Can I legally work in QC with a SW1 (Federal) status?

[mpitillo]

Hello everyone,

My partner and I got our Canadian PR approved back in October 2018, under the SW1 (Federal) status. When we first applied, we had the intention to live and work in Vancouver, British Columbia.

We are currently still residing in the UK, but planning to move to Canada in the next few months. However, most of the job opportunities I am being offered are located in Montreal, Quebec. Reading some information online, it sounds like that if you have a Federal Skilled Worker status, you are free to work anywhere in Canada, even if you haven't selected "QC" as your first option. But I have also come across the "Quebec-selected skilled workers" page, where it says that if your intention is to work in QC, you have to get a specific status for there. So now I am confused.. my questions are:

1. Can I legally work and live in Quebec with my SW1 PR Card, or do I have to acquire a separate one for QC?
2. Would this bring me any problem later on when I decide to renew my PR Card, given that initially I had selected British Columbia as a place of destination?
3. Once I decide to renew my PR Card, what do I need to provide as "Proof of residency requirements", such as to prove my two full years of stay (out of 5)?

Thank you so much for your time,
-Matheus

 

[mpitillo]

Is there anyone that has gone through a similar case than me and could help me out?

Thank you!

 

[zardoz]

Hello everyone,

My partner and I got our Canadian PR approved back in October 2018, under the SW1 (Federal) status. When we first applied, we had the intention to live and work in Vancouver, British Columbia.

We are currently still residing in the UK, but planning to move to Canada in the next few months. However, most of the job opportunities I am being offered are located in Montreal, Quebec. Reading some information online, it sounds like that if you have a Federal Skilled Worker status, you are free to work anywhere in Canada, even if you haven't selected "QC" as your first option. But I have also come across the "Quebec-selected skilled workers" page, where it says that if your intention is to work in QC, you have to get a specific status for there. So now I am confused.. my questions are:

1. Can I legally work and live in Quebec with my SW1 PR Card, or do I have to acquire a separate one for QC?
2. Would this bring me any problem later on when I decide to renew my PR Card, given that initially I had selected British Columbia as a place of destination?
3. Once I decide to renew my PR Card, what do I need to provide as "Proof of residency requirements", such as to prove my two full years of stay (out of 5)?

Thank you so much for your time,
-Matheus

You can live AND work anywhere in Canada as a PR or a Canadian citizen.
Generally speaking, it doesn't matter how you became a PR.

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-15.html

Mobility Rights
Marginal note:Mobility of citizens

• 6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada.
  
  
• Marginal note:Rights to move and gain livelihood
  (2) Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the right
  
  • (a) to move to and take up residence in any province; and
    
  • (b) to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province.
    
• Marginal note:Limitation
  (3) The rights specified in subsection (2) are subject to
  
  • (a) any laws or practices of general application in force in a province other than those that discriminate among persons primarily on the basis of province of present or previous residence; and
    
    
  • (b) any laws providing for reasonable residency requirements as a qualification for the receipt of publicly provided social services.
    

 

[k.h.p.]

Have you landed in Canada (arrived and activated your PR)?

If you haven't, you can't land in Quebec as your first destination. Quebec requires a separate immigration process. However, if you are already a PR, you can move to Quebec.

 

[zardoz]

Have you landed in Canada (arrived and activated your PR)?

If you haven't, you can't land in Quebec as your first destination. Quebec requires a separate immigration process. However, if you are already a PR, you can move to Quebec.

They must have landed if they were approved back in Oct 2018.

 

[k.h.p.]

They must have landed if they were approved back in Oct 2018.

True, I didn't see that.

 

[mpitillo]

Yes, we did land back in 2018 and already have our PR Card.

I think my main worry was that I know that there is a dedicated PR card for the Quebec Province, so I thought that this could be a problem for me later on, once I have to renew my PR status and had lived only in Quebec by then.

This is great news though. Thank you so much for the help, zardoz and k.h.p.

 

[k.h.p.]

Yes, we did land back in 2018 and already have our PR Card.

I think my main worry was that I know that there is a dedicated PR card for the Quebec Province, so I thought that this could be a problem for me later on, once I have to renew my PR status and had lived only in Quebec by then.

This is great news though. Thank you so much for the help, zardoz and k.h.p.

There isn't a dedicated PR card for Quebec as far as I know, just an immigration approval process. You should be just fine.

 

[21Goose]

Yes, we did land back in 2018 and already have our PR Card.

I think my main worry was that I know that there is a dedicated PR card for the Quebec Province, so I thought that this could be a problem for me later on, once I have to renew my PR status and had lived only in Quebec by then.

This is great news though. Thank you so much for the help, zardoz and k.h.p.

No, there's no dedicated PR card for Quebec. There's only one type of Canadian PR.

Quebec has its own pathways to getting the PR. However, once you're a Canadian PR (no matter which pathway you use), you have exactly the same rights. There's no distinction between different types of PRs.

So you can relax and live/work anywhere in Canada.

 

[mpitillo]

Sorry, what I meant was a "dedicated" path for skilled workers in Quebec Province.

For example, my PR Card status is SW1 (Federal). For people applying to Quebec, their status would be SW1-QC (Federal).
That's why my confusion. I never applied for the QC version as it wasn't my plan to work there and I know that they have a very specific requirement list for that category.

Cheers!

 

[21Goose]

Sorry, what I meant was a "dedicated" path for skilled workers in Quebec Province.

For example, my PR Card status is SW1 (Federal). For people applying to Quebec, their status would be SW1-QC (Federal).
That's why my confusion. I never applied for the QC version as it wasn't my plan to work there and I know that they have a very specific requirement list for that category.

Cheers!

Doesn't matter. A PR is a PR is a PR. Once you're a PR, how you got it does not matter for anything in the future (such as renewing PR or applying for citizenship).

 

[mpitillo]

Yes, I got that from your previous message. I was just explaining where my line of thought was coming from, in response to k.h.p. post.

Anyway, thank you so much for the help! That's great. Have a nice one.

 

[21Goose]

Yes, I got that from your previous message. I was just explaining where my line of thought was coming from, in response to k.h.p. post.

Anyway, thank you so much for the help! That's great. Have a nice one.

You're welcome!

 

[SKSV]

Hi Guys @k.h.p. , @zardoz , @21Goose ,

I'm in a similar situation. I became Permanent Resident of Canada on Dec-29-2019. I completed my landing interview in Toronto, Ontario. I came under FSW-O (express entry) SW1 category. I was searching for job all over Canada and found one in Montreal, Quebec. I moved out of toronto after 3 weeks of landing. I was wondering if it is legal for me to work in Montreal, Quebec. Also, will I face any problems in the future, for example, when applying for citizenship? Please let me know your thoughts as I'm going to start my job next week and so nervous about my immigration status.

Thanks,
SKSV

 

[zardoz]

Hi Guys @k.h.p. , @zardoz , @21Goose ,

I'm in a similar situation. I became Permanent Resident of Canada on Dec-29-2019. I completed my landing interview in Toronto, Ontario. I came under FSW-O (express entry) SW1 category. I was searching for job all over Canada and found one in Montreal, Quebec. I moved out of toronto after 3 weeks of landing. I was wondering if it is legal for me to work in Montreal, Quebec. Also, will I face any problems in the future, for example, when applying for citizenship? Please let me know your thoughts as I'm going to start my job next week and so nervous about my immigration status.

Thanks,
SKSV

Yes, it's legal and no, it won't affect citizenship.