Looking to enter into a Common Law relationship with my Live in caregiver GF

[option_686]

Hello,

I've been with my girlfriend for two years and we're looking to enter into a common law relationship. I am a Canadian citizen and she has been a live in caregiver for a family since Dec 2011 (still working there too).

A few questions:

1. If we enter into a common law relationship, is she allowed to transfer her primary residence over to ours without affecting her immigration status?
2. Will I eventually be able to sponsor her to become a PR?
3. Will this have any impact on her ability to apply for PR through the live-in caregiver program?
4. Would I be able to sponsor her at the same time she applied for PR through the live in caregiver program? If no, which would be a better option for us?

Thanks for your help!

 

[scylla]

1. She can't enter into a common law relationship or make your address her primary address and still work as an LCP. To meet the conditions of the LCP program she must physically live at her employer's home. If she lives with her employers, then you can't live together and become common law.

2. You can only sponsor her if you either get married or become common law by living together for a full year first.

3. If you become common law then she will no longer meet the criteria of LCP and therefore won't qualify for PR via the LCP route. She has to pick one (i.e. common law or LCP).

4. Both at once will only work if you marry her.

 

[scylla]

Just to add - technically she has already violated the conditions of her LCP visa by effectively living with you. This is something you need to hope CIC doesn't find out.

 

[option_686]

Just a quick follow up, when she gets her open work permit, will the answer to question 1 change? Also, does she need to renew her TRV before she applies for PR?

 

[europegirl]

This is interesting! I want to know more about entering common law situation. if the LIC gets the OWP and decided to live in with his / her partner, will the processing of the PR get delayed or take longer than usual? If they get married after receiving the OWP, how long is the processing of the PR of the LIC? Thank you