Venezuelan going to Vancouver.

[freshaspeppermint]

Me and my girlfriend are from venezuela but she's italian, her father and step-mother are living in Vancouver and she will be moving there next month, we have been dating for a bit more than a year so far.

So my plan is to get a Study Visa, probably a language course (I already speak English) and move to Vancouver for at least a year. When I got there I'd like to work and establish myself.

We've also talk about getting married once we are there. Now I've been reading about Inland vs Outland Common-Law Spousal Sponsorship and though Inland is a way slower process than the Outland, I think it has it advantages.
So these are my doubts

- As I understood, right now there's a pilot project that grant Work Visa to certain people who are waiting on the Inland Common-Law Spousal answer, wouldn't the fact that I will be on my Study Visa affect my possibilities to get on this project?
- I read that if you apply for a Inland Common-Law Spousal Sponsorship your stay will extend until they give you an answer about the process. Is this true? There's something else I should know?

Thanks for your help, and sorry about my English

 

[scylla]

I would strongly recommend you avoid using a language course as a reason for applying for a study permit. There is a high rate of refusals for study permits for language courses since individuals who do this are generally regarded by CIC as not being genuine students (i.e. they just want to find any way they can to get to Canada and are using the study permit as a means to do this). If you want to go the study permit route, plan on taking and actual diploma, post graduate diploma or degree. You will also need to ensure your planned education in Canada makes sense in light of your previous education and any work experience (i.e. if you have a bachelor or a masters - don't take a diploma in Canada).

 

[freshaspeppermint]

Thanks for your reply.

That makes sense, now the idea of taking an actual degree would be ideal but how to finance it would be a problem, since our currency is strongly devalued and I have knowledge of the high prices of education in Canada makes it almost impossible for me to choose that option. Do you know of any course, apart from the languages courses that I could apply, knowing my actual situation?

 

[scylla]

If a degree is too expensive then look into a diploma or certificate (although this still won't be cheap). Make sure it's from a public rather than private college (private colleges have poor reputations in Canada, have higher study permit refusal rates, and in some cases you don't qualify for a work permit after you finish your schooling). Hard to say what might be appropriate without knowing your educational background and if you have any work experience. You want to pick a course that is at least one year in length - preferably two years. To be approved for the study permit, one of the things you will need to show is that you have a bank balance that covers first year tuition + $10K in living expenses + $2-3K in travel expenses. If you can't arrange this financing - then unfortunately there won't be any point applying.

 

[freshaspeppermint]

Have no idea where to start looking for diplomas or certificates, I'd highly appreciate if you could give a hand on that. As for my background, I started a degree on Marketing but then froze it and went to Dublin to do a musical production course, after that I worked as a studio assistant and also took some cooking classes, I planed to stay there but didn't work well. Prior to that I've had small jobs as store's manager, bartender etc, nothing really important to build a strong CV.

Finishing my degree would take 3 years and I can't see myself living here that much time. Right now I write for a music editorial, work as a freelancer photographer and I'm a well known DJ in my country.

Just trying to get my way out of here and really want to go with my girlfriend to Canada.

 

[Rob_TO]

Me and my girlfriend are from venezuela but she's italian, her father and step-mother are living in Vancouver and she will be moving there next month, we have been dating for a bit more than a year so far.

Have you and your gf actually lived together for 12 consecutive months, and have proof of this (with shared rent/lease agreement, shared accounts, etc)?

- I read that if you apply for a Inland Common-Law Spousal Sponsorship your stay will extend until they give you an answer about the process. Is this true? There's something else I should know?

Yes if you can make it into Canada and apply for PR and OWP inland (so you have qualified as common-law, or get married), then you have implied status during your entire stay in Canada until PR decision is reached. However this also means you should not ever leave Canada during these 2+ years, not even for quick vacations.

 

[freshaspeppermint]

Have you and your gf actually lived together for 12 consecutive months, and have proof of this (with shared rent/lease agreement, shared accounts, etc)?

No, not together, but getting married is a viable option.

Yes if you can make it into Canada and apply for PR and OWP inland (so you have qualified as common-law, or get married), then you have implied status during your entire stay in Canada until PR decision is reached. However this also means you should not ever leave Canada during these 2+ years, not even for quick vacations.

Thanks

Just to be clear, it would be a waste of time applying for the language course? Basically CIC is not accepting students who wants to actual learn a language there?

 

[scylla]

Have no idea where to start looking for diplomas or certificates, I'd highly appreciate if you could give a hand on that. As for my background, I started a degree on Marketing but then froze it and went to Dublin to do a musical production course, after that I worked as a studio assistant and also took some cooking classes, I planed to stay there but didn't work well. Prior to that I've had small jobs as store's manager, bartender etc, nothing really important to build a strong CV.

Finishing my degree would take 3 years and I can't see myself living here that much time. Right now I write for a music editorial, work as a freelancer photographer and I'm a well known DJ in my country.

Just trying to get my way out of here and really want to go with my girlfriend to Canada.

I can't help you search for specific diplomas or certificates or schools - this is work you will have to do on your own. All I can do is suggest what level of education is reasonable based on your past education and experience. In your case, it would be reasonable to take a diploma or certificate - perhaps something related to music production or maybe even event planning. As part of the application process, you will need to explain how the education you are planning to take in Canada makes sense in light of your previous education and career plans / goals. Again, CIC needs to be convinced you are a genuine student and are not just using the study permit to get to Canada. If you want to try to ask about specific colleges in the Vancouver area - I'd recommend you move over to the International Students section of the forum. But again, no one is going to do your research for you (unless you're prepared to pay a consultant / lawyer) - this is something you'll have to do if you're serious about pursuing this.

 

[scylla]

Just to be clear, it would be a waste of time applying for the language course? Basically CIC is not accepting students who wants to actual learn a language there?

Nothing is stopping you from applying. It's just that the chances of success are on the low side. I mean look at it from CIC's perspective - you've spent time living and studying in Dublin. Why on earth would you now be looking to take a language course in Canada? It doesn't make any sense.

And once you have one refusal, it becomes inreasingly difficult to get a temporary visa approved. So you want your first application to be a strong one.

EDIT: Just to add - the other downside of language courses is that you often cannot work while studying and typically do not qualify for a post graduate work permit after you complete your studies.

 

[freshaspeppermint]

Scylla, thank you very much for your time, I really appreciate it.

Would something like this douglascollege.ca/programs-courses/faculties/language-literature-performing-arts/music-technology course plus a strong application letter be fair enough to CIC's to grant a Study VISA? Considering it would be a +6 months length diploma.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Me and my girlfriend are from venezuela but she's italian, her father and step-mother are living in Vancouver and she will be moving there next month, we have been dating for a bit more than a year so far.

What exactly is your girlfriend's status in Canada? You say she is from Venezuela and is also Italian but haven't mentioned anything about her status in Canada.

 

[freshaspeppermint]

What exactly is your girlfriend's status in Canada? You say she is from Venezuela and is also Italian but haven't mentioned anything about her status in Canada.

She is PR as she got sponsored by her dad, who just recently moved to Vancouver.

 

[Rob_TO]

No, not together, but getting married is a viable option.

In this case common-law does not apply to you. You would need to live together 12 continuous months first at the same address.

So your quickest option would be to get married, and then have her sponsor you for PR.

If you can't find a way to come to Canada (either with TRV or study visa), then you could get married outside Canada and apply for PR OUTLAND while you wait in Venezuela for PR app to finish. Since your future wife is a PR, she would need to live in Canada while PR app is processing.

 

[freshaspeppermint]

If you can't find a way to come to Canada (either with TRV or study visa), then you could get married outside Canada and apply for PR OUTLAND while you wait in Venezuela for PR app to finish. Since your future wife is a PR, she would need to live in Canada while PR app is processing.

If I was to chose TRV as last option, which could work if I got his father to invite me, which wouldn't be suspicious at all, or at least I think so ;D. Could I get married while being on TRV and after that apply for PR with all the advantages of it? (Implied status, possibly apply for a OWP)

 

[Rob_TO]

If I was to chose TRV as last option, which could work if I got his father to invite me, which wouldn't be suspicious at all, or at least I think so ;D. Could I get married while being on TRV and after that apply for PR with all the advantages of it? (Implied status, possibly apply for a OWP)

Just being invited is not good enough. You need to also show ties back to Venezuela (ongoing employment, school, home, open accounts, etc) to show CIC you intend to return after TRV is finished (even though you don't).

And yes, you can get married on TRV. Implied status only comes with the OWP app, which you would submit with your INLAND application and get approx 4 months after applying.

As I mentioned, in this case you would prepare to not leave Canada's borders at all for 2+ years.