Advice needed (Marriage)

[Misiu]

Hi everyone, I'll try to keep this as brief and to the point as possible.

-I'm Canadian, born and raised
-I've been with my current girlfriend (She's from Poland) for just over a year now.
-Now she's planning on seeing me in September and she would like to go to school in Canada in the fall of 2016.
-I've lived with her in Poland for 3 months and spent over a month with her before that
-I know I want to marry her.

From my understanding, the best way to do this would be to marry her in Canada, apply outland through the Warsaw office, if everything goes ok she would get her PR card in 9-10 months, and she could go to school at the reduced tuition price in 2016. However, during the wait she can't work at all, which is a bit of a negative.

Are there any other options other than the above? Especially one where she can work?

Lastly, regarding her ticket. Is it okay to buy a 1 way ticket or should she get a round trip ticket? I was thinking 3 month ticket and cancel the return and apply for a visa extension a month before the return ticket date. Is this the best way?

Thanks for any help.

 

[scylla]

If she's coming as a visitor she needs a two way ticket. Unlikely the airline will even let her board the plan with just a one way.

She should check out the IEC visas (working holiday) to see if she qualifies. This may give her a way to work before PR:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/

 

[scylla]

Sorry - forget about the IEC option. Just noticed that all of the slots have already been taken for this year for Poland.

So if she wants to work before she has PR applying outland - she would need to find an employer in CAnada willing to offer her a full time job, that employer would need to obtain an approved LMIA - and then she would have to apply for a closed work permit (assuming this process will take 4 months at a minimum and that it will unfortunately be difficult to find an employer willing to go through the process - especially if she doesn't have too much work experience).

 

[Misiu]

Thanks for the reply.

I was also reading about the common law option, where we would have to live together for a year and then she could apply for PR?

Would it be difficult to extend her visa if I go through this option? Would getting a work permit be easier?

I guess the only downfall would be she would have to postpone school until the winter semester.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

 

[scylla]

I was also reading about the common law option, where we would have to live together for a year and then she could apply for PR?

Would it be difficult to extend her visa if I go through this option? Would getting a work permit be easier?

Yes - you can apply for PR under common law provided you have lived together continuously (i.e. without a break) for at least one full year. It should be easy to get her visa extended if you go with this option. No - it won't make it any easier to get a work permit - the process will be the same.

 

[floomy]

Anther option I can think of is she applied for student permit and registers school ( she has to pay international tuition though)
but after taking 2 semesters (ex from sept to april) she can apply for off campus work permit.
She can work full time during the summer and part time during the winter(school semester )

I don't know which school she want to go (college or university or job training school) but most of school has international student office/ adviser (they know about off campus work permit well)
you can certainly inquire about that.