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Prioritizing Canadians Returning to Canada?

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canuck78

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Jun 18, 2017
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tizahu said:
IRCC says one of the groups they are prioritizing are Canadians returning to Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html

What does that mean? I am being sponsored outland by my partner who is a citizen but has never lived in Canada. Is it just wishful thinking that we fall into that group? We applied June 2019.
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You don’t fall into the group but your spouse does. Your spouse would have pretty low priority since she is also not trying to return to her home in Canada.
 
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tizahu

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May 29, 2019
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canuck78 said:
You don’t fall into the group but your spouse does. Your spouse would have pretty low priority since she is also not trying to return to her home in Canada.
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What Canadians fall into that category then? Why would IRCC need to do anything with citizens?
 
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armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
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primaprime said:
Permanent residents; citizens abroad with expired passports.
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They also helped organise flights from some countries and I presume had to negotiate exemptions from travel bans (admin support).

They did also help family members who had valid visas and traveled with the citizens and PRs, I believe.
 
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armoured

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Feb 1, 2015
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tizahu

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May 29, 2019
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armoured said:
Do you have a valid visa or are from a visa waiver country?
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I’m from the US. We tried to travel together a few weeks ago but were turned away. They considered the travel nonessential because my partner is not a Canadian resident, only a citizen. They basically said to wait it out until COPR is granted or Covid is over.

They said if he were in Canada and I were reuniting then I could be let it but they likely would give me an exclusion order because I couldn’t prove dual intent since I have a remote job.

So now we gave up our apartment and are uncertain about what to do. Hard to make plans when we have no idea how long this process will take. Seems like CPC-M isn’t moving outland apps, but who knows.
 
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armoured

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Feb 1, 2015
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tizahu said:
I’m from the US. We tried to travel together a few weeks ago but were turned away. They considered the travel nonessential because my partner is not a Canadian resident, only a citizen. They basically said to wait it out until COPR is granted or Covid is over.

They said if he were in Canada and I were reuniting then I could be let it but they likely would give me an exclusion order because I couldn’t prove dual intent since I have a remote job.

So now we gave up our apartment and are uncertain about what to do. Hard to make plans when we have no idea how long this process will take. Seems like CPC-M isn’t moving outland apps, but who knows.
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Could you give a bit more detail about how you showed up, what border, what specifically you were asked and what you responded?

As a citizen, he can't be turned back (subject perhaps to self-isolation plans? - not certain about this). I presume you mean you weren't allowed to enter and he decided to return with you. You could consider having him go first and settle.

You should be able to enter (him having established a residence will make it more clear) - emphasizing that yes, you have pending PR application, but you are there to help him settle and will return to USA and respect terms of your visa - but that this is family reunification and you are visiting immediate family member. (Sure, if you get your application approved before the term of the visa is up, that would be great). Don't show up at border with all worldly possessions and expect it to go smoothly.

Obviously that you were refused entry once may cause complications. And perhaps the remote work aspect, I do not know about that. No guarantees.

Of course, if something like that approach doesn't work for you, you'll have to wait it out.
 
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tizahu

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May 29, 2019
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armoured said:
Could you give a bit more detail about how you showed up, what border, what specifically you were asked and what you responded?

As a citizen, he can't be turned back (subject perhaps to self-isolation plans? - not certain about this). I presume you mean you weren't allowed to enter and he decided to return with you. You could consider having him go first and settle.

You should be able to enter (him having established a residence will make it more clear) - emphasizing that yes, you have pending PR application, but you are there to help him settle and will return to USA and respect terms of your visa - but that this is family reunification and you are visiting immediate family member. (Sure, if you get your application approved before the term of the visa is up, that would be great). Don't show up at border with all worldly possessions and expect it to go smoothly.

Obviously that you were refused entry once may cause complications. And perhaps the remote work aspect, I do not know about that. No guarantees.

Of course, if something like that approach doesn't work for you, you'll have to wait it out.
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We made it clear we were both intending to visit and the next time we would be leaving would be for the December holidays. But also that we would be looking at different neighborhoods and my partner would be networking and job hunting. So it was us basically preparing to settle permanently but not making any definite actions because I am still waiting on the PR. The trunk of the SUV was filled with luggage which we felt was reasonable to two people intending to stay into the start of a cold Quebec winter.

My partner was not turned away, but essentially was because we were driving a rental at the main crossing into Quebec. We joked with the officers about him walking onward, but we turned right around into the US.

There may be a scenario where my partner has to travel in order to interview for a job, though he just started the search. We so have some concerns about us being in different locations since we are common law, though we have already lived together for years.

I think we just need to wait it out, but I appreciate you hearing this out. We had rose-colored glasses on for sure, but also feel we had some bad luck as well. Hopefully CPC-M gets up to some speed soon. Our worst fear is that they’re delaying outland apps especially from the US, but hopefully that is just baseless paranoia.
 
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armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
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tizahu said:
We made it clear we were both intending to visit and the next time we would be leaving would be for the December holidays. But also that we would be looking at different neighborhoods and my partner would be networking and job hunting.
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I was considering joking and saying you have heard there's a pandemic, right?

They are serious about no non-essential travel. Visitng for a while and looking around is (apparently) what they mean. They have turned back lots of people who don't see to be on board with this (and I'm not saying it's always been correct in terms of what is allowed, but they have discretion); some have been fined. Did they ask for a quarantine/self-isolation plan?

I suspect showing up in a rental car didn't help.

If you proceed something like how I suggested above you may probably be okay. He is moving. You are joining your spouse for family reunification, even if only temporarily, it is medium term (and deemed essential by Canadian government regs.) And have a serious self-isolation plan.

Or wait, at least you are together. But him visiting for a job interview is not realistic under current regs.
 
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