Sponsoring my wife - we are both living outside of Canada

[schreck]

Hi everyone

I hope you may be able to offer some advice to my question. It a similar question has been asked recently please let me know.

Anyway, our situation is a little bit complicated, at least I believe it is.

I am a Canadian citizen, my wife is Japanese. Currently we are living in Japan but we are planning to move to Canada in spring 2011. I was born and raised outside of Canada (Switzerland) due to family circumstances. This fact makes it a hard for me to prove that we are, especially my wife is intending to go and live in Canada.

My problem is that I do not have any family living in Canada although I am Canadian, nor do I have a job lined up or a lease in my name. Basically I have nothing at all that could prove that we are really intending on moving to Canada once my wife's application for PR is granted.

Is there anything I could do to still sponsor my wife from outside of Canada? Any advise is highly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Leon]

If you or your wife can get a job offer or accepted to college, that would help. At the very least you should write up your plans on where you want to live in Canada, what you want to do etc.

 

[schreck]

Thanks...well I guess that would be the optimum. However, applying for jobs overseas is really, really hard. Not applying itself but getting a job offer. Do you think it would be sufficient if I could prove that I am make any effort to get a job in Canada? Or better, if both of us would do that? By that I mean supplying records of job applications and rejections.

In terms of location, that would be the Vancouver area.

 

[steaky]

Wouldn't it be less complicated if your wife is with you in Canada? Japanese passport is one of the visa-exempted.

 

[schreck]

it would. However, if somehow possible we would like to apply for the visa prior moving to Canada just because of processing times and also because if she would have the visa upon entering she could start looking for work immediately. I take it that you are not allowed to work during the visa processing time.

 

[Leon]

That is correct, she can not work while you are applying for her PR unless you apply inland in Canada and then it would still take 6-8 months for her to get the first stage approval to get the work permit.

Job search in Canada would definitely strengthen your claim that you are planning on moving to Canada.