Issues with VYR Border Control - extended visa with work options

[clearwater14]

Came through YVR in May armed to the teeth with criminal checks (never even got a parking ticket), monthly income, savings , two very reputable contacts in Canada, an address we were living at and all the forms filled in and checked. Given 6 months at the first point of entry and asked for 2 years, the max we could ask for. Got into 'the room' for processing and handed our forms over and were met with 'I have worked here for 15 years and never have I issued a two year visa and I am not doing it now'. We didn't see any point in protesting, the attitude was negative the minute we walked in. Worse still all the documents and copies of passports, driving licences and birth certificates and the forms were just handed back to us !

Told to come through Calgary next time as Immigration are a little more welcoming to Europeans, but it drives me mad that our visa is dependent on the mood of the Border Control officer on the day.

I am 48, my partner is 52, we are both retired police officers but my partner was an English butcher for 12 years. We would now love to come into Canada and work part time , my partner as a butcher (cutter) . We have a joint income of approx $7000. We have wasted hundreds of pounds in Immigration lawyers.

There is not one visa that allows us to do this.

We have been coming to Clearwater BC for over 12 years, but now we are retired, we want to look at a move to Canada, but not on a visitors visa. We are very much part of a community that needs the skills my partner offers especially during the hunting season, but we cannot work. We want to come over legally. I want to do volunteer work with the local charities. I can't even collect food for the local food bank due to insurance liabilities. We want to pay taxes and buy medical cover. We can support ourselves there.

Does anyone have any advice for us for the best way forward please ?

So if there is any other assistance besides the reply we have had so far, we would appreciate it,


Thank you in advance.

 

[scylla]

It's actually no wonder you had issues at the border. You are not allowed to live in Canada as visitors. If it looks like you're coming to Canada to try to live without authorization, this can often cause problems. Your behaviour was that of people trying to live in Canada - not genuine visitors.

You really have two options if you want to move to / live in Canada: one of you has to obtain a work permit or you need to apply to immigrate.

In order to obtain a work permit, you would need to first obtain a full time job offer from an employer in Canada (part time won't cut it). That employer will then have to obtain an approved LMIA (permission to hire a foreign worker). As part of this process, the employer will have to advertise the job for at least a month to prove no Canadian could be found for the role and then pay a $1,000 processing fee and submit the LMIA for review. Processing can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. If the LMIA is approved (not all are), you would then be able to apply for a closed work permit tied to that specific employer.

As for immigrating, you would have to qualify through an economic program like federal skilled worker or one of the provincial nominee classes. I'll be honest with you, your ages are going to very much work against. But you can certainly try. Detailed information is available here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/apply.asp

Otherwise all you can do is visit. When you visit in the future, make sure you are in fact visiting and not attempting to live in Canada. A couple of months is a long visit. Anything over six months is attempting to live in Canada without authorization.

 

[clearwater14]

Thank you for your reply but we could have stayed for 2 years on a visitors visa which is what we wanted to do. We have never stayed longer than 3 weeks and wanted to experience staying there and travelling.
When we arrived in May, we had NO intention of working, it was the furthest thing from our minds and as you pointed out our ages (lol), we had both been in some form of employment since we were both 13 years old and had planned this dream trip for a number of years.
Having spent 7 months there, we realised that we would have much to offer. In case Immigration officers look through this blog, for the record, we did not work, or even do voluntary work. We are not the types to ever ruin our chances of ever working there legally.
The sad thing is that Canada's current visa system is geared towards the high end of skilled workers and business investors, and the lower end of needy refugees. Sadly there is nothing really in place for us - the 'in-betweeners' who would have much to offer a small community in BC, and have the funds to support ourselves and not sponge off the Canadian benefit/medical system.

 

[scylla]

You're absolutely right (although you would need to add skilled trades such as welding, plumbing, etc.) to the list.

This is how immigration programs generally work elsewhere as well (US, UK, Europe).

Unfortunately you will most likely have to be satisfied with visiting.

 

[clearwater14]

Sadly yes.....but we will keep trying to find a way - legally !