Canadian- Italian

[Frank_ITALY]

I'm Canadian and my girlfriend is Italian. I'm planning on returning in Canada VERY SOON (I have a couple of job interviews). I want to bring with me my girlfriend and wanted to know, if she comes like a visitor, can she actually search for a job while there? We want to marry, but first need to work. We could marry here in Italy, but do we have to wait that the sponsor application gives positive answer to move to Canada? If we do this sponsorship, does she still has to only come as a visitor? I mean, how can she come to canada as an immigrant and look for a job and then after we both work get married? hope to have an answer soon. We've been reading the CIC site and, we are really confused!!

 

[scylla]

For now all she can do is come as a visitor to Canada. She cannot move to or live in Canada.

She can certainly look for a job - however she cannot work without a work permit. There are a few different ways she can obtain a work permit:

1) You can sponsor her for PR as your wife/common law partner using the "inland" application process and include an open work permit with the application. Approximately four months after the application is received, she will be granted an open work permit. The downside of this option is that the inland application process is very long and it's recommended that you not leave Canada during this time.
2) If she can find an employer in Canada who is willing to offer her a full time job and who can also obtain an approved LMIA (permission to hire a foreign worker), she can then apply for a closed work permit tied to that specific employer. The downside is that it's typically extremely difficult to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process.
3) If she is between 18-35, she can apply for a six months open work permit through the IEC/working holiday visa program. The downside of this option is that she must be living in Italy when she applies (she cannot apply from Canada). Also, only a specific number of IEC visas are issued each year and all of them are already gone for 2016. So the earliest she would be able to apply is 2017.

In order to sponsor her for PR, you must either be married or common law. Common law means that you have lived together continuously for at least one full year (and have evidence to prove it).

 

[Frank_ITALY]

So, at the airport, if she comes as a visitor, what does she have to say? I mean, she can stay 6 months as a visitor right, but I read that they can send her back, why? It's obvious that if she's coming as a visitor, she will want to look for a job. Actually, she has like an interview in a school for teaching italian in Canada (does she have to ask them something to change the visitor status ''before'' or ''after'' arriving in Canada?). Thank you for the answer scylla.

 

[scylla]

So, at the airport, if she comes as a visitor, what does she have to say? I mean, she can stay 6 months as a visitor right, but I read that they can send her back, why? It's obvious that if she's coming as a visitor, she will want to look for a job. Actually, she has like an interview in a school for teaching italian in Canada (does she have to ask them something to change the visitor status ''before'' or ''after'' arriving in Canada?). Thank you for the answer scylla.

How long she is allowed to stay is up to the CBSA officer she encounters at the border. Typically visitors are given six months - however it is possible to be given a shorter visit or refused entry completely (this is rare). I'm not sure why you think it's obviously if she's coming as a visitor that she will want to look for a job. Most visitors to Canada are genuine visitors. She needs to look like a genuine visitor if she wants to avoid having issues at the border. This means that she should pack like a visitor (she should not bring everything she owns with her). She will also need to show that she has enough money available to pay for her visit to Canada and ensure she has a return ticket. Ideally she should also carry proof of ties to her home country (e.g. property ownership or rental, employment, etc.).

I don't understand your question about changing her visitor status or who she would ask. If she wants to accept the teaching job in Canada, the school will have to offer her a full time job AND they will also have to obtain an approved LMIA before she can apply for a work permit. To obtain an approved LMIA, the school will first have to advertise the job for at least a month to prove no Canadian could be found for the role. They will then have to submit the LMIA application along with a $1,000 fee. Processing for the LMIA application could take as long as four months. If the LMIA is approved (not all are), she will then be able to apply for a work permit. Once her work permit is approved, she will be able to start working.

 

[MilesAway]

So, at the airport, if she comes as a visitor, what does she have to say? I mean, she can stay 6 months as a visitor right, but I read that they can send her back, why? It's obvious that if she's coming as a visitor, she will want to look for a job. Actually, she has like an interview in a school for teaching italian in Canada (does she have to ask them something to change the visitor status ''before'' or ''after'' arriving in Canada?). Thank you for the answer scylla.

No, it's not obvious that she will want to look for a job. Visitors are supposed to be visitors, not workers. Working on visitor status is illegal, so it's not obvious that someone would choose to flaunt the rules and work illegally.

 

[Frank_ITALY]

Our goal is to move to Canada. So that means finding a job (both of us) and make family there. Other than visitor, how can she come to Canada and search for a job if, like I said before she is a visitor? The problem is that we want to move very soon and we are not married I guess, otherwise it would be easier, right? We want to do the right and legal things.

 

[Frank_ITALY]

No, it's not obvious that she will want to look for a job. Visitors are supposed to be visitors, not workers. Working on visitor status is illegal, so it's not obvious that someone would choose to flaunt the rules and work illegally.

I think I did not explain myself, sorry. I'm asking how can she come to Canada and look for a job? If she is in Italy, how can she look for it if she is not there? Does she have to send her resume from here, and if she has any answers for an interview, accept? How?

 

[scylla]

Our goal is to move to Canada. So that means finding a job (both of us) and make family there. Other than visitor, how can she come to Canada and search for a job if, like I said before she is a visitor? The problem is that we want to move very soon and we are not married I guess, otherwise it would be easier, right? We want to do the right and legal things.

Visitor is her only option for searching for a job while in Canada.

She can certainly look for a job while she is outside of Canada.

 

[Frank_ITALY]

Ideally she should also carry proof of ties to her home country (e.g. property ownership or rental, employment, etc.).

what does this mean?

 

[scylla]

Ideally she should also carry proof of ties to her home country (e.g. property ownership or rental, employment, etc.).

what does this mean?

Exactly what I said. She should carry printed evidence that shows ties to her home country in case she is asked for anything. This may happen if the CBSA officer has concerns she isn't a genuine tourist and has plans to remain in Canada long term.