thelikelylad

Hey folks!

Been a little while since I posted but looking for some advice and hopefully some first hand experiences!

Situation:

I've been in Canada for almost a year now and pretty much been employed in a skilled occupation since I got here (Manufacturing Production Manager - still trying to decide if I fall into NOC class B or 0). I'm here on an IEC visa so I've got until the end of October next year before I get kicked out the country.

I've decided I'd really like to stay so have looked into the various options and found that I should score around CRS 490-500 based on my UK skilled employment (different field from what I'm in now) and my year here, so Express Entry was looking the likely route for me.

However I've now discovered that my employers here are keen to keep me after an experience where they missed out on a German girl who had to leave when her IEC ran out they don't want to lose me too. So thats great! My assumption is that I can apply for a TWP if they get a positive LMIA?

Pros:

Express Entry:-
- Grants PR so less restrictive than TWP
- PR lasts 5 years
- No messing around with visas when I go travelling/visiting home

TWP:-
- Assumed lower cost of application?
- Assumed faster processing time?

Cons:

Express Entry:-
- Assumed high application cost?

TWP:-
- Relying on a positive LMIA
- Limited to 4 year visa (or is it 3?)
- Messing around with paperwork whenever I cross a border into or out of Canada

Questions:

1. Are my above assumptions correct?
2. I know that it is probably a very simplistic views of pros and cons, can anyone expand?
3. What are your experiences of those immigration routes?
4. What is the general costs involved in these routes? (Right now I'm led to believe that EE will cost about $3000 all in).
5. What kind of timeframe are we talking about for either process? Given that I'm here on IEC there is no implied status so really need this completed by October 23rd 2017!
6. Can you tell me about any things I should be aware of before embarking on this process?
7. Finally, what's your recommendations?!

Oh and on checking the CIC site and answering their questionnaire on work permits they say I might be eligible for an OWP....

Sorry for the long post folks, unfortunately I feel a little more stressed about this one than applying for IEC!

Any help is massively appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Former Lancastrian

You say you want to stay is that forever or just another few years as that will make a difference.
If forever EE is the way to go and either as a skilled worker or nominated for PNP.

TWP holders are only allowed 4 years in then its 4 years out and work permits normally issued for 2 yr periods if gained via a LMIA and some are just one year in duration.

PR can last forever however to maintain it you must be physically present in Canada 2 out of every rolling 5 yrs. I know some who have been PRs for over 40 yrs. Once you get PR status then issued with a PR card so not so much faffing around with papers.
EE costs nothing to submit. If already working employers can request a no fee LMIA for nomination purposes for PR which also gets the extra 600 points towards EE for skilled workers.

IMHO PNP is the way to go providing you are eligible in that Province.
Determine your eligibility – Provincial nominees

thelikelylad

Sorry I should've been clearer, intention is for a permanent move. As far as I can see PNP is a non starter as I'd need 2 years experience in the occupation in Toronto. Unless I've misread it.


My only concern with skilled worker EE is if I will run out of time (IEC doesn't really give me a flexible time limit) or not have enough points to be drawn...


My friend just went from TWP to PR via EE so he had the 4 year limit the got PR, basically got TWP to buy himself more time to build Canadian work experience and so pretty much guarantee EE through skilled worker route.


If I went TWP route it's only be to gain more Canadian work experience.


Basically PR is my overall goal.

Former Lancastrian

Yes Ontario is one of the very few Provinces that charge you for PNP nomination
For applicants with a job offer from an Ontario employer, the nominee application fee is $2,000 for those with job offers in the Greater Toronto Area, and $1,500 for those with job offers outside of the Greater Toronto Area.
This fee can be paid by either the applicant or the employer, but must be included in the nominee application package.

I would read about FSW or Canadian Experience Class
Determine your eligibility – Canadian Experience Class
Determine your eligibility – Federal skilled workers

thelikelylad

Thanks for the help.

I'll reread them and see if anything else jumps out to me but so far it's looked like if I go EE it'll be via CEC.


Just worried about my chances given the scores drawn are getting higher and last time I checked mine in sure it was either 493 or 497.

Former Lancastrian

Read this link re getting your employer to apply for the no fee LMIA to help support your PR application and getting the extra 600 points
Arranged employment/Labour Market Impact Assessment process

thelikelylad

This is exactly the sort of thing I'd been looking for! This was what my friend did (I think) and he ended up with about 1000 points, made EE very easy.


I do have a couple of follow up questions though...


Do you know how long these applications are taking to be processed just now?


and


I know for CEC I need 1 year employment in Canada in a skilled occupation, does that rule apply for this too?


Thanks again!

Former Lancastrian

CIC quote most EE applications processed within 6 months though some have taken 8 months.
For Canadian Experience Class (not required but applicants can get extra points under the Comprehensive Ranking System for a job offer)
be permanent, non-seasonal and full time, and
be Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) list.

Links are meant to be read

thelikelylad

That's good on the processing times, had heard they jumped a bit but my friend's did only take 6 months too. Hmm on reading it in further detail it appears I would need to wait until i have the full years employment or am I misreading it? Yeah without the job offer the calculator puts me just under 500 but with a job offer on it I'd be a cert.