come to canada as visitor but stay

[aminata2010]

Hello..i am wondering if as a american citizen..can i visit canada and then decide to stay as a resident...if i do that..will i be able to get a work permit? My friends(who live in canada as residents) are telling me that I can do it this way but from what I have read i will be required to leave after the 6 mos visit and then have to apply for a work permit.

 

[YorkFactory]

start here for basic info

You're not going to get a work permit for unskilled labor, and I'm pretty sure skilled-worker applications take over a year. No one's going to be able to hire you legally without proving that they've tried and failed to find someone who lives in Canada to do the job.

 

[Leon]

aminata, you are right. As a visitor, you can stay in Canada for up to 6 months and then you will have to go home. They may even turn you away at the border if they think that you are planning on overstaying.

You can apply for your immigration using the link YorkFactory gave you or you can look for an employer who is willing to help you apply for a work permit, again like YorkFactory said, they have to show that they advertised and nobody else applied who was qualified for the job.

If your professions happens to be under NAFTA, it would be a lot easier for you to get a work permit. You can look at that here: http://www.canadavisa.com/nafta-temporary-work-permit-canada.html

 

[aminata2010]

thank you guys...i am glad i have researched before i took my ass to canada and then really be assed out..