also tried and cannot get a visa approved to any country that will perform same sex marriage. It's impossible for them to get married. The country the partner lives in allows visitor to stay for a maximum of three months. So the Canadian cannot live there for a year to become common law and the partner cannot come to Canada to become common law (since the visitor visa has been refused). It is literally impossible for them to get married or become common law.
(2) Man from the Philippines and Canadian woman are in a relationship. Man was previously married in the Philippines. It's essentially impossible to get a divorce in the Philippines - so they cannot marry. Man has been refused a visitor visa to Canada - so he cannot come here to become common law. Woman cannot visit the Philippines for more than three months - so they cannot live there and become common law. Again, it's impossible for them to either get married or become common law.

There is nothing stopping you from getting married and there are many ways you can live together for a year continuously to qualify under common law. You don't meet the conjual definition. Again, the lawyer has given you very bad advice.

Don't assume qualifying to apply for a work permit will be easy. To apply for a work permit outside of the inland spousal sponsorship process, you would first need to obtain a full time job offfer from an employer Canada and that employer would also need to obtain an approved LMIA (expensive and very long process that most employers aren't willing to do). As part of the LMIA process, the employer must advertise the job to prove no Canadian could be found for the role. Canada has far more teachers than teaching positions - consequently the changes of obtaining an approved LMIA for an ESL role (or any other teaching role) are practically zero. The outland sponsorship process is most likely the best option for you. However it comes with no work permit - you won't be able to work until you are a PR (unless you find a full time job offer and employer who can obtain an approved LMIA).

 

[Boven]

If your lawyer has advised you to apply under conjugal - fire your lawyer immediately and request a refund if you've paid any fees. This is horrible advice. Your application has no chance of succeeding.

Real immigration barriers are scenarios as follows:
(1) Couple is same sex. Non-Canadian partner lives in a country that doesn't recognize same sex marriage. Partner is also non-visa exempt and has been refused a visitor visa to Canada twice. Partner has also tried and cannot get a visa approved to any country that will perform same sex marriage. It's impossible for them to get married. The country the partner lives in allows visitor to stay for a maximum of three months. So the Canadian cannot live there for a year to become common law and the partner cannot come to Canada to become common law (since the visitor visa has been refused). It is literally impossible for them to get married or become common law.
(2) Man from the Philippines and Canadian woman are in a relationship. Man was previously married in the Philippines. It's essentially impossible to get a divorce in the Philippines - so they cannot marry. Man has been refused a visitor visa to Canada - so he cannot come here to become common law. Woman cannot visit the Philippines for more than three months - so they cannot live there and become common law. Again, it's impossible for them to either get married or become common law.

There is nothing stopping you from getting married and there are many ways you can live together for a year continuously to qualify under common law. You don't meet the conjual definition. Again, the lawyer has given you very bad advice.

Don't assume qualifying to apply for a work permit will be easy. To apply for a work permit outside of the inland spousal sponsorship process, you would first need to obtain a full time job offfer from an employer Canada and that employer would also need to obtain an approved LMIA (expensive and very long process that most employers aren't willing to do). As part of the LMIA process, the employer must advertise the job to prove no Canadian could be found for the role. Canada has far more teachers than teaching positions - consequently the changes of obtaining an approved LMIA for an ESL role (or any other teaching role) are practically zero. The outland sponsorship process is most likely the best option for you. However it comes with no work permit - you won't be able to work until you are a PR (unless you find a full time job offer and employer who can obtain an approved LMIA).

Thank you for your explanation, it makes a lot more sense now. Would you mind if I send you a personal message with a little more information about my situation? You seem to know a lot about these processes and I would appreciate all advice I can get on finding the most successful route to permanent residency

 

[scylla]

Thank you for your explanation, it makes a lot more sense now. Would you mind if I send you a personal message with a little more information about my situation? You seem to know a lot about these processes and I would appreciate all advice I can get on finding the most successful route to permanent residency

I'm sorry - I don't offer private advice. I'm not an immigration consultant or lawyer. Posting on the forum is really your best option if you want free advice. That way others can respond as well (and correct me if there's anything I've said that is wrong or incomplete). It also allows others to read your story and benefit from the adivce you're given.

 

[Abbas1]

Regarding Driver Licence, you need to have a permit with validity of more than 6 month, Study permit, visitor record, work permit
at least this is the requirement in BC

 

[Jaise]

Hello everybody,

My partner and I are working towards me emigrating to Manitoba over the next years.
He is a Canadian citizen and I am a student from Europe.

This summer I hope to graduate and receive my BA in education, however I still won't have enough work experience to apply for the Skilled Worker program. My current plan is to take a short course at the UoW for which I do not require a study permit (since it's less than 6 months) and stay with my boyfriend for 4-5 months while I go to college. After finishing the course I will be eligible to work in Canada and I am planning on applying for a temporary worker visa/conjugal partnership once I've gone back to Europe.

While I'm in Manitoba for 5 months I would love to enroll in Driver Education as well to obtain my Canadian Driver's License. Is this possible as a visitor? Or do I need a permanent residence card?

Could somebody give me a list of the documents I need and/or processes I have to start to make this happen?

Everything I've come up with so far is;
*My European passport
*Electronic Travel Authorisation
*Acadamic IELTS certificate (to apply for college)
*A couple more documents specific to the college course.

Hey, I am also on the same page. I am eager to know what you guys did later?