How to obtain PR

[Sharkus]

Hi there,
I've been in Toronto for the past three years (April 2003) as an Intra-Company Transferee for the company I've worked with for the past 12 years. I really like it here and would love to become a citizen, but the first step is to get PR.

The cic site seems to be a little lacking in telling me how I can go about getting PR when I've currently got a work permit.

Can someone advise what needs to be done? Do I simply apply as a skilled worker, I have taken the test on the cic site and another site and scored 87 points, which is above the 67 point pass mark, so I am sure I'd qualify, but I'm unsure if this is the correct course of action.

Thanks for any information.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi there,
I've been in Toronto for the past three years (April 2003) as an Intra-Company Transferee for the company I've worked with for the past 12 years. I really like it here and would love to become a citizen, but the first step is to get PR.

The cic site seems to be a little lacking in telling me how I can go about getting PR when I've currently got a work permit.

Can someone advise what needs to be done? Do I simply apply as a skilled worker, I have taken the test on the cic site and another site and scored 87 points, which is above the 67 point pass mark, so I am sure I'd qualify, but I'm unsure if this is the correct course of action.

Thanks for any information.

Thats really the only chance that you have. You should try to get your employer to get an AEO from HRSDC to include with your application.

PMM

 

[Stu]

Don't want to pour cold water on your hopes but we came to Canada on a work permit (wife's, I'm retired.) January 2005 and applied for PR, Skilled Worker program, (Registered Nurse), plenty of points. (Canadian Consulate in LA said apply through Buffalo - 57 working days processing time. Ha ha.)
Spoke with local MP in March this year as to why no action. He told me that as we had a work permit we are not in any way an urgent case and are at the back of the line, told me to look to early 2010 for processing.
CIC call centre is a contracted out deal.
My advice - do not believe anything that Canadian embassies, CIC or any other Canadian government representative tell you. Oh, yes, and my wife did have an AEO from the HRSDC.
Good luck.

 

[Sharkus]

Thanks for the replies.

One other question, I'm in a common-law situation with a Canadian resident, and I've seen there is a common-law PR application, would that help anything at all.

 

[tired_of_waiting]

If you are in a common law relationship then yes, you can apply for in-canada PR status as a sponsored immigrant provided you have lived with your partner for over 1 year and can provide documented evidence (joint banks, tennancy agreement etc) that you are planning to live together as a joint and combined entity. You have to show beyond doubt that you and your patrner are in a loving, lasting relationship.

Family class sponsorships are an excellent way to get PR status but are best and faster if you apply from outside of Canada. Applications for PR in this class made from within Canada are slower and will prevent travel outside of Canada (you can still travel internationally but there is no certainty that you will be let back in when you return, if that happens your in-canada application will be rejected because you are not in Canada and you will have to start over!)

Overseas processing of family class is often less frustraing as the local office tends to communicate better with the applicant than the CIC-Vegreville processing center (all In-Canada applications are processed there). People often get good responses and access to an immigration officer working their case from local offices - it is unheard of for anyone applying in Canada to speak with the Immigration officer working their case.

The other drawback with family class is that your application is dependant on your partner and yourself staying together. It is not uncommon for someone to apply in Canada for PR, close their affairs in their country of origin only to fall out with their partner and be left in Canada with no money, no job and a court order to return back to your own country of origin. I don't wish to sound negative and I am sure you and your patrner are very much in love - but things happen and you need factor that into your decision.

If I were in your situation and I had a work permit then I would apply for Provincial Nomination, this takes slightly less time than a family class application and the main requirement is that you currently have either a job offer or a valid permit to work. It is like a fast-track skilled worker application whereby the province expedite the application to get you there faster. I am not sure of the processing times for Toronto but I know that Atlantic Canada get you PR as a Nominee in well under a year - easily under a year.

Hope this helps and best of luck to you.

 

[Sharkus]

Thanks for that. Do you have any more information (link on the CIC site perhaps) about this provincial nomination and where/how to start with it? thanks.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks for that. Do you have any more information (link on the CIC site perhaps) about this provincial nomination and where/how to start with it? thanks.

Ontario does not have a PNP program.

PMM