Work permit application- chicken or the egg?

[blueangel371115]

Ok, I have no idea what to do at this point. I have an almost filled out work permit application and it asked for an employer( which I don't have yet) so I applied for a job that I'd love to do, and be good at, but they told me I'd need to get a work permit BEFORE they'd even consider my resume. As far as the application reads I'd need a job offer first.
I'm seriously confused at this point. Are they misunderstanding the process or am I? Not sure how to proceed at this point. Any help and hints would be much appreciated as I'm missing out on some great job possibilties. I know many said it's very difficult to do so but I'm going to try as I want to pull my weight. I don't want to become my boyfriend's 'responsibility'. I'm a grown woman and not used to that, I take of myself. We could move now if one of us could land a good job. Really frustrated.

 

[scylla]

It sounds like the employer you are working with wants someone to have a work permit before they will consider them as a candidate for a job. In other words, this employer only wants to work with candidates who can already legally work in Canada.

The bad news is that you cannot apply for a work permit without a job offer from an employer and without an approved LMO (also provided by the employer).

If the employer isn't willing to go through the LMO process (many aren't) - then unfortunately you'll have to look for job/employer.

Hope this helps.

 

[blueangel371115]

That's what I thought too. but I thought I'd ask. I'm trying all I can as we want to move but don't want to unless one of us has a job but at least my boyfriend knows that it won't be easy ( we've learned in this last year that most of this isn't) but I knew that when I 'signed on'. But I'm not giving up. I promised him and myself I wouldn't. I'll just pick myself up and keep on keeping on.
I just wished he lived in Ontario ( Quebec seems hard to get into in my case, unless I married him which we don't want to yet for financial reasons). My boyfriend has a great job with great benefits. They cover him pretty much completely and would cover his common-law partner too. Which would be great as he has better benefits than I do. I have lived with him for basically the past year with brief stays at home ( a week or so here and there, one week on, one week off). I really wish that would count for something. I'm not exactly sure of the requiements for common-law as far as time goes.

 

[job_seeker]

This is not a govern site but you can get ideas on whether you qualify under common law:

Are You Eligible For A Common-Law Partner Visa?

You will have to provide documents that prove that you and your common-law partner have combined your affairs and have set up your household together in one home. This could include:

Joint bank accounts or credit cards;
Joint ownership of a home;
Joint residential leases;
Joint rental receipts;
Joint utilities (electricity, gas, telephone);
Joint management of household expenses;
Proof of joint purchases, especially for household items; OR
Correspondence addressed to either person or both people at the same address.
Recently, the spousal policy for Canada changed. The new spousal policy sets out that most spouses and common-law partners in a genuine relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, regardless of status, are able to apply for permanent residence while remaining in Canada. However, this change only applies to situations where a family class sponsorship has been submitted.

Under the previous policy, the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class was only available to spouses and common-law partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who had valid temporary immigration status in Canada.

Applicants in the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class are also permitted to include family members, living both in Canada and abroad, in their applications (i.e., applicants may have these applications processed at the same time)

http://www.visabureau.com/canada/common-law-partner.aspx

That's what I thought too. but I thought I'd ask. I'm trying all I can as we want to move but don't want to unless one of us has a job but at least my boyfriend knows that it won't be easy ( we've learned in this last year that most of this isn't) but I knew that when I 'signed on'. But I'm not giving up. I promised him and myself I wouldn't. I'll just pick myself up and keep on keeping on.
I just wished he lived in Ontario ( Quebec seems hard to get into in my case, unless I married him which we don't want to yet for financial reasons). My boyfriend has a great job with great benefits. They cover him pretty much completely and would cover his common-law partner too. Which would be great as he has better benefits than I do. I have lived with him for basically the past year with brief stays at home ( a week or so here and there, one week on, one week off). I really wish that would count for something. I'm not exactly sure of the requiements for common-law as far as time goes.

 

[blueangel371115]

Cool. We'll will have a joint savings account soon ( barring complications) and we are scoping the Ottawa area in a few days for jobs and the like. Can actually I sign a lease with him as I am supposed to be just visiting? I will be paying rent to his parents soon as I'm staying long-term at this point. So I can have a reciept there if needed. Other than that, I do already qualify as common-law in Canada. We are submitting the application soon ( the next month is very busy for us).