kswoosh

Hi All,

Rather than having a specific question for my own needs, I'm interesting in starting a discussion around mentioning Permanent Residency during interviews.

I lived in Canada previously on an IEC, and after spending some time back in the UK, I've decided that I want to make Canada my home permanently. I plan on applying for an IEC in December, and heading over around the end of May with the intention of getting a job that will lead to PR.

Now, in the grand scheme of things, a year isn't a long time, especially given how long some of the PR routes can take. Bearing that in mind, I'll need to get on the ball from the get go, and make sure that I only take on a job which can lead to PR.

The question that I want to open up for discussion - and I'm interested in hearing from employees who may have been in this situation, or employers who have hired foreign workers in this situation - is whether you think its appropriate to ask if they are prepared/able to go through the PNP/PR process in the interview?

I suspect that there have been people who have gone to Canada on an IEC with the sole intention of getting PR, so I'm curious if they employed the tactic of discussing PR in the interview, and how successful they were?

I'm wary that there are two possible ways it could go...

1. That the company is pleased that you are here to stay, and that you are prepared to show loyalty straight of the bat. Especially given that many employers seem to see high turnover of 'temporary residents' who come to Canada, get a job, decide they don't like it, and leave 6 weeks later.

I know from personal experience that companies are keen to avoid this, and I have specifically been asked how long I intend on staying in the country, whether I plan to travel, what happens if I split from my girlfriend (i.e. would I go home), so I think showing a strong intention to stay in the country from the very beginning could count in your favour.

2. On the contrary, do you think employers could feel as though you are 'using' them for PR. In other words, you're asking whether they would be interested in sponsoring you because you're only interested in working for them if they can get you PR.

Do you think it could arouse suspicions that you might work for them until you achieve PR, and then leave? I don't know why people would really do that, but I'm trying to get inside the employers heads.

Has anyone had experience in a similar situation? What did you experience? Were employers responsive, or reluctant? Similarly, employers, how would you feel about a potential employee discussing PR options right from the word go?

mbgirlfriend

I think that is a lot of pressure to put on an employer before you have even started and I don't think its always that easy for an employer to help with the PR so even if they would like to when it comes time it may not be possible.

I would depend on what kind of job you are doing. If its a job that they could hire a Canadian to do then it would be hard for them to help you even if they wanted to.

Have you looked into other ways to get PR like a Provincial Nomination?

You said you were in Canada before. What province did you stay in and did you have a job while you were there. How many months did you work if you did?

Do you have a university degree?

Do you know somebody in Canada or have any family in Canada?

christmasoompa

Most PNP's require the employer's help (as do the majority of other employment based PR applications such as FSW). Some, such as BC or ON, are actually very onerous on the employer, with them having to provide lots of documentation and essentially 'sponsor' the applicant.

So unless the OP has a route to PR that doesn't involve employment i.e. a Canadian spouse, they will probably have to have their employer's agreement and support for any PR app.

HTH.

Yandros

For what it's worth I've just hired a guy who is currently here in an IEC visa and who is looking to get PR in due course. We asked him about his plans and he was quite open about the fact that he wanted to get PR in the future. From my viewpoint it was a plus as it means there is a possibility he'll stay for the long term (although I completely understand that there are no guarantees). We haven't agreed or even discussed the company helping him get PR, and I haven't looked into the process for doing so, but when the time comes I'll be happy to support his application, provided it doesn't compromise the company in any way, or take too much time and effort.

I am still a fairly new arrival here (been in Canada approx. 2.5 years), and the fact that I've immigrated and done so recently may colour my view. I have no idea whether my view is consistent with the general population.

Tigger1

We have hired people on IEC visas and then helped with PR further down the line when that's come up. When I interview someone and they're on a visa I ask if they intend on staying in Canada permanently and if the response is yes that's a bonus.

I would suggest wording it though as "I'm currently on a visa and intend on applying for PR" not straight out saying you need the company to do that as it could come across as you're only applying for the role to get PR

mbgirlfriend

Actually it is very posible to get PNP nomination without being sponsored. My boyfriend just got his LOA from the MPNP. Manitoba is probably the easiest to get one from. It's bases on a points system and needing to have some kind of connection to Manitoba. A connection can be one of 4 things.

-family in Manitoba
-a close friend in Manitoba
-having at gone to school in Manitoba
Or
-working full time for 6 months or more in Manitoba (very easy to do this on an IEC visa)
Points are given for things like
-how many years of work experience you have in the field you are going to work in
-your English or French skills
-most points given if you are between 21-30
-how much education you have
-you get more points once you work in Manitoba for 6 months.

Even though my boyfriend and I lived together for over a year (he did two IEC visas in a row) and we could have claimed common law so I could sponsor he did it based on his points without any sponsorship. And he had way more points than he needed. It only took 4 months for his MPNP approval and now he should be able to get another work visa with his nomination and his job offer. His employer does not have to sponsor him. He will be able to stay and work in Canada while waiting to get his PR.

I'm not sure what other PNP'S are like but I think at least looking into them rather than thinking that sponsorship from an employer is your best option and only focusing on that wouldn't hurt. Like I said before if you are looking for sponsorship from an employer to do a job a Canadian can do then it will be difficult for an employer to sponsor you.

I think more information about your education and job experience could be helpful in getting more ideas for you from people on this forum.

kswoosh

Great responses so far, good to get some feedback.

Just to fill you in with some more info, which should answer some of the other questions/suggestions people have...

I lived and worked in Vancouver for 2 years. I had a couple of short term jobs in retail when I first landed, and then I got a job at BC Hydro (although employed temporarily through Accenture) as an Admin Assistant. I worked there for about 15 months.

I was previously eligible under the CEC program, as I worked for over 12 months for a Canadian employer. However, as I'm sure many of you know, Admin Asst. has been removed from the list of eligible jobs. Unfortunately, my job doesn't qualify under any other roles, so that takes CEC out of the equation.

As for moving back, I am pretty dead set on moving back to Vancouver. Whilst I like the idea of living in Canada as a whole, it is specifically Vancouver that I loved. I have friends there, I coached a women's team that I would like to get back involved with, and I also set up a men's football team aimed mostly at Ex-Pats (which is still running). My base was set up in Vancouver, so I very much want to go back there. Plus I have a strong preference for being by the sea & mountains.

My options, basically, are PNP through employment in Vancouver, or going through the Express Entry system. However, undertstandably, due to the slightly vague nature of the information that has been released, in addition to the fact that I am not highly skilled in any one career, I am reluctant to pin all my hopes on getting PR through the Express Entry system.

I think my options are fairly limited, and returning to Canada on an IEC, and gaining employment through the PNP seems to be my strongest chance and quickest route.

Interesting, Christmasoompa, to read that the PNP process is quite onerous ont the employer. Is this just based on the documentation that has to be provided, or do they have to make lots of effort to claim that they need you to stay? I got the impression that, as it circumnavigates the LMO, all they need to do is essentially apply saying that they have employed you, and want to keep you. Maybe I'm being naive there, so I'd love to hear what your experience with/knowledge of the process is.

Anyway - good to get a debate going, so thanks all for your input so far.

christmasoompa

Yes, but that's one of only 3 (off the top of my head) PNP streams (out of the 35 or so) that allow for PR without a job offer/sponsorship, hence why I said 'most' in my post.

HTH.

christmasoompa

BC isn't as bad as ON (where thing like accounts have to be submitted etc), but the employer has to provide things like a 2 page company profile, recommendation letter, business licence, Cert of Incorporation, as well as the standard job offer letter, employment contract etc.

So they do have to make a bit of effort to say that they need you over a Canadian (this should include things like what you will contribute to the company and why they are sponsoring you etc), but it's really just in terms of documentation required.

Hopefully though, you'll wow your employer so much that they won't mind spending a bit of time putting an application together with you (it's submitted jointly).

Best of luck.

bc2015

Here is the guide for employers for BC PNP

Welcome BC - Eligible Employers

Note that it states that if you are already employed by the company intending to sponsor you, that you don't need to prove that they need you over a Canadian.

This is the document checklist (including employers)

http://www.welcomebc.ca/welcome_bc/m..._checklist.pdf

christmasoompa

Perhaps you meant to quote the OP, but just in case this was meant for me, as I mentioned above they need to provide a letter stating why they want to employ you - although there's no specific requirement that they say why they need you over a Canadian, it's a good idea that the employer provides a good reason for needing you i.e the 'what you will contribute to the company' bit!

OP - I can PM you a letter template if you get to that stage.

HTH.

kswoosh

Thanks everyone for your feed back much appreciated.