Applying from Switzerland

[etoile]

I'd like some direction and/or suggestions on our situation. Thank you all in advance for taking the time to read.

I am a Canadian citizen, I have been married to my Swiss husband for 7 years on the 26th. Smile We have three children and we own a home in Canada. We would like to move to Canada in November. My husband and I are employed by our Swiss company and will continue to be after we move to Canada. My husband MUST be able to travel back and forth between Canada and Switzerland for business reasons. His his place of residence will continue to be Switzerland, however he would like spend as much time as possible with us as possible (in Canada). His job allows him to work from essentially anywhere. I have already started to enrol the children in school, and other necessary preparations for the move to Canada.

We need to apply for permanent residency fro my husband, so he has the benefit of legal status. Our problem is he MUST travel and we, of course, also want to be together as much as possible. I am under the impression that this can be tricky when you have a PR application lodged and in process. Is there any way to get some kind of extended visa that would allow him to travel when necessary and stay with us the majority of the time while we wait? We intend on keeping his Swiss insurances (health, social, etc.), his company is in Switzerland, his residence papers will remain in Switzerland until he has been granted permanent residency. Would this really be a problem?

Our embassy in Switzerland mentioned we could get a 6 month visitor's visa for my husband and if application is still pending within 30 days of expiration, we apply for an extension and supply documentation to show that he is still a Swiss resident, my husband, father of our Canadian children and he is supported financially. Is this true or what kind of experience do you have with is?

Thank you again for your help.

Olivia

 

[etoile]

Anyone? When we cross the border into Canada do we advise the IO that we've filed a PR and provide proof that he can support himself without getting a job in Canada and that he is still employed in Switzerland? What do we do when we cross the border?

 

[plumosa]

Anyone? When we cross the border into Canada do we advise the IO that we've filed a PR and provide proof that he can support himself without getting a job in Canada and that he is still employed in Switzerland? What do we do when we cross the border?

Since he needs to be able to travel back and forth you need to file an outside application through missisauga rather than inland through vegreville. I don't think he'll have a problem at the border since he's definitely not staying for huge swaths of time. Tell the IO that a PR application is in process (and have proof) and tell them that he has to travel back and forth for work. Do NOT say that he can work for his company while in Canada as that is not technically allowed without a work visa. If he ends up staying in Canada longer than you though you can apply for an extension, but each time he leaves the country his time-frame gets reset.

so YES to telling about the PR app and the employment in Switzerland (get a letter) and NO to the working in Canada for the Swiss company.

 

[etoile]

Thank you for your help.

 

[canadianwoman]

I am a Canadian citizen, I have been married to my Swiss husband for 7 years on the 26th. Smile We have three children and we own a home in Canada. We would like to move to Canada in November. My husband and I are employed by our Swiss company and will continue to be after we move to Canada. My husband MUST be able to travel back and forth between Canada and Switzerland for business reasons. His his place of residence will continue to be Switzerland, however he would like spend as much time as possible with us as possible (in Canada). His job allows him to work from essentially anywhere. I have already started to enrol the children in school, and other necessary preparations for the move to Canada.

He can enter Canada as a visitor without a visa, since he is Swiss. Since he has to travel back and forth, he should just enter as a visitor now. There should be no problem at the border, but he should say he is coming to visit his family if asked. He should definitely have proof he is employed in Switzerland - this shows the border official that he will leave. They may never ask for it, but he should have it just in case. As the previous poster says, don't tell them he will be working in Canada, unless this has been arranged with the Swiss company and he has the proper papers for this.The company should be able to advise him on this.

We need to apply for permanent residency fro my husband, so he has the benefit of legal status. Our problem is he MUST travel and we, of course, also want to be together as much as possible. I am under the impression that this can be tricky when you have a PR application lodged and in process. Is there any way to get some kind of extended visa that would allow him to travel when necessary and stay with us the majority of the time while we wait? We intend on keeping his Swiss insurances (health, social, etc.), his company is in Switzerland, his residence papers will remain in Switzerland until he has been granted permanent residency.

There are two kinds of PR applications: inland and outland. You're thinking of the inland application. For inland, the applicant must stay in Canada during processing. He should apply outland - for outland, the expectation is that the applicant is not residing in Canada. He can come visit though.

Our embassy in Switzerland mentioned we could get a 6 month visitor's visa for my husband and if application is still pending within 30 days of expiration, we apply for an extension and supply documentation to show that he is still a Swiss resident, my husband, father of our Canadian children and he is supported financially. Is this true or what kind of experience do you have with is?

Yes it is true. When he enters Canada, he can stay for 6 months unless the border official gives him less time. He can extend this if he needs to, but if he is leaving and entering Canada during the application process, he probably won't need to. He can enter Canada to visit you, stay for a few weeks, leave to work in Switzerland for a few weeks, then come back and enter Canada again. The clock is reset every time.