want to work in Maritimes before marrying Canadian Citizen

[Mainermoving]

Hello,

I'm getting married in July, but would like to work in Canada before then. I am also looking at enrolling in school there in the fall. Can I get an OWP for before the wedding, then go to school on a separate visa while applying for sponsorship through my then-wife, who will also have one year left on her masters?

Mainermoving

 

[Leon]

OWP's are given to:
1) Certain groups of people who have reached a first stage approval on an inland application such as sponsored spouses, live-in caregivers and also refugees.
2) Students who have been studying for 6 months or more but are limited to 20 hrs. a week during the semester
3) Post-graduates
4) Spouses and dependent children of international students or skilled temporary foreign workers.
5) Working holiday participants as per agreements between Canada and various other countries.

Since you will not have applied for spousal sponsorship yet or gotten anywhere near first stage approval at the time you want your OWP as well as you might be a lot better off anyway applying outland than inland, your best bet would be to look into a working holiday program. If you want to enrol in school later, you'd have to apply for a student visa. You would have to pay international fees because you are not PR yet. You can do this while applying for sponsorship.

 

[Mainermoving]

Leon,

Thanks a lot for the info. Whats a Holiday Working Program? Are they relatively easy to apply and be accepted for? Can I enter the country a few months early if I do enroll at a College/University for this fall?

Thanks again!

Mainermoving

 

[Leon]

If there is a working holiday program between Canada and your homeland, you would have to check if you are eligible for it. They often start issuing visas for the coming year at the end of the year and they have a limited number of visas so they may run out quickly. That's why you should check on this now, not wait.

If you are visa exempt, you can enter as a tourist any time but that would not allow you to work. If you are not visa exempt, you would have to apply for a visa first.

 

[Mainermoving]

I'm also wondering if my fiance can even sponsor me if she is a grad student for one more year? Can she be the one to sponsor me, or would one of her parents be able to take responsibility if shes not able to sponsor me directly?

 

[Leon]

She can sponsor you after you get married or have lived together for 12 months. There are no specific income requirements to sponsor a spouse.

 

[Mainermoving]

What (if any) are the restrictions on me living in Canada after we're married if I have no other reason to be there save for being married and waiting for sponsorship to happen?

Will the border authorities allow me to come and go once a month to the US after we're married? I'm just wondering if they would allow that if I don't have a visa and if I could live in Canada in the meantime? Would I be able to move all my furniture and belongings into the country without a visa, only doing so with getting married as my reason?

Thanks so much, Leon - you've been a great help so far!

 

[job_seeker]

If citizens of your country need visas to enter Canada and the US then you would need to apply for visas to both countries. Being married to a Canadian citizen does not necessarily grant you permanent residency/canadian citizenship status. After marriage, your spouse will have to sponsor you. If you are in Canada and applied "in canada" spousal sponsorship, you would be able to work after first stage approval. If you managed to get a TRV, you can enter Canada as a visitor and would be accorded visitor privileges (usually 6 months allowed visit, can be extended), but won't be able to work. If it is an "outland" spousal sponsorship application you would be able to work once granted permanent resident status and you "land" in Canada.

What (if any) are the restrictions on me living in Canada after we're married if I have no other reason to be there save for being married and waiting for sponsorship to happen?

Will the border authorities allow me to come and go once a month to the US after we're married? I'm just wondering if they would allow that if I don't have a visa and if I could live in Canada in the meantime? Would I be able to move all my furniture and belongings into the country without a visa, only doing so with getting married as my reason?

Thanks so much, Leon - you've been a great help so far!

 

[Mainermoving]

I'm a US citizen, I just want to know if I can live in country and go back and forth after being married and move my things across the border without hassle before the wedding since we will have applied for the marriage license. All I want to do is be able to move my things there and live there after the wedding. I understand I won't be granted permanent resident status until the sponsorship is approved, but I would like to live there in the meantime if I can and travel back to the US every month to fulfill a prior committment.

 

[scylla]

You can't "live" in Canada until you have PR. So the answer to this question is technically no. However many Americans do spend a lot of time in Canada as tourists while waiting for their PR applications to be processed.

It's a very bad idea to try to cross the border with your furniture before you have PR status in Canada since this makes it appear like you're moving here (which you're not allowed to do). Americans have been turned away at the border (and some even banned for a year) for trying this. If you really want to move your stuff here before you get PR, the best option is for your future husband to move it for you (you should NOT be in the truck with him when he does this).

Going back and forth across the border is a dice roll. Some people have been able to cross back and forth repeatedly with little to no problems. Others have run into issues the first or second time. You should get a Nexus card now since this will make the crossings easier. However a Nexus card does not guarantee you entry and crossing back to the US once a month will not come without risks.

Long story shot, there is no way for you to live in Canada after you marry but before PR - and be guaranteed you can cross back and forth without issue. However you can come to Canada as a tourist and HOPE you are able to cross back and forth easily.

Probably not a great answer but the reality that many of us have lived with or do live with.

 

[Mainermoving]

Thanks Scylla, thats not exactly what I wanted to hear, but its good to know. Though I was aware that I technically could not 'live' in Canada before receiving a PR. I do have a NEXUS card already in the hope that it would make things easier down the road. Do you know, after applying for sponsorship can I get a TRV fairly easily that would make it legal to live in country?

 

[job_seeker]

So you actually do not need a visa (TRV) to enter Canada but it would still be not a good idea to show up at the border "moving" your stuff into Canada.

Thanks Scylla, thats not exactly what I wanted to hear, but its good to know. Though I was aware that I technically could not 'live' in Canada before receiving a PR. I do have a NEXUS card already in the hope that it would make things easier down the road. Do you know, after applying for sponsorship can I get a TRV fairly easily that would make it legal to live in country?

 

[Mainermoving]

Aside from moving my possessions there what can I do about living there legally after we're married?

 

[job_seeker]

You can enter as a visitor, then have your spouse sponsor you (outland processing is faster), extend your stay as a visitor (send app close to the expiry of your allowed stay). But as a visitor, you can't work.

Aside from moving my possessions there what can I do about living there legally after we're married?

 

[Mainermoving]

Thanks 'JobSeeker'! I appreciate the help!