US Citizen looking to get into Canada

[ap149]

Hi everybody,

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. For the past few years, I've been trying to move to Canada to be closer to my boyfriend. In the past I looked into Express Entry, but I was short a few points due to only having a year of work experience.

What are my options to get into Canada? We talked to a few lawyers in the past and were recommended marriage as the best option. We'd like to avoid rushing into a marriage if we can.

I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology (and I've got it accredited), and I've taken the English language test. I have a year and a half of work experience as a sexual assault counselor. I just finished a certification for UX Design from an online school, and I'm looking for jobs in that field now. I'm hoping I can take the job search to Canada, and start my life and career there.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[LisaH]

Hi everybody,

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. For the past few years, I've been trying to move to Canada to be closer to my boyfriend. In the past I looked into Express Entry, but I was short a few points due to only having a year of work experience.

What are my options to get into Canada? We talked to a few lawyers in the past and were recommended marriage as the best option. We'd like to avoid rushing into a marriage if we can.

I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology (and I've got it accredited), and I've taken the English language test. I have a year and a half of work experience as a sexual assault counselor. I just finished a certification for UX Design from an online school, and I'm looking for jobs in that field now. I'm hoping I can take the job search to Canada, and start my life and career there.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Have you looked into International Experience Canada (IEC)?
Are you under 30?

 

[scylla]

Have you looked into International Experience Canada (IEC)?
Are you under 30?

Equivalent for US passport holders is SWAP. To the best of my knowledge this is only available to those who are just finishing school or completed their degree/diploma extremely recently. So I don't believe this is an option for the OP.

 

[scylla]

Hi everybody,

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. For the past few years, I've been trying to move to Canada to be closer to my boyfriend. In the past I looked into Express Entry, but I was short a few points due to only having a year of work experience.

What are my options to get into Canada? We talked to a few lawyers in the past and were recommended marriage as the best option. We'd like to avoid rushing into a marriage if we can.

I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology (and I've got it accredited), and I've taken the English language test. I have a year and a half of work experience as a sexual assault counselor. I just finished a certification for UX Design from an online school, and I'm looking for jobs in that field now. I'm hoping I can take the job search to Canada, and start my life and career there.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Generally speaking it's extremely difficult to find employers willing to hire foreign workers. This is why the lawyers were recommending marriage as the best option.

Any chance you would consider taking additional schooling in Canada full time? For example a Masters or post graduate certificate? It's an expensive route, but one option would be to come here to study full time as an international student.

 

[ap149]

Have you looked into International Experience Canada (IEC)?
Are you under 30?

I'm 26. I'm looking into this through InterExchange right now. Thanks for the reply!

Generally speaking it's extremely difficult to find employers willing to hire foreign workers. This is why the lawyers were recommending marriage as the best option.

Any chance you would consider taking additional schooling in Canada full time? For example a Masters or post graduate certificate? It's an expensive route, but one option would be to come here to study full time as an international student.

I'm not interested in additional schooling as I just finished a year long course (full time) for UX Design. Thanks for the reply!




Assuming we did get married, what would my options be and the timelines be?

Thanks everyone for the replies! I really appreciate it.

 

[scylla]

I'm 26. I'm looking into this through InterExchange right now. Thanks for the reply!


I'm not interested in additional schooling as I just finished a year long course (full time) for UX Design. Thanks for the reply!




Assuming we did get married, what would my options be and the timelines be?

Thanks everyone for the replies! I really appreciate it.

If you got married, your spouse could sponsor you for PR using the inland method (this requires both of you to be in Canada). You could submit an open work permit along with the sponsorship application and the work permit would be approved around four months after the complete application is received. So you'd be looking at around four months of sitting around and doing nothing after the application is submitted. However this is likely your most realistic option of getting a work permit.

 

[zt2018]

What's your IELTS score?

 

[ap149]

What's your IELTS score?

I took the CELPIP

Listening - 10
Reading - 12
Writing - 8
Speaking - 11


Also, if I were to travel to Canada for vacation, am I allowed to be searching for a job at the same time? Or is that process hard as well?

Thank you all again for all of your input!

 

[scylla]

I took the CELPIP

Listening - 10
Reading - 12
Writing - 8
Speaking - 11


Also, if I were to travel to Canada for vacation, am I allowed to be searching for a job at the same time? Or is that process hard as well?

Thank you all again for all of your input!

You can certainly search for jobs as a visitor in Canada. But again, generally it's next to impossible to find employers willing to go through the process of hiring a foreign worker. But you can certainly have a go. If you job falls under the NAFTA occupation list, then all you need is the job offer to apply for a work permit. If not, your employer must obtain an approved LMIA which is a very long (4-6 months) and expensive process with no guarantee of approval.

 

[LisaH]

BTW: I am from the US and I went through IENA to get into the IEC program. Their partner is SWAP in Canada.

My path: 1 year IEC Work Permit, joined IEC "pool" for second permit and was chosen and received another 1 year Work Permit.

I had moved in with my Canadian boyfriend during this period and as common law in February 2019 (1 year living together) I applied for
PR. I received my 2 year Open Work Permit in May and hope to complete the process by end of year (judging by recent applicants).