American with Japanese spouse planning on moving to Canada

[zatarra]

Excuse me for possibly foolish questions. I just need to be pointed in the right direction and then I'll take it from there. I'm an American and my wife is Japanese. Currently, we are residing in Japan and going through the very LONG process of getting a visa for my wife to live with me in the US. In the meantime we'd like to live and work in Canada.

I think for my wife, a working holiday visa would be the easiest option for her. How long does it usually take to get a working holiday visa?

As for me, I think I'd be able to find work myself. I'm not sure if it's risky to just pick up and go to Canada hoping to find a job.

Any advice?

 

[Rob_TO]

You have a few options as an American to get a work permit
- You can apply for a working holiday visa (SWAP program) if you qualify
- You can find a job that will qualify under NAFTA
- You can find an employer that wants to hire you and is willing to go through the whole LMO process to get you a closed work permit

Also if you tell an immigration officer when you enter Canada that you intend to look for work but have no work permit on hand, you could be in for a rough time just entering Canada.

 

[zatarra]

Also if you tell an immigration officer when you enter Canada that you intend to look for work but have no work permit on hand, you could be in for a rough time just entering Canada.

Thanks for the heads up. I've spent enough time abroad to know that that is always a bad thing to say at immigration. I'll check out the SWAP program and see what I can find.

 

[zatarra]

I was just reading the requirements for the SWAP program, and it does not specify exactly what "recent graduate" means? I graduated in 2010, so it's been a while. I meet all the other requirements as far as I know.

EDIT:
Just read on the IENA website:
"Be a current full-time degree level student or a recent graduate (within 12 months). Proof of student status must be either an official or unofficial transcript or a signed letter on official stationery from your school."

(sigh)

Somebody told me one time that if I take an online class at a technical college it re-qualifies me as a recent graduate/student. That was his advice for me to get a job with the Disney college program. I don't know if it would work for this also.

 

[Regina]

IMHO they say about degree level program and not just "some courses".

Look at FSW, they started a new program with extended acceptable occupations list.

 

[zatarra]

After reading a lot, I've decided that I'm not going to go for the WH Visa. It's just not going to work for me. But that's ok. I can stay in Canada for up to 6 months without a visa. I have plans to make money independently.

As for my wife, we think the WH visa will be just fine. I'm a little confused about it though.


On a link that I'm not allowed to post for some reason it says:
In 2014, the quota will be separated in several rounds.

Opening Dates

1st round: December 12th, 2013, at 15:00 London time (GMT), (10:00 Ottawa time). CLOSED
2nd round: December 17th, 2013, at 15:00 London time (GMT), (10:00 Ottawa time). CLOSED
3rd round: January 21st, 2014, at 15:00 London time (GMT), (10:00 Ottawa time). CLOSED

Does this mean they are done issuing WH visas in 2014? Do we have to wait until next year?? That would suck.

 

[Regina]

WH - what is this?

 

[rhcohen2014]

WH - what is this?

i believe that stands for "working holiday"

 

[Rob_TO]

I have plans to make money independently.

Note that with no work permit, ANY money you receive from other Canadians or Canadian companies, would be considered illegal. You are not allowed to do contract work or self-employed work either.

Only way to work in Canada with no work permit, is to work remotely for foreign companies, and all payments you receive must originate from a source outside Canada.

1st round: December 12th, 2013, at 15:00 London time (GMT), (10:00 Ottawa time). CLOSED
2nd round: December 17th, 2013, at 15:00 London time (GMT), (10:00 Ottawa time). CLOSED
3rd round: January 21st, 2014, at 15:00 London time (GMT), (10:00 Ottawa time). CLOSED

Does this mean they are done issuing WH visas in 2014? Do we have to wait until next year?? That would suck.

Yes that means all spots are closed for this year. It's common in most countries for WH spots to be filled almost immediately after opening. Sounds like you'll have to wait until next years positions open, which should be accepting applications in Dec 2014.

 

[zatarra]

Note that with no work permit, ANY money you receive from other Canadians or Canadian companies, would be considered illegal. You are not allowed to do contract work or self-employed work either.

Only way to work in Canada with no work permit, is to work remotely for foreign companies, and all payments you receive must originate from a source outside Canada.

Yes that means all spots are closed for this year. It's common in most countries for WH spots to be filled almost immediately after opening. Sounds like you'll have to wait until next years positions open, which should be accepting applications in Dec 2014.

My money would come from private English lessons over skype. My clients would my own contacts who are non-Canadian. Certainly I am allowed to continue making money from this regardless of where I'm living or what my official employment status is??

This is coming from canadainternational.gc.ca:

Working Holiday
Quota: 6,500
Working Holiday places remaining: 3,627
Updated: 01/05/2014

So this means as of May 1st, there are still 3,627 WH visas left. That means my wife should still be able to get a WH visa for this year, is this right?

 

[rhcohen2014]

My money would come from private English lessons over skype. My clients would my own contacts who are non-Canadian. Certainly I am allowed to continue making money from this regardless of where I'm living or what my official employment status is??

i think as long as you can prove, by written contract, the people you are teaching are not canadian, and you get paid outside of Canada, you will not be in violation of the working rule. what they are most concerned about is a visitor doing a job that a canadian would normally be hired to do. my guess is that most canadians are not teaching english to people living in another country and getting paid to/from a non-canadian bank.

 

[zatarra]

i think as long as you can prove, by written contract, the people you are teaching are not canadian, and you get paid outside of Canada, you will not be in violation of the working rule. what they are most concerned about is a visitor doing a job that a canadian would normally be hired to do. my guess is that most canadians are not teaching english to people living in another country and getting paid through a non-canadian bank.

Sounds good.

was that updated in May or January?

I was confused about that too, but then I checked the Japanese version of the page and it says:
2014年05月01日

which I can confirm means MAY 1. 月 = month and 日 = day.

 

[Rob_TO]

My money would come from private English lessons over skype. My clients would my own contacts who are non-Canadian. Certainly I am allowed to continue making money from this regardless of where I'm living or what my official employment status is??

As long as the payments are coming from outside of Canada, that should be fine.

This is coming from canadainternational.gc.ca:
Working Holiday
Quota: 6,500
Working Holiday places remaining: 3,627
Updated: 01/05/2014

So this means as of May 1st, there are still 3,627 WH visas left. That means my wife should still be able to get a WH visa for this year, is this right?

Strange. Why would they have 3 rounds of apps Dec 12, Dec 17 and Jan 21... and then nothing until now, and still over half the spots are open? Doesn't really make sense, so I recommend your wife to contact the appropriate number in Japan for the WH program and ask.

 

[zatarra]

Strange. Why would they have 3 rounds of apps Dec 12, Dec 17 and Jan 21... and then nothing until now, and still over half the spots are open? Doesn't really make sense, so I recommend your wife to contact the appropriate number in Japan for the WH program and ask.

That's a good idea. It doesn't make sense. I'll look for the number and tell her to give them a call.

 

[zatarra]

Ah, I'm a fool. The page where I got the info about the Opening Dates (1st round, 2nd round, etc.) was from the U.K.'s WH visa information page (that's what I get for clicking the first link I saw on my google search). So, there are no WH visas left of U.K. citizens. The page for Japanese citizens is as I said before; a quota of 6,500 and 3,627 places remaining. I guess for the Japanese citizens, there are no "rounds." Everything should be fine.