Canadian Visa for my Wife

[oiprocs]

Dear All,

I'm a Canadian PR, and work here full-time in Canada. I'm gonna get married back in my country in three months, and would like to apply Canadian visa for my wife, but not exactly sure how.

One approach is to apply for her immigration through my sponsorship, but a time estimate for that kind of immigration is about 1.5 to 2 years, which is ridiculously high; how can I wait alone that long? Another way is that she can apply for a visitor visa, and explain to ensure her return that 1) she has applied for PR but as it takes so long, she'd like to visit her husband from time to time until PR case gets closed; 2) she is employed, and don't wanna lose her job, and that it's just a month vacation to visit me.

The Visitor Visa approach sounds sketchy a little (may not seem logical or honest to visa officers), and I'm afraid it doesn't work. I don't know what to do. Any suggestions, please?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi

I'm afraid there isn't really another option. If she doesn't qualify to immigrate on her own under a different category (Skilled Worker, etc), then the only way for you to bring her to Canada permanently is to sponsor her. Because you are a PR and not a citizen, you must reside full-time in Canada throughout the entire application (1 or 2 short trip a year are allowed).

Applying for a temporary resident visa would not affect the PR application. However, it is a difficult visa to get and most people in that situation (visiting a spouse while PR app is in process) get refused. She will need to show strong evidence that she intends to only stay a short time in Canada.

 

[oiprocs]

Thanks canuck_in_uk. yeah.., I guess we should only apply for her PR through sponsorship; she doesn't qualify for other categories. I got a bit skeptic of visitor visa lately after my mom's application got rejected; it's really hard in some situations to prove you'll really return to your country after your visit.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks canuck_in_uk. yeah.., I guess we should only apply for her PR through sponsorship; she doesn't qualify for other categories. I got a bit skeptic of visitor visa lately after my mom's application got rejected; it's really hard in some situations to prove you'll really return to your country after your visit.

Yes, very hard visa to get approval. Even in cases where the person has shown an employment letter, a lease, family ties, return ticket, all the proof one would think would be enough, they have still been refused. Apply for the sponsorship as soon as your married; it's a long process but your best option

 

[oiprocs]

Now let say she applies and gets a TRV. If it's single, can we extend her visa to more than 6 months until the PR application is finalized? Or, can she apply for study/work permit while she's in Canada so she can stay longer? Do you think it would affect her PR application if the VO sees that she's trying (lawfully) to stay longer with her husband until the PR case is done?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Now let say she applies and gets a TRV. If it's single, can we extend her visa to more than 6 months until the PR application is finalized? Or, can she apply for study/work permit while she's in Canada so she can stay longer? Do you think it would affect her PR application if the VO sees that she's trying (lawfully) to stay longer with her husband until the PR case is done?

She can apply to extend the TRV but there is always the possibility it won't be approved.

As long as she holds a legal status while in Canada, it won't affect the PR app if she applies for a different permit. Many people hold and extend TRVs and work or study permits while applying for PR. What would affect the PR app is if her status became ILLEGAL, like if she stayed in Canada even after a permit or extension was denied and her visa expired. In that situation, the PR app would be cancelled.

To qualify for a work permit, she would need a job offer from Canada; the employer would be required to have an LMO, a Labour Market Opinion, to basically say that they are allowed to hire your wife instead of a Canadian.

For the study permit, she would need to have been accepted into an educational institute in Canada.

 

[oiprocs]

thanks canuk_in_uk, good info. But let me clarify my point and ask this: let say, in applying for her visa, she mentions she will stay just a month, and shows all the proof that corroborates this claim. Then her visa is accepted and she comes here. After a month, she decides she would quit her job and stay in Canada longer (up to 6 months), and even apply for a work/study permit if she has some offer or admission, so she can stay more than 6 months until the PR case is finalized. Now the question is: it's true that all her stay has been legal, but the fact that she's got her initial TRV on the grounds and claims that she would return after a month because of her job for example, contradicts with her attempts or willingness now to stay longer. Would that contradiction give any bad impression to the VO and impact her PR application?

I know that this case may seem very specific, but it has always been my question if you get your TRV based on reason X, then come here and contradicts X, although your stay in Canada is legal, would that contradiction have a bad image, or nobody cares?

Thanks a lot.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

It could affect her applying to extend her TRV but it won't affect the PR application. Just make sure she maintains legal status in Canada