About Naturalization

[radium05]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. My name is David and I'm from Israel. I've been considering studying in Canada.

Checking the many different things you need to have in mind, such as student visa and work permits, I learned about the naturalization program that Canada offers. I just checked the Immigration Office's website but found no e-mail I could write to for answers, so I thought I'd find a forum like this one.

I trust the best way to evaluate if I really want to live in Canada is by experience. Therefore I'm thinking of testing the ground with a work visa for a period of time of, say, half a year to one year. If I find it suitable I think the next step would be to start studies, therefore I would switch to a student visa and student work permit. My question is if such time could be accounted as part of the requested three years of legal stay in Canada when applying for citizenship.

I'm currently a citizen of Argentina. My Argentinian citizenship is frozen due to my Israeli citizenship and the fact that I'm living in Israel. I'm about to renounce it, because of that. Any chance of this interfering with my application later on?

Thanks a lot.

 

[maxvol]

You would have to live 1095 or 3 years as a landed immigrant "physical presence" in Canada to be considered for citizenship. Prior to being a landed immigrant if you have lived physically in Canada as a non-landed immigrant (i.e student visa or work permit) then the physical presence would be counted as 1/2 a day for each day you lived in Canada for a total of 1 year. Which basically means if you have lived in Canada as an international student for 5 years only 1 year will be counted towards 1095 days of your physical presence as a landed immigrant

 

[radium05]

Now, this was something I wasn't expecting. Thanks for the detailed explanation. So this means I should apply for a permanent residency as I arrive in Canada to count my stay as a full legal time in the country.

From what I read I need to prove that I am financially stable in Canada to get PR. I'm not sure if this can be done by finding just any job or if something else is needed. I'm 21, finishing military service in Israel. This means that after high school all I did was my military service of three years, so I have no work experience that can be used to go under the "skilled worker" option. Is there any other option left that is as fast and easy as the skilled worker option?

 

[Leon]

Since you have only high school and no work experience or higher education, it is unlikely that you will be able to find a job in Canada that you would be able to get a work permit for. Before you can get a regular work permit, your prospective employer would have to advertise the job to prove that he can not find anybody in Canada willing or able to take that job. It is also unlikely that you can find a way to apply for PR right now for the same reason.

What you can do is come as a tourist. Stay for up to 6 months. If you like it, look for a university and apply for a student visa. After 6 months on a student visa, you could apply for a student work permit and that would allow you to work up to 20 hours a week during classes and full time during breaks and it is not tied to an employer. After you complete your studies, you can apply for a post-grad work permit which is also not tied to an employer. If you get a skilled job after you have graduated, your employer could sponsor you for PR under a provincial nominee program or you could work for a year and then apply under CEC.