sponshorship on student visa

[irina_kal]

Hello all!

Briefly my situation and question is the following:

I will be in Canada on a study permit from September 2012 (PhD at the University of Victoria, BC). At the same time I am now engaged in Greece and we have plans to get married next summer. I don't have a common-law partnership with my fiancee so when I applied for the study permit I applied as single. My fiancee is now going to look for work (certified graphic designer) and get a work visa hopefully. However, if that doesn't work, what are our options? After we are married can I sponsor him to come to Canada on an open work permit even if I'm on a study permit myself? Can I change my marital status since I'll be getting married after I was issued the study permit? Sorry, I'm a bit confused with all the rules and I would greatly appreciate any feedback/ideas. Both me and my fiancee are Greek citizens with no criminal records. I'm also aware that after my second year as a PhD student I can apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, don't know if that's relevant.

Thank you for the help!

 

[Sweden]

Hello irina_kal,

I am not sure about how to answer all your questions, so I will wait for another more senior member to answer, but i don't think you can sponsor your husband to Canada.
You need to be either a canadian citizen, or a permanent resident of Canada to do that - see here, who can apply? http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/spouse-apply-who.asp

If your fiance doesn't get a work visa, then I am not sure... as it seems that there is no "working holiday visa" or "IEC class" for greek citizen ( could not find it on the embassy pages).

Maybe on your PhD permit there is the option to bring your spouse once married? I am not familiar with the Federal Skilled Worker Program, so I can not answer.

Good luck!
Sweden

 

[irina_kal]

Hello Sweden,

Thank you very much for responding to my post! You are right, sponsoring was not the right way to put it, rather I'm looking into alternatives to bring my (then) husband over so that we don't have to stay apart for too long. If we were currently married I would have included him in my application, I'm wondering if a change in that status is allowed down the road. You are also right that there is no IEC for Greek citizens, which is a shame

Thanks again!