Girlfriend from London, England immigrating to Canada for school/work

[raytoey]

My girlfriend and I have been in a long distance relationship for over eleven months and I have known her for over two years. She lives in the UK and I am a Canadian citizen. I recently got back from my trip visiting her for the first time for three weeks and we are now talking about her migrating to Canada next year to go to school at Ryerson University. We are both still in secondary school (She's 17 and I'm 18) and by August she will be 18 and I will be 19 which is when I plan to fly her here. Is there a way for her to somehow stay in Canada as a resident with me and my family? My mother and step-father are willing to take her in until we get our own place. I work and have a job (Import & export) with a steady income of $300-$400/week.

My girlfriend is currently unemployed and I plan to fly her here with a one-way ticket but before doing so, I will consult this forum because I am in need of professional help. I am willing to pay for her plane fare in August when she is eligible to leave her parents home without consent. What kind of VISA should she apply for? Since she is still going to secondary school, can she apply for a student VISA? Will it be available under both secondary school and University? If not, is there a way for her to just stay as a resident and we will gain her citizenship with marriage when we both finish Ryerson?

As we were looking through VISA's and thinking of ideas for work, she mentioned wanting work as a receptionist or cashier. I recommended to her working as a caregiver because of her experience working with children and by 18 she will be an adult. Can these professions allow her to be here as a working resident as we go to school and work?

Please give me advice and recommendation about everything I have posted here. Sorry that it's so long. Thank you for your time!

 

[Mbgirlfriend]

When will she be 18? If you guys can wait she could come on an IEC visa that will allow her to work for a year anyplace in Canada. She can apply for another one (you are allowed 2 one year IEC visa's when you are from the UK.

My boyfriend and I were in the same boat. He is from England and I am Canadian. He did 2 of the IEC visa's and applied for Provincial Nomination to get his PR Card (He was just approved for the nomination yesterday)

If you guys get Married while she is here on an IEC then you can look into her staying as a your wife but you would have to sponsor her.

I don't know a lot about student visas although we looked into that rout briefly before finding out about the IEC visa for my boyfriend. I do know that before she can get a student visa she has to be accepted to a Canadian school and prove that she has the funds to pay for her living expenses and for school tuition for the duration of her schooling (usually a year). The cost of schooling is very expensive if you are not a Permanent Resident or Citizen of Canada. She would likely need to prove she has $20,000 CND in her bank account. Look up international fees for the school she would like to go to. She may not be able to work while she is going to school either or the work she would be allowed to do would be very limited and may only be allowed to work part time.

I know how hard the long distance thing is to do as I have been there but unless you have that much money you will need to wait and she can look into the EIC visa when she turns 18. Even for the EIC visa she will need to have about $2500 in her bank account as prof of funds to support herself while she looks for a job in Canada.

But if you plan on spending the rest of your life with someone an extra year won't stop that from happening. If you are right for each other than the distance will make you and your girlfriend closer. I know my relationship with my boyfriend is so strong partly because we did the long distance thing for 3 years before he came here on the IEC visa.

Can I ask what Province you live in?

 

[raytoey]

Thank you for the quick reply and information! I am in Ontario and she will be 18 on August 23rd 2015. Waiting a year is fine but do you think it is a good idea to book the flight in about 4 weeks (When it's at it's cheapest) so that we won't be bombarded with funds. Also, congratulations to you and your boyfriend! It's great to see other LDR's work out. So about this EIC, she can only apply for it when she's 18? Which is fine, but will it take a while to come? I plan to book the flight for early September so that we can start a school year together with no interruptions. Before leaving London, we sent off the application for her new passport because the old one was expired so that isn't going to be a problem.

Any other shortcuts and pointers you can give us? Any idea on when I should book the flight?

 

[Mbgirlfriend]

I know this isn't what you are going to want to hear but she must be 18 before she can even apply for the EIC and they only release about 5000 every year to U.K citizens. They are released around the same time every year (usually close to the end or start of the year). So she won't be only enough yet for the 2015 round of EIC visa's so you guys are looking at her applying near the end of 2015 or start of 2016 (depending on when they release the 2016 batch).

She can use this time to save as much money as she can and to go to school and get work experience as that will help her get a job when she does come. You can also use the time to look into what the next steps will be so you guys can stay together. look into provincial nominee programs as well as what steps you need to sponsor her as your wife if you guys get married. You will have to prove the relationship so be prepared for that and take pictures of anytime you guys have together. Post them on your facebook too as this will actually show a timeline.

Do not book any flights until she is approved for the EIC. There is no way of knowing when or if for sure she will be approved for the EIC and if she doesn't you will not get your money back from the flight. When she gets the approval letter I believe she has a year to come to Canada and start the visa. The visa will be issued and start on the date she arrives in Canada not day she gets approved for the EIC. She just brings the approval letter, prof of funds (usually bank statements) and prof of medical insurance (must be valid for 1 year or she will not get the visa) and they issue the accrual work visa at the border.

Like I said I know its hard being so far away but it will make your relationship stronger. Communication and trust are the most important parts of a relationship and only way a LDR will last so focus on building on those things. Also to keep things fun (also important in a relationship) try to have on line date nights were you both order the same food (like pizza) and watch the same movie on line together while being on skype. Also trying to read some of the same books can give you guys something to talk about.

Also if you are willing to pay for a return flight for her (usually not much different than a one way) she should be able to come out and visit you for a few months. She would not be able to work or go to school and may have to have a fair amount of money in her bank account to prov to a customs agent that she won't try to work e-legally. Also you may have to look into if she can travel with out her parents as she is still a minor. She may have to get a letter signed by her parents and witnessed by a lawyer giving her permission to go to Canada.

If this is too complicated you can always return to visit her in the U.K and do some travelling together while you are there. You are young and you should see the world before all the not so fun parts of being a grown up get in the way of experiencing things. Travelling together will also bring you closer and give you lots to talk about while you are apart.

I know its hard and feels like forever to have to wait but all of a sudden one day you will look back and see that the wait made you guys stronger. So use the time to really look into the EIC and other work visa's and just take it one step at a time and enjoy getting to know each other.

 

[raytoey]

Thank you so much for the information. I screenshotted it for future reference. Not to disregard all the important information you have me (And sorry to be so casual) but I am currently looking at prices for flights and I have noticed that I can stay in London the entire summer of 2015 for only $931 which is amazing but I also want to visit my girlfriend for a week in February. Is it possible to book two flights within the same year? And my passport expires in April 2015, will I have to renew it? I hear that your passport only needs to be valid for the duration of your stay but that's just hearsay and I DO NOT have time to be turned away from the airport.

Once again, thank you so much for the information.

 

[scylla]

Yes - your passport absolutely has to be valid for the duration of your stay.

 

[raytoey]

Thank you.

 

[Mbgirlfriend]

I believe you can be out of Canada for half of the year and as many times as you like but that has to do with your health care benefits.

I don't see there being any reason the U.K wouldn't let you in more than once either. Just make sure you have funds in your bank account to prove you can afford to be there.

They biggest concerns they will have is that you won't be working there and that you will leave when you say you will. Make sure you always have a return ticket.

Once time when I went there I was questioned about the relationship with my boyfriend and what our future plans were. Just be honest with them and tell them that you guys are looking into her moving to Canada but that it will be a long process so you will just be visiting her as much as possible. I wouldn't say anything about plans to get married right away as they my wonder if you will marry her while you are there in order to gain rights to stay in the U.K. So just say you are looking into work visas for her. Even bring up the EIC.

I would get a new passport just in case. I think some countries want your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after your stay is to be over. This is just in case something happens to you and you are not able to leave on your expected date (like you get sick or in an accident). Like you said getting turned away would be expensive so better to be safe than sorry and get the new passport.

Also another thing you may want to look into is getting holiday working visa for yourself so you could stay in the U.K for up to 2 years and work. It could be a great opportunity to see another country and even see Europe. Paris and Italy are only a few hours away.

Google working holiday in the U.K and start doing some investigating.

 

[raytoey]

Thank you. I will definitely ask about the EIC when I am at the border when I am there in February. And regarding my passport, I have researched from the government website and found this.

"Canadians must present a passport to visit the United Kingdom, which must be valid for at least the expected duration of their stay in that country. This requirement may also apply when travelling to Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom, and vice versa."

But for my summer trip, I will definitely have to renew it when I get back.

 

[Mbgirlfriend]

the person you talk to at the border won't be able to give you much information on the IEC or holiday work visa in England or what the application process is. and I wouldn't ask about the holiday work visa for yourself when you go there as it would bring up some concerns that you plan to work while visiting. If you go there saying you are there to visit then start asking how to get a work visa it will confuse things.

Only mention that your girlfriend is looking into moving to Canada or coming for a longer visit on the Canadian IEC (working holiday) if they question your long term plans for the relationship. The reason they will question you about your plans is because they will wonder if you are actually coming to marry her while visiting in order to gain status there. They will be looking to see if your are being honest about your intentions as a visitor and that you plan to leave the day you have told them you are leaving.

The holiday work visas have to be applied for before you go and the person who looks at your passport when you get to the border isn't an Immigration Officer (the person who gives out work permits or other permits).

So you apply for the holiday work permit before you go to the country you want to work in and if approved you get a letter along with a list of other documentation you could be asked for. You are then given the actual work permit at the border by the immigration officer.

As I said if you start asking questions about how to work there when you are going as a visitor they may doubt your reasons for wanting to come and it could give them enough reason to think you are being dishonest and then they could deny you entry to the U.K and send you back on the next flight to Canada.

Really all I am telling you to do is be honest and don't give them reason to question you. Even if your intent isn't to work next time you go there it could still cause them to question you more if you ask about working there and you won't get any answers to your questions because it isn't their job to assist you that way.

 

[Ponga]

My girlfriend and I have been in a long distance relationship for over eleven months and I have known her for over two years. She lives in the UK and I am a Canadian citizen. I recently got back from my trip visiting her for the first time for three weeks and we are now talking about her migrating to Canada next year to go to school at Ryerson University. We are both still in secondary school (She's 17 and I'm 18) and by August she will be 18 and I will be 19 which is when I plan to fly her here. Is there a way for her to somehow stay in Canada as a resident with me and my family? My mother and step-father are willing to take her in until we get our own place. I work and have a job (Import & export) with a steady income of $300-$400/week.

My girlfriend is currently unemployed and I plan to fly her here with a one-way ticket but before doing so, I will consult this forum because I am in need of professional help. I am willing to pay for her plane fare in August when she is eligible to leave her parents home without consent. What kind of VISA should she apply for? Since she is still going to secondary school, can she apply for a student VISA? Will it be available under both secondary school and University? If not, is there a way for her to just stay as a resident and we will gain her citizenship with marriage when we both finish Ryerson?

As we were looking through VISA's and thinking of ideas for work, she mentioned wanting work as a receptionist or cashier. I recommended to her working as a caregiver because of her experience working with children and by 18 she will be an adult. Can these professions allow her to be here as a working resident as we go to school and work?

Please give me advice and recommendation about everything I have posted here. Sorry that it's so long. Thank you for your time!

Areas in bold:

1. You should definitely get her a round-trip ticket, with the return portion being fully refundable. A one-way ticket is usually NOT a good idea...especially if she is unemployed. She will only be allowed to enter Canada as a visitor, so not having a job to `go home' to, compounded with a one-way ticket, could be problematic.

2. A student Visa is an option, but tuition fees for non-residents are pretty steep.

3. She does not [ever] need to gain Canadian citizenship to legally live and work in Canada. She can consider becoming a Permanent Resident, which she can do, for example, if you are ever able to sponsor her (such as your common-law partner, if you live together for 1 full year), or your spouse if you get married. Canadian citizenship is a whole different `animal' and takes several years.

4. In order for her to work in Canada, she would need to find an employer that is willing to go through the LMIA process, which is costly for an employer. I'm sorry, but a person seeking employment as a receptionist will likely find it impossible to do. A caregiver opportunity may be almost as difficult.

Good luck!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

What kind of VISA should she apply for? Since she is still going to secondary school, can she apply for a student VISA? Will it be available under both secondary school and University? If not, is there a way for her to just stay as a resident and we will gain her citizenship with marriage when we both finish Ryerson?

As we were looking through VISA's and thinking of ideas for work, she mentioned wanting work as a receptionist or cashier. I recommended to her working as a caregiver because of her experience working with children and by 18 she will be an adult. Can these professions allow her to be here as a working resident as we go to school and work?

Ponga beat me to some of it but here's a few thoughts on your original post.

There is no permit that will cover high school and university. She must first be accepted to the university and then apply for a study permit. In the application, she will need to show proof of her ties to the UK and a massive amount of money to cover her tuition and expenses during her stay.

There is no way for her to just become "resident" in Canada and she will not become a citizen just by marrying you. To become a citizen, she must first become a permanent resident, either on her own merits or by being sponsored by you. Once she has been a PR living in Canada for at least 4 years, she can apply for citizenship.

Employers wanting to hire foreign workers must obtain an LMIA, Labour Market Impact Assessment. The employer must pay $1000 to apply, meet strict advertising standards, prove that they couldn't hire a Canadian citizen/PR for the job and wait several months while the LMIA app is processed. There is next to no chance that she will obtain such a job offer for a receptionist or cashier position. Without formal training or significant experience, her chances of any form of caregiving job are also pretty low.


You guys really need to start researching in depth. Read up on study permits, work permits and Family Class sponsorship, looking through the applications, the guides, the checklists.

 

[taffy7]

Do not book your tickets to far in advance . Deals come up all the time to London. You may want to look into hostels for the summer . London is a very expensive city to live in and food is expensive. Toronto to London you can get under 800.00 $ with taxes if you can go any date. You will require a return ticket. $931 to stay in London for the whole summer ummmm be careful where you are staying. Try Canadian affair .air transat and sunwing they are the cheapest airlline going into London. Gatwick is the cheapest .

As others have said your best bet is to wait it out till your girlfriend reaches 18 and apply for a student working visa. Schooling is very expensive as it is never mind for international students. I know how much you want to be together but take your time and don't be so hasty . You want your girl friend to come with out any hassles .