QSW but want to move to Toronto

[cahr156]

Hello,

My QSW file is being processed...I know I should land in Québec and as I have read here, it is better that I stay at least three months until I get health insurance for my daughter and myself. I might want to move to Toronto...How can I make the change? As I have read, in Québec they are kind of strict with the settlement, as to avoiding to hand the PR to someone who they think might want to leave the province. I am concerned because I don't want my 4 year-old daughter to miss much school, and if I stay in Québec more than 3 months she might fall behind. How easy can it be to move from Québec to Ontario once granted PR under the QSW program?

 

[scylla]

It's important that you show that you attempted to settle in Quebec before moving to another province. I think staying there for three months before moving is probably the minimum. While Canada hasn't really taken action against those who don't settle in the province that sponsored them - there are some indications they might do so in the future. If you want to make sure you don't jeopardize future PR renewals and/or citizenship applications, you should make an effort to settle in Quebec as you agreed when you signed the immigration application. If you are concerned about disrupting your daughter's schooling, spend the first year in Quebec and then move. Hope this helps.

 

[cahr156]

Thank you so much....I think I might have to look for a school in english for her (she's learning english now, native language spanish...no french at all!!!) at least for one school year...I just don't think it will be easy to look for a job in Ontario while living in Québec..

 

[Leon]

There must have been some reason why you applied for QSW. If your intention is not to settle in Quebec, you should not have applied under that program. It must be your intention to settle in Quebec at the time you land. If you admit at your landing that this is not your intention, they will not grant you the PR.

If you do get your PR as a QSW, at the moment, nobody is chasing people who move away later but in case they start doing it, it would be good to show that you did at least attempt to settle. Staying 3 months hardly shows an attempt to settle. Using those 3 months to get Quebec health can also backfire. All provinces have a condition that in order to be eligible, you must live in that province for 6 months a year or more. This condition has in some cases been used to backcharge people who moved away so say you do get health care in Quebec after 3 months, then move to ON and use your Quebec health while you wait for your OHIP coverage to kick in, Quebec could decide that you were never eligible for Quebec health in the first place and backcharge you for everything they had to pay for you. Therefore, if you want to do this, you should stay at least 6 months.

 

[Ayinka]

Hi there. I know settling in Quebec is the "right" thing to do but plenty of people use the QSW process to settle in Canada and not necessarly where they said they would. That said, once you have PR, you have the right to move wherever you'd like. The best thing to do would be indeed to live in Quebec for a little while but if you can't for whatever reason, I don't think you'll have issues. Good luck to you.

 

[cahr156]

Thank you Leon and Ayinka...I applied for Québec as advised from the attourney that is helping me with my papers...it was never my first choice to settle in Québec, however I was informed that once I had my PR approved, there would be no inconvenience at all for me to move to another province...however, I see that is not necessarily the case...I would not want to jeopardize my PR, so if I must stay for a year then so be it...Thanks so much for your comments!!!

 

[Leon]

In my opinion, it is better to be safe than sorry. Just because plenty of people do something doesn't make it safe.

It was only a couple of years ago that they started questioning people who were landing outside their PNP provinces and possibly refusing them their PR's or putting them under watch. Before that, plenty of people were landing outside and not having any consequences.

At this moment, they are not looking into who leaves but who knows what they will do in the future and if they do, you want to be able to say that you made an attempt to settle.

 

[cahr156]

Thank you so much Leon!! believe me that I will not jeopardize my PR if it is granted after so much effort!! last question (I swear)...I might have a job offer from Ontario...it is not 100% sure right now but I can practically count on it one I am in Canada...If I were to have that offer soon after my landing, could this be a fair enough reason for me to move after let's say 3 to 6 months? or would that raise suspicion as well??

 

[Leon]

Thank you so much Leon!! believe me that I will not jeopardize my PR if it is granted after so much effort!! last question (I swear)...I might have a job offer from Ontario...it is not 100% sure right now but I can practically count on it one I am in Canada...If I were to have that offer soon after my landing, could this be a fair enough reason for me to move after let's say 3 to 6 months? or would that raise suspicion as well??

With a job offer from Ontario, I think you are safe to move after 3 months but there is the health care dilemma. You must be aware that if you gain Quebec health care by living there for 3 months, they will not feel happy when you go to Ontario with their health care card and start using it there. I have heard of a case of BC health backcharging a person for the medical care they had received because she only lived there for 5.5 months in the first year after moving there. I don't know if Quebec would do that but it is possible.

 

[rizwan_raw]

There must have been some reason why you applied for QSW. If your intention is not to settle in Quebec, you should not have applied under that program. It must be your intention to settle in Quebec at the time you land. If you admit at your landing that this is not your intention, they will not grant you the PR.

If you do get your PR as a QSW, at the moment, nobody is chasing people who move away later but in case they start doing it, it would be good to show that you did at least attempt to settle. Staying 3 months hardly shows an attempt to settle. Using those 3 months to get Quebec health can also backfire. All provinces have a condition that in order to be eligible, you must live in that province for 6 months a year or more. This condition has in some cases been used to backcharge people who moved away so say you do get health care in Quebec after 3 months, then move to ON and use your Quebec health while you wait for your OHIP coverage to kick in, Quebec could decide that you were never eligible for Quebec health in the first place and backcharge you for everything they had to pay for you. Therefore, if you want to do this, you should stay at least 6 months.

I agree.