Basic question: where should I be when I apply?

[DBHC]

Hi there:

I have a very basic question that I haven't been able to find the answer to. Perhaps it's obvious, but unfortunately not to me!

I plan on applying to live in Canada permanently, either through the Skilled Worker or Family Sponsor routes (my wife is Canadian and I hold a PhD from a Canadian university, so both seem like reasonable options), or via a provincial programme. I'm still trying to figure out the best option. Anyway, my question is: when I file the paperwork, where should I be? Do I enter Canada on a tourist visa and apply from within, or do I have to apply from abroad? If I apply from within, can I leave the country to travel while my paperwork is processed? Apologies if this has been asked a million times before.

Thanks in advance,
DBHC

 

[zardoz]

Hi there:

I have a very basic question that I haven't been able to find the answer to. Perhaps it's obvious, but unfortunately not to me!

I plan on applying to live in Canada permanently, either through the Skilled Worker or Family Sponsor routes (my wife is Canadian and I hold a PhD from a Canadian university, so both seem like reasonable options), or via a provincial programme. I'm still trying to figure out the best option. Anyway, my question is: when I file the paperwork, where should I be? Do I enter Canada on a tourist visa and apply from within, or do I have to apply from abroad? If I apply from within, can I leave the country to travel while my paperwork is processed? Apologies if this has been asked a million times before.

Thanks in advance,
DBHC

Your best is almost certainly via spousal sponsorship using the "outside Canada" processing, unless your home country has very long processing times. If you apply "inland", there are restrictions on your ability to be outside Canada for extended periods. For FSW, you have no choice in the processing path. You can "visit" Canada even if you are being sponsored and you can actually file an "outland" application from inside the country.

 

[DBHC]

Thanks for the helpful reply, zardoz. I'm a Brit currently living in the US, so presumably would have to file at a US office? A difficulty I foresee is that I can only stay in the US for two years, but the processing times for the US offices are more than two years, which is why I was wondering if I could apply from within Canada.

 

[zardoz]

Thanks for the helpful reply, zardoz. I'm a Brit currently living in the US, so presumably would have to file at a US office? A difficulty I foresee is that I can only stay in the US for two years, but the processing times for the US offices are more than two years, which is why I was wondering if I could apply from within Canada.

As a UK citizen, you have the option of either nominating the country where you reside or the country of citizenship. London have traditionally had quite reasonable wait times. Mine was done in about 5 months, but that was last year.