I want to emigrate! Can anybody 'assess' me???

[British Matt]

Hi

My name is Matt and I am a 36 year old British teacher currently living with my Canadian partner in England. We have lived together for over 17 months now and want to move to Canada (or back to Canada in her case!) in August 2010. Having done some very basic research to date, it looks like the Family Class Sponsorship might be the way to go. We plan to do a year in the Northern Terrorities first, mainly for the experience but also to raise come cash as they pay more up there. Eventually we plan to settle in Vancouver.

Can anybody help with any advice etc.? If you can that would be greatly appreciated as I am wading through this minefield to find my best route!

I suppose my inital questions are below, but any other advice would be greatly appreciated:

1) Does my partner class as my common law wife (together 26 months, living together 17 months)?
2) Do I need to provide evidence of this?
3) Is Family Class Sponsorship the best method of applying for a Visa or should I investigate another category?
4) Would my partner be 'responsible' for me as my sponsor and what does that exactly entail?

Thanks very much indeed!

Matt.

 

[Leon]

1) Yes, you are considered to be common law partners.
2) Yes, you need to provide evidence that you live together and have a relationship so they know you are not just some guy who paid her a bunch of money to get Canadian PR
3) Yes, the family class is the best method for you
4) She would be financially responsible for you for the first 3 years after you become PR. That entails that if you go ask for social assistance and/or disability, even if you were no longer together, she would have to re-pay everything you get. It also means she can not sponsor another partner until the 3 years are up. Hopefully it will not come to that.

As for finding your way through the forest, you have the option of filing for sponsorship while you are both still in England. If you do, you need added proof that you are planning to move to Canada when you get PR. This could be in the form of having arranged housing, of course nobody wants to arrange housing months before they plan to move, it could be that one of you has applied and been accepted to a university, one of you has a job offer or failing that, at least that she get letters from her family saying they know of your plans and support you, will let you stay with them when you arrive etc. etc.

Another method would be that she go to Canada and establish residency before filing for sponsorship. You can go with her as a visitor or stay in the UK. If you want to be able to travel while sponsorship is being processed, you should apply for what is known as outland. Basically means that you indicate that you are still living in the UK although you may or may not be visiting Canada. Your file would then be processed in Canada only for the sponsorship part and then in London. It would likely take a month or so for the sponsorship part and after that, average time to process PR for a spouse in London right now is 3 months. If you were called for an interview, it would happen in London. If you are in Canada on a visit visa and your 6 months are almost up and no news, you can send in for a visit visa extension if you want to stay.

If you don't want to travel while your file is being processed, you want to stay in Canada and don't want to go to London if you are called for an interview, you can apply for what is called inland. That means you say you are living in Canada already, send a visit visa extension and application for work permit with your application. Your file is processed in Canada only. Then you could expect to get your open work permit in 6 or 7 months, PR maybe total 12 to 18 months.

 

[British Matt]

Thank you for taking the time to reply with a very considered response to my query Leon.

It's really appreciated!

If anybody else wants to 'chip in' then do feel free!

Regards

 

[AMB]

There is nothing to "chip in".

You got an answer from an expert, and I think anyone on the forum would completely agree with what he said.