Becoming Common Law with a Visitor Visa?

[Amalthea]

That's true, we've definitely talked about it. But marriage is really important to us. We're both women, and we've had to fight for the right to marry, so we want it to be kind of a big deal. It just doesn't seem special enough to get married just so it's easier to get PR hahaha

Fair enough, just consider that it would save you 12 months of your time, lost income etc.. Moving to another country for someone is a big commitment in and of itself!

Outland is definitely the way to go, as others have said, US applications are processed in Ottawa in 8-10 months. I applied while I was still in the States myself, and kept working. About halfway through I came up to wait out the process on a visitor visa with my husband.

US citizens are not eligible for IEC Visas to Canada at this time. Here's the full list of eligible countries and for which visas. You'll notice, sadly, the US is not one of them.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp?country=all&cat=NA

 

[KelseyTVS]

U.S. Citizens actually are eligible. On the list if you choose "my country isn't listed" it'll take you to a page showing a bunch of different organizations that help people with IEC and at the bottom under Working Holidays there's a company called SWAP that offers work vacations for US students and recent graduates.

 

[Amalthea]

U.S. Citizens actually are eligible. On the list if you choose "my country isn't listed" it'll take you to a page showing a bunch of different organizations that help people with IEC and at the bottom under Working Holidays there's a company called SWAP that offers work vacations for US students and recent graduates.

They are not listed under the IEC visa category because they are not eligible.

When you dig on SWAP's website, you'll notice that their copyright is from 2013/2014. On their website, they only list that "We hope to offer IEC Visas from the United States in the near future...." Their last posting was "You choose the date you wish to enter Canada within your eligibility period and book your own travel accordingly. Spring 2013 student status will permit entry up to 15th February 2014. Fall 2013 student status permits entry up until August 15th, 2014."

They are a private company who charges people to fill out the IEC paperwork etc.. and not only is their site extremely outdated, but it's simply false. They were hoping IECs would be offered to Canada for US citizens, but at this time, they aren't.

 

[Amalthea]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not the first person to be tricked by this private scam of a company.

If you look here,

http://puu.sh/iuW3g/05c2643f63.png

is a screenshot of where they say they "hope" IEC visas will be offered to US citizens in 2014

Sadly that obviously didn't happen, as it's now 2015 and there are no IEC visas for US citizens.

 

[KelseyTVS]

I knew that there were extra fees but I emailed them with some questions yesterday and they replied. They haven't updated the date on their site but they're still running. They're partnered with Frosch Student Travel and that website is much more up to date, and 2015 applications for their program are open.

SWAP is listed on CIC's website as an alternative if your country isn't eligible for IEC. I figured since SWAP was suggested by CIC, they were legit.

I'll definitely have to do more research before my partner signs up for a private program like this, but I got the impression from CIC's website that SWAP was a real option.

 

[Amalthea]

I called Frosch Student Travel to ask what visa they plan on issuing US Citizens since they are not eligible for IEC or working holiday visas to Canada, and I found that the main phone # had been disconnected. Not surprised sadly. There's a Portland branch but they're not open until 10 am. I will pester them for more information.

 

[KelseyTVS]

Thanks, that's so nice of you to check. When I emailed them, they gave me the number of a guy who works there, named Larry. His number is 503-274-2323 If you want to try that. I couldn't call it because I assumed it was an American number and would charge me for long distance calling.

Also, in case you're curious, here's the page on CIC where they list SWAP as a recognized organization to use as an alternative to IEC. They're right at the bottom
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/ros.asp

 

[Ponga]

What industry does your [now] girlfriend work in? Can she qualify to work in Canada under the NAFTA agreement?

Or...can she find a way to work from Canada remotely, via telephone of the internet? As long as she does not work for a Canadian company or is remunerated from within Canada, this is perfectly legal while she is `visiting' you in Canada.

When the two of you do begin the one year cohabiting requirement, I strongly suggest that she be added to your lease/rental agreement if you are renting. Having this proof that you are living together is a great way to start assembling the proof that you will need. She can also be added to your bank account (Scotia Bank was painless for us), your cell plan, add her as your life insurance beneficiary, etc.. The more that you can show, the better.

 

[KelseyTVS]

What industry does your [now] girlfriend work in? Can she qualify to work in Canada under the NAFTA agreement?

Or...can she find a way to work from Canada remotely, via telephone of the internet? As long as she does not work for a Canadian company or is remunerated from within Canada, this is perfectly legal while she is `visiting' you in Canada.

When the two of you do begin the one year cohabiting requirement, I strongly suggest that she be added to your lease/rental agreement if you are renting. Having this proof that you are living together is a great way to start assembling the proof that you will need. She can also be added to your bank account (Scotia Bank was painless for us), your cell plan, add her as your life insurance beneficiary, etc.. The more that you can show, the better.

Right now she's still a student so she's just working part time retail. When she graduates she wants to be a teacher. So she won't be eligible to work in Canada until she goes to a Canadian school and gets an after-degree certificate in education, which she plans to do after she has PR, to avoid international student fees. And yes, I'm prepared to add her to everything

 

[Mapleson]

Sorry, that was the pragmatic side of me talking (I'm a hopeless romantic as well). Easier PR status and tax benefits are the pragmatic side of things, but if you are both "single" and don't object to the idea of marriage, then you can make it special because it's what you want and everything else is just icing on the wedding cake.

I ended up proposing to my wife twice, because the first time she asked me what I was thinking and I told her the truth in question format without a ring or any preplanning. The second time was much more involved, but I'm not sure which was the more special moment.

SWAP is listed by CIC because they do more than just Canada-US processing.

 

[KelseyTVS]

Well, for the record, they list SWAP as a means to help people apply for the IEC or working holiday visas (instead of just applying on their own), this is why they're listed under the Working Holiday section because they do exactly that - facilitate IEC visa applications for $$$$$$, and I'm sure they do exactly that for Australians, British folks, etc.. As those countries are all eligible for young professional visas and are also on the SWAP website. As for Americans, we aren't eligible for IEC visas.. Yet.

I hope that makes sense. They aren't an alternative visa program. They just apply for working holiday visas (IECs etc), for people who want to pay to have that done.

Yeah, I definitely understand what you're saying, I just can't help but be hopeful haha. The CIC website talks about ineligible-for-IEC countries and recognized organizations (ROs):

"If you are a citizen of a non-IEC country, then your participation with a Working Holiday RO will be subject to the RO's:
•country-specific quota; and
•conditions of participation"

Below, SWAP is suggested. I definitely get that it seems expensive and sketchy on the SWAP site, but from what it says on the CIC site, a person from a non-IEC country can still get a work permit through an RO, as long as the RO approves them? I'm still unsure, so don't worry, we won't be registering until we find out more!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

SWAP is not a scam company that just charges to fill out paperwork. As stated on the CIC website, they are a recognized organization, monitored by CIC, that supports youth mobility.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/opinion/experience/index.asp

IEC program framework

Canadians and foreign nationals aged 18 to 35 can benefit from the IEC program under the following:

1. Bilateral Youth Mobility Agreements (YMAs) established by the Canadian government with foreign governments;

2. Recognized organizations, monitored by CIC, that support youth mobility opportunities, such as SWAP Working Holidays, the International Association for Students of Economics and Commerce (AIESEC), the International Association for Exchange of Student for Technical Experience (IAESTE) and the Mennonite Central Committee of Canada (MCC), which have multilateral arrangements with partners in countries within and beyond the 32 bilateral agreements.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/opinion/experience/youth.asp

Despite there being no formal agreements, Canada has pilots in select countries with two organizations recognized by the IEC program to facilitate opportunities for youth to work and travel in one another’s countries. SWAP Working Holidays and Go International both receive small annual quota to facilitate opportunities under the Working Holiday category for foreign youth.

SWAP Working Holidays(formerly Student Work Abroad Programs) facilitates international exchanges. In addition to the countries where Canada has a bilateral arrangement on youth mobility (see Bilateral agreements), SWAP also has partners in countries listed below (Note: the list also consists of countries where the Working Holiday category is not included in their bilateral agreements with Canada). Participants must be citizens of the countries listed under Bilateral agreements or the table below.

 

[Amalthea]

Yeah, I definitely understand what you're saying, I just can't help but be hopeful haha. The CIC website talks about ineligible-for-IEC countries and recognized organizations (ROs):

"If you are a citizen of a non-IEC country, then your participation with a Working Holiday RO will be subject to the RO's:
•country-specific quota; and
•conditions of participation"

Below, SWAP is suggested. I definitely get that it seems expensive and sketchy on the SWAP site, but from what it says on the CIC site, a person from a non-IEC country can still get a work permit through an RO, as long as the RO approves them? I'm still unsure, so don't worry, we won't be registering until we find out more!

Canuck is right, I just called the Portland branch of Frosch (not the main disconnected #). He explained that while US citizens aren't eligible for IEC visas, they can instead apply through an RO like Frosch or what have you, and if you're approved, they have you register on the IEC website and you go from there. So that was my mistake, I misunderstood their intent/purpose. It's a shame their websites are so outdated and their phone numbers disconnected. Here I thought they were just facilitating IEC visas, and they kind of are, but they have permission to issue some IEC visas to non-IEC countries. So you were correct in your assessment. Sorry for confusing you further!


Did they tell you how much they charge? They don't really have a lot of info on their websites sadly, definitely no specifics, and what little info they do have is from 2012/13. There was someone on another thread who paid $3,000 for a Swap facilitated IEC visa from Ireland to Canada, if I remember correctly.

 

[KelseyTVS]

Canuck is right, I just called the Portland branch of Frosch (not the main disconnected #). He explained that while US citizens aren't eligible for IEC visas, they can instead apply through an RO like Frosch or what have you, and if you're approved, they have you register on the IEC website and you go from there. So that was my mistake, I misunderstood their intent/purpose. It's a shame their websites are so outdated and their phone numbers disconnected. Here I thought they were just facilitating IEC visas, and they kind of are, but they have permission to issue some IEC visas to non-IEC countries. So you were correct in your assessment. Sorry for confusing you further!

No worries! Their website and phone information definitely makes them look questionable. Thank you so much for double checking!