Best way to live in Canada while PR is being approved

[silvenshadow]

Greetings everyone. My wife and I have reasonably-well established businesses, and are applying for PR under the self-employed category. The website says this will take about 6 years! Part of the reason we are looking to move to Canada is because our daughter will be studying there. I'm going to have to commute monthly or bi-monthly for business reasons, but it would be easiest if most of our time was spent in Canada.

I understand there are 6-month business visas to be had easily to grow our businesses in Canada, but I'm concerned that purchasing residence in Canada, where most of our time will be spent, would be a mistake. I worry that my reentry might not be approved, and that I would be stranded until the PR is complete (6 years!). That's a long time to live in a small apt or sleep in the office.

What do you people think is the best way to approach this?

 

[scylla]

I would pick a different immigration stream. Six years is an estimate - it can take longer.

Check out Express Entry / Federal Skilled Worker instead. Also take a look at the Provincial Nomination program for the province you want to settle in.

 

[Bs65]

Greetings everyone. My wife and I have reasonably-well established businesses, and are applying for PR under the self-employed category. The website says this will take about 6 years! Part of the reason we are looking to move to Canada is because our daughter will be studying there. I'm going to have to commute monthly or bi-monthly for business reasons, but it would be easiest if most of our time was spent in Canada.

I understand there are 6-month business visas to be had easily to grow our businesses in Canada, but I'm concerned that purchasing residence in Canada, where most of our time will be spent, would be a mistake. I worry that my reentry might not be approved, and that I would be stranded until the PR is complete (6 years!). That's a long time to live in a small apt or sleep in the office.

What do you people think is the best way to approach this?

For clarity for other forum readers where did you get the information about 6 month business visas that allow you to live and work in the country ?

 

[silvenshadow]

For the business visa there is information on the cic website here: (take the spaces out, the forum didn't like that I'm putting a url in.)

www . cic . gc . ca / english / visit/ business . asp

If you are a citizen of the USA, you don't need to file a special application, and are permitted to visit for up to 6 months, same as a visitor visa. The visa is described as for uses to further business in Canada. (Eg. Meeting with clients, negotiating contracts, networking, conferences, training, etc). I'm no expert, but as far as I can tell it's not a "You are allowed to live in Canada" visa, but more of a "You can visit Canada" type visa. That's why it concerns me if I would be mostly living there, even though my business is elsewhere.

The skilled worker entry is an option for us, since we both have good experience, and specialized skills. The problem I see is that either one, or the other of us would have to commit to taking a full-time job for a year, and that wouldn't be good for our clients at all. In the long run it's not good for Canada either as we would be taking jobs instead of creating them, and it would probably hurt the revenue our companies would be bringing into the country.

With such a long wait time, I just feel like there would be a better way to accomplish this move.

 

[silvenshadow]

Does anyone know of a way to become a temporary resident in this case while PR status is being approved.

 

[silvenshadow]

I also noticed that for skilled trades/express entry, you need to have a job offer. Does that mean that I must accept this job offer to become a PR?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I also noticed that for skilled trades/express entry, you need to have a job offer. Does that mean that I must accept this job offer to become a PR?

You don't need a job offer. If you have enough points from your work experience/education/age/language etc., it is entirely possible to qualify without a job offer.

 

[J-UKBC]

Greetings everyone. My wife and I have reasonably-well established businesses, and are applying for PR under the self-employed category. The website says this will take about 6 years! Part of the reason we are looking to move to Canada is because our daughter will be studying there. I'm going to have to commute monthly or bi-monthly for business reasons, but it would be easiest if most of our time was spent in Canada.

I understand there are 6-month business visas to be had easily to grow our businesses in Canada, but I'm concerned that purchasing residence in Canada, where most of our time will be spent, would be a mistake. I worry that my reentry might not be approved, and that I would be stranded until the PR is complete (6 years!). That's a long time to live in a small apt or sleep in the office.

What do you people think is the best way to approach this?

hi

yes you can be a business visitor for up to 6 months.

you can also set up and incorporate a PROVINCIAL business in British Columbia (which province are you in?) without being a Canadian citizen. check guidelines for other provinces

my understanding is that you can also generate income in Canada providing the income goes back to the UK and not stay in Canada whilst you do not have PR or a work permit.

You can in the meantime apply for temporary work permit (TWP) that would allow you to work in Canada legally and generate Canadian income.

TWP can be obtained through normal CIC routes, but it can also be obtained from the border/ Port of Entry (POE), which means that you don't have to wait for a response from CIC for TWP. bring your business plan of the business you intend to set up in Canada (even though you already have a business outside of Canada, you would still have to set up a new entity in Canada, unless it will be a subsidiary of your existing business, in which case, i think you would still need to formalise it somehow...??)

My understanding is that it is ok to apply to different streams of entry simultaneously?

i suggest you also contact UKTI (UK Trade & Industry - they've just changed their name to something else) for clarification on the above and speak to an International Trade Officer. contact your local UKTI or Canadian UKTI. They all work together anyway

also check out Britishexpats. com forum

not sure if it is ok for this forum, but if it is ok, send me an email address ( i suggest one that you don't use often) and i am happy to send you some more info

Wishing you every success

 

[Aruma]

OP cannot change his status from Business Visitor to TWP while having a business in Canada.
In order to get a TWP, OP need a job offer with LMIA approval, unless job offer is LMIA exempt. He will need to apply for his TWP from outside Canada.