Bringing my GF to Canada: is marriage the only option?

[Lele33]

Hi all,
I'm in a LDR with a girl from Hong Kong, but I'm now sure she's the one, so of course I wanna live with her, which means bringing her to Canada.
The situation is the following:

- I am currently a PR, expecting to become citizen within the next year (I already applied).
- She's 34, too old to apply for IEC (working holiday).
- She doesn't have any useful degree to apply for a work visa from home.
- We cannot live together for a year and become common law because I'm not willing to drop my job and move to her country (to do what? and how?). For the same reason she cannot come here as a visitor with no income.
- If I understand correctly, Conjugal Sponsorship is not an option, because "technically" nothing prevent us from moving together, other than our will to not lose our jobs without a valid backup alternative.

Three questions:
1) Did I understand correctly about the Conjugal?
2) Is marriage the only option here or there's something else I can look into?
3) Once we marry, how long before she can move here and be able to work?

Thank you for your help!

 

[scylla]

Hi all,
I'm in a LDR with a girl from Hong Kong, but I'm now sure she's the one, so of course I wanna live with her, which means bringing her to Canada.
The situation is the following:

- I am currently a PR, expecting to become citizen within the next year (I already applied).
- She's 34, too old to apply for IEC (working holiday).
- She doesn't have any useful degree to apply for a work visa from home.
- We cannot live together for a year and become common law because I'm not willing to drop my job and move to her country (to do what? and how?). For the same reason she cannot come here as a visitor with no income.
- If I understand correctly, Conjugal Sponsorship is not an option, because "technically" nothing prevent us from moving together, other than our will to not lose our jobs without a valid backup alternative.

Three questions:
1) Did I understand correctly about the Conjugal?
2) Is marriage the only option here or there's something else I can look into?
3) Once we marry, how long before she can move here and be able to work?

Thank you for your help!

1) Correct - conjugal is not an option. Nothing stopping you from getting married or living together to become common law.
2) Common law is the oother option.
3) Around four months if she comes to Canada, you sponsor her inland and include an open work permit with the application.

 

[russ6970]

Conjugal is not an option I wouldn't think. You could try and get her a TRV with the dual intent of becoming common law. I have seen people do that before on this forum

 

[Lele33]

1) Correct - conjugal is not an option. Nothing stopping you from getting married or living together to become common law.
2) Common law is the oother option.
3) Around four months if she comes to Canada, you sponsor her inland and include an open work permit with the application.

Thank you. Four months is reasonable.

 

[scylla]

Thank you. Four months is reasonable.

Note that's four months from the time a complete application is recieved by IRCC (not four months from the time you get married). She needs to be in Canada when that application is mailed in.

 

[Lele33]

Conjugal is not an option I wouldn't think. You could try and get her a TRV with the dual intent of becoming common law. I have seen people do that before on this forum

TRV with the dual intent of becoming common law?? Interesting, didn't know it was a thing
I'll read about it!

 

[Lele33]

Note that's four months from the time a complete application is recieved by IRCC (not four months from the time you get married). She needs to be in Canada when that application is mailed in.

Of course.Understood, thank you!

 

[russ6970]

I don't know how successful it is but there have been people on here that have tried it before.

 

[YVR123]

Conjugal is not an option I wouldn't think. You could try and get her a TRV with the dual intent of becoming common law. I have seen people do that before on this forum

Well, if they want to become common law, they will need to live together for 12 months after she entered with her TRV. She can extend her visitor status to establish common law. BUT she cannot work as a visitor.

The OWP option is only available after they have became common law and submitted a complete common law sponsorship application with the OWP. So assuming everything goes perfect, she could get OWP in roughly 12 + 4 months.

 

[Lele33]

Well, if they want to become common law, they will need to live together for 12 months after she entered with her TRV. She can extend her visitor status to establish common law. BUT she cannot work as a visitor.

The OWP option is only available after they have became common law and submitted a complete common law sponsorship application with the OWP. So assuming everything goes perfect, she could get OWP in roughly 12 + 4 months.

Yes, that's why we cannot do the common law: I cannot ask her to come here for 12 months as a visitor and scratch her belly the whole time.
Marriage is more feasible for sure and it'll have her waiting and get bored for "only" 4 months.
BTW, is she allowed to temporarily leave the country during these 4 months if there's any emergency?

 

[scylla]

Yes, that's why we cannot do the common law: I cannot ask her to come here for 12 months as a visitor and scratch her belly the whole time.
Marriage is more feasible for sure and it'll have her waiting and get bored for "only" 4 months.
BTW, is she allowed to temporarily leave the country during these 4 months if there's any emergency?

She is supposed to remain in Canada during those four months. She can leave if there's an emergency but should keep her trip short. Also never a guarantee she will be allowed back in if she leaves - application will be canceled if she isn't able to re-enter.

 

[Lele33]

She is supposed to remain in Canada during those four months. She can leave if there's an emergency but should keep her trip short. Also never a guarantee she will be allowed back in if she leaves - application will be canceled if she isn't able to re-enter.

Wow, I'll tell her to bring something to read then

 

[scylla]

Wow, I'll tell her to bring something to read then

The inland route specifically requires her to be living with you in Canada from the time you apply. It's not for applying, leaving for four months, and then returning. If this doesn't appeal to her, then outland may be the better option since she doesn't have to be in Canada (but of course won't qualify for the open work permit).

 

[Lele33]

The inland route specifically requires her to be living with you in Canada from the time you apply. It's not for applying, leaving for four months, and then returning. If this doesn't appeal to her, then outland may be the better option since she doesn't have to be in Canada (but of course won't qualify for the open work permit).

Thanks Scylla, much appreciated

 

[JamesBarnes]

Hi @Lele33

I'm currently going through a similar situation. My husband and I are about to send in an Inland application with the OWP which means I'm here in Canada unable to work until we send the application and await a (hopefully!) successful OWP application.

The best advice I can give you is to make the best of the situation (if you do choose to go down the marriage/inland route) I've worked or studied consistently since I was 17 (I'm now 33) so I'm just enjoying the 'time off' as it were. If she's a creative type maybe she could draw/write/craft or whatever? You can explore on a thrifty budget! Maybe she could set up an Instagram and try to take a photo every day? She could pick up a new hobby, visit a local library....there's quite a few options that don't require much cash

Good luck!
James