Hello,
I'm hoping someone can offer a few concrete answers I've had trouble finding online.
Sorry if my questions deviate from the specific forum topic.
My wife and I are US citizens hoping to become Permanent Residents of Canada and live in Vancouver. We plan to apply under the “Self-Employed” category and are hoping to eventually be able to open our own business.
We know that the Permanent Resident application process could take 1-2 years (or longer).
We're currently in Vancouver as visitors and are hoping to not have to leave Canada when our six months (as visitors) are up. We'd like to stay in Canada while our application is being processed.
Here are my questions:
1.I've read that we must apply for Permanent Residency “from outside of Canada”. Does this mean that we must physically be outside of Canada, or that we must submit our applications to centres located outside of Canada? What if we are already here? Are we expected to leave and live elsewhere while waiting for our application to be processed? Ideally we'd like to stay here and work towards building our future here during this time, not wait elsewhere.
2.I also read somewhere that an applicant could be in Canada on a work permit while waiting to become a permanent resident. This may be our best option. However, I also read somewhere that work permits must be applied for before we enter Canada! Can't we try to find jobs while we're here that would provide us with the work permits we need to remain in Canada? How are we supposed to be able to find jobs (and sit down for interviews) from across the border? If we do manage to find jobs while we're here, are we supposed to cross the border back into the States before being able to apply for the work permits?
3.I also read that you need a SIN card to get a job, but to get the SIN card you need to have a work permit, and to get the work permit you need to have a job! What???
Thanks to anyone who could offer some help. There's a lot of info available online, but it all seems geared towards only the most common situations. If a person's situation doesn't fit anywhere on the list, then the search for concrete answers only seems to go in circles.
I'm hoping someone can offer a few concrete answers I've had trouble finding online.
Sorry if my questions deviate from the specific forum topic.
My wife and I are US citizens hoping to become Permanent Residents of Canada and live in Vancouver. We plan to apply under the “Self-Employed” category and are hoping to eventually be able to open our own business.
We know that the Permanent Resident application process could take 1-2 years (or longer).
We're currently in Vancouver as visitors and are hoping to not have to leave Canada when our six months (as visitors) are up. We'd like to stay in Canada while our application is being processed.
Here are my questions:
1.I've read that we must apply for Permanent Residency “from outside of Canada”. Does this mean that we must physically be outside of Canada, or that we must submit our applications to centres located outside of Canada? What if we are already here? Are we expected to leave and live elsewhere while waiting for our application to be processed? Ideally we'd like to stay here and work towards building our future here during this time, not wait elsewhere.
2.I also read somewhere that an applicant could be in Canada on a work permit while waiting to become a permanent resident. This may be our best option. However, I also read somewhere that work permits must be applied for before we enter Canada! Can't we try to find jobs while we're here that would provide us with the work permits we need to remain in Canada? How are we supposed to be able to find jobs (and sit down for interviews) from across the border? If we do manage to find jobs while we're here, are we supposed to cross the border back into the States before being able to apply for the work permits?
3.I also read that you need a SIN card to get a job, but to get the SIN card you need to have a work permit, and to get the work permit you need to have a job! What???
Thanks to anyone who could offer some help. There's a lot of info available online, but it all seems geared towards only the most common situations. If a person's situation doesn't fit anywhere on the list, then the search for concrete answers only seems to go in circles.