Immigrating to Canada: Where to start?

[PTSnake]

sorry about that, is just that i'm still on a basic level regarding this immigration idea, it's still new to me

Eitherway, i'll check for more basic info with my aunt (she's comming to portugal to spend christmas here) and i'll try and talk to her about the job, and probably fill applications by january/february. Regarding the common-law mariage, hell, i've been with my current GF for almost four years, so i have a hell lot of pictures, and a couple or bills of hers going to my current adress, so it shouldn't be a problem either.

For her to apply to a work visa, will it have to be done BEFORE we go to canada, or after being there, and i have my own? If so, how long does it usually take? Based on our current living, i am SURE i can live reasonably well with just me working (as in: we receive 400€ per MONTH around here, and stuff is stupidly higher in cost than in canada, other than rent), but she does want to work too, i just want her to spend a month going around town to perfect her english before starting working

once again, thank you all for your support, it's nice to see that the internet still has a couple of awesome people looking for each other As an IT guy, i forgot about that side of the web on recent years

 

[amikety]

I believe (but I'm not 100% so hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that a spouse work permit must be filed from inside Canada. They want to make sure the spouse with the skilled work permit is here before they give out a second work permit. I could imagine it's a fraud precaution. In fact, any time you come across a silly rule, think to yourself 'Can someone abuse this to cheat the system?' Answer seems to be "YES" 99% of the time!

Since you're already in IT, health informatics is becoming a high demand field. (That's basically IT for hospitals, but you probably already know more about it than I do!!!) At least around here - healthcare is a huge industry, always growing, always new demand. IT seems to be a very competitive field, but everytime I check IT jobs for someone, I find lots. Your biggest hurdle is finding someone to hire you as a TFW.

A lot of it is new to me too Student visas are so confusing, I never offer any useful advice! Lurking seems to be my best assest hahaha!!!

Processing times are here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/temp.asp

 

[PTSnake]

that's why i'm probably going to enter with any job that comes by, no matter what, THEN try to get into my field. i'm going to play on the safe side

p.s.: how the hell do i get to have an avatar? Can't find that option anywhere in the forum :/

edit: nevermind, seems to be unlocked now, probably spam protection.

 

[amikety]

Hehehehe. I wondered that for a long time - was too braindead to actually LOOK........ and I mean months!

Jobs have NOC codes. If your jobs isn't in the proper code (A, B, and 0 I believe) your girlfriend won't be able to get a work permit. I'm really unsure about NOC codes, so here is the link. I should read it too

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/noc/index.shtml

Edit: I took my own advice and began reading the webpage. After some digging, I found the NOC information needed for a spousal work permit:

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/inffornat.shtml

 

[Leon]

The way work permits work is like this:

You find a Canadian employer who wants to hire you.

The Canadian employer applies for an LMO (Labour market opinion) proving that they advertised the job and found no qualified Canadians or PR's who wanted it and yet they are offering market wage.

If the Canadian employer gets the LMO, they give/send it to you and you use it to apply for your work permit.

You can either apply for the work permit at the Canadian embassy nearest to you or you can do it as you enter Canada. If you had already entered Canada as a visitor in order to look for a job (if you do, just tell immigration you are coming for a vacation, not to look for work as they might not like that) and you are still in Canada, you can just drive to the US border, flagpole and get your work permit instantly as you return to Canada.

If your job is skilled, you see that from the 4 digit NOC code. Skill type 0 would start with 0 as in 0111
Skill level A will not start with 0 but the 2nd digit will be 0 or 1 as in 3111 or 4011 and skill level B will not start with 0 but the 2nd digit will be 2 or 3 as in 3233 or 7311

A job that has a NOC code that does not start with 0 and the 2nd digit is 4 or higher is considered semi-skilled or low skilled (skill level C or D)

If your job is skilled, skill type 0 or skill level A or B, your girlfriend can as your common law partner apply for an open work permit based on your work permit and can do it at the same time you apply for yours or later.
Same if your girlfriend is the one who got the job offer and work permit, you would be able to apply for an open permit based on hers.

However, if the job you got is low or semi-skilled, your girlfriend would have to get her own job offer and permit.