Express Entry With Job in US

[therealisttruest]

Hi all,

I have an interesting situation that doesn't seem to be addressed on the Immigration Canada site and so far I have not found an easy answer to my situation. My wife and I are both college grads in the U.S. and have quickly tired of the situation down here. I have an online job with a U.S. company and my wife does not work, though that could probably change if necessary. Regardless, the situation currently entails me continuing to work at my current job but we are seriously considering coming north for what would hopefully eventually be a permanent status. I know that I have a better chance of using Express Entry but all information I see usually requires an eventual employment with a Canadian company. To be clear, I'd love nothing more than to keep my U.S. job, pay all the normal taxes that other Canadians pay, and become a citizen eventually while leaving my U.S. citizenship behind. Can anyone tell me if this is possible, if I should go another route, or instead figure out how to go the Express Entry route and look for a new job in Canada?

Edit: I forgot to mention that we have two minor children. So my hope would be to bring along my U.S. job, my currently not employed though college educated wife, and two children who are both home-schooled (yet another thing to check into, though public school in Canada would be okay I believe).

Thanks much

 

[northern sunshine]

You don't need a job offer to apply for Express Entry, and in fact it can be quite difficult to get one before receiving PR. Your EE score is based primarily on your qualifications and work experience. A job offer just adds extra points, which you may not need if both you and your wife are educated (perhaps one of you has a master's degree?) and speak English and/or French fluently.

Permanent residence gives you the right to live and work in Canada, but does not require you to work for a Canadian company. You can live in Canada and work for a US company after receiving PR. However, if you renounce your US citizenship, you will need to work out a work visa in order to retain legal working status in the US. Without your citizenship or some other legal status, you will no longer be entitled to work in the states.

 

[mr.preetsingh]

You don't need a job offer to apply for Express Entry, and in fact it can be quite difficult to get one before receiving PR. Your EE score is based primarily on your qualifications and work experience. A job offer just adds extra points, which you may not need if both you and your wife are educated (perhaps one of you has a master's degree?) and speak English and/or French fluently.

Permanent residence gives you the right to live and work in Canada, but does not require you to work for a Canadian company. You can live in Canada and work for a US company after receiving PR. However, if you renounce your US citizenship, you will need to work out a work visa in order to retain legal working status in the US. Without your citizenship or some other legal status, you will no longer be entitled to work in the states.

Hi all,

I have an interesting situation that doesn't seem to be addressed on the Immigration Canada site and so far I have not found an easy answer to my situation. My wife and I are both college grads in the U.S. and have quickly tired of the situation down here. I have an online job with a U.S. company and my wife does not work, though that could probably change if necessary. Regardless, the situation currently entails me continuing to work at my current job but we are seriously considering coming north for what would hopefully eventually be a permanent status. I know that I have a better chance of using Express Entry but all information I see usually requires an eventual employment with a Canadian company. To be clear, I'd love nothing more than to keep my U.S. job, pay all the normal taxes that other Canadians pay, and become a citizen eventually while leaving my U.S. citizenship behind. Can anyone tell me if this is possible, if I should go another route, or instead figure out how to go the Express Entry route and look for a new job in Canada?

Edit: I forgot to mention that we have two minor children. So my hope would be to bring along my U.S. job, my currently not employed though college educated wife, and two children who are both home-schooled (yet another thing to check into, though public school in Canada would be okay I believe).

Thanks much

A US Company can offer a job to only Canadian Citizens under NAFTA rules, Permanent Residents are not allowed to work under US payrolls and live in Canada. Having said that, if your employer have an entity registered in Canada, request them to transfer you under Canadian Payroll.

 

[therealisttruest]

That's the current hurdle, I believe. I have a good income situation and don't really want to switch jobs. We would want to have the right to live in Canada while keeping the income situation the same. Eventually, becoming Canadian citizens would be the goal but I'm not too worried about how that would affect the job situation in the longer term as I have over a decade in the I.T. field as an Analyst and Programmer. That's why I think we'd do well with the EE route, just trying to figure out how and if I can keep my current job for now if we went that way.

Neither of us have Master's degrees, both Bachelor's. And, yes, we're both U.S. citizens by birth so English is our native language. Interestingly, French would probably be considered a secondary language for us both but I don't believe we'd do too well on the tests for French.

 

[mr.preetsingh]

That's the current hurdle, I believe. I have a good income situation and don't really want to switch jobs. We would want to have the right to live in Canada while keeping the income situation the same. Eventually, becoming Canadian citizens would be the goal but I'm not too worried about how that would affect the job situation in the longer term as I have over a decade in the I.T. field as an Analyst and Programmer. That's why I think we'd do well with the EE route, just trying to figure out how and if I can keep my current job for now if we went that way.

Neither of us have Master's degrees, both Bachelor's. And, yes, we're both U.S. citizens by birth so English is our native language. Interestingly, French would probably be considered a secondary language for us both but I don't believe we'd do too well on the tests for French.

I would suggest, start your Express Entry process and first evaluate yourself under FSW eligibility and CRS points. After that if your CRS will be good, you can file your PR. Once you get PR, you can "choose to accept or deny" continuing your current job in US. Wasn't that in "Mission Impossible movies". haah... too much of hollywood on my mind...

 

[therealisttruest]

I would suggest, start your Express Entry process and first evaluate yourself under FSW eligibility and CRS points. After that if your CRS will be good, you can file your PR. Once you get PR, you can "choose to accept or deny" continuing your current job in US. Wasn't that in "Mission Impossible movies". haah... too much of hollywood on my mind...

Estimator at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp shows an estimation of 388 points for me and her based on current information and guesses on the English tests. 388 out of 1200 doesn't seem that great but it's probably worth a try.

 

[mr.preetsingh]

Estimator at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp shows an estimation of 388 points for me and her based on current information and guesses on the English tests. 388 out of 1200 doesn't seem that great but it's probably worth a try.

Is your age too high? Since you mentioned your English skills would be pretty good, you can easily get at least 400+ with CLB9 or CLB10.

 

[therealisttruest]

Is your age too high? Since you mentioned your English skills would be pretty good, you can easily get at least 400+ with CLB9 or CLB10.

I didn't think so..... but I might be getting older than I thought. I put in 40 originally but yay! I get 5 more points if I actually kick off the process before then since I'm actually *only* 39. According to the estimation of a CELPIP with pretty high scores, the CRS gave me all 24 points for language and 50 for age.

Comprehensive Ranking System formula
Subtotal Core/Human capital + Spouse factors + Skill transferability = 394

Provincial nomination = 0

Job offer = 0

Study in Canada = 0

Sibling in Canada = 0

French-language skills = 0

Subtotal Additional points = 0

Grand total = 394

 

[mr.preetsingh]

I didn't think so..... but I might be getting older than I thought. I put in 40 originally but yay! I get 5 more points if I actually kick off the process before then since I'm actually *only* 39. According to the estimation of a CELPIP with pretty high scores, the CRS gave me all 24 points for language and 50 for age.

Comprehensive Ranking System formula
Subtotal Core/Human capital + Spouse factors + Skill transferability = 394

Provincial nomination = 0

Job offer = 0

Study in Canada = 0

Sibling in Canada = 0

French-language skills = 0

Subtotal Additional points = 0

Grand total = 394

Well, decide your NOC so that I can suggest if you can apply PNP or not

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/become-candidate/eligibility/find-national-occupation-code.html

 

[therealisttruest]

Well, decide your NOC so that I can suggest if you can apply PNP or not

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/become-candidate/eligibility/find-national-occupation-code.html

It's definitely 2171 and 2174, though for the last couple years I've been doing 2171 work. PNP is by demand of each province, correct? Is B.C. the best province for work such as that or is Ontario better? My preference is B.C. as that is the closest to where I currently reside. I love the Pacific NW here in the States so the Vancouver area is my preference. I haven't looked into PNP much though as I thought that requires a job offer and I'm trying to keep the current one. Oh the fun of immigration, but it's sometimes better than the alternative.

2171 Information systems analysts and consultants A
2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers A

 

[garima994]

Hi, I have a somewhat similar situation. I am from India but is working for a company in the US. I want to get settled in Canada as my sister and many other family members are there.
I want to keep my job even after getting in Canada. So I have a few questions on this:
1. The reference/experience letter will be from the US company. Is that ok to put in express entry profile?
2. Do I have to be working in Canada after the PR?

Please guide me on this as I am submitting my profile soon.