Hi folks,

I've just found this whilst (see link below) trawling the net for some other info, and it seems the BUNAC Visa is not sufficient to use to then apply for PR. People here have been advocating this way of getting into Canada, but it seems it may not be possible - anyone know anymore about it? If this is the case I just blew a whole chunk of money on getting a BUNAC visa and insurance etc that I didn't need plus quitting my well paid job and selling my stuff off cheaply to get rid of it all for nothing. I'm pretty gutted. I'm emailing CHC to get confirmation - will post my reply.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-imm...-t30232.0.html

Simon

My understanding was getting your employer whilst on BUNAC to take you on a more permanent basis and then apply for PR

It's not the nature of your employment that seems to cause the problem but the nature of your visa, so it would seem you have to get a job under Bunac, then get a regular TWP to work for your employer, and then apply for PR with support from your employer.

I am really cross that neither Bunac nor CHC state this on their sites.

I hate to be the one who says it, but BUNAC Working Holiday Visa is meant to be a Working Holiday not a method towards Permanent Residence.

I have had the same issue in reverse coming to the UK from Canada.

You may get lucky and find a company who is willing to go through the entire process of sponsoring you - or you may not. BUNAC by no means is a guarantee.

I'm not sure what the confusion is. Bunac is, in essence an open work permit that is restricted to a 12 month period. It is not renewable beyond this time (unless you can qualify for both the student and non-student varieties). There is no LMO process to complete. For this reason, it is not a direct route to gaining PR status and is not designed or "marketed" as such.

What it does give you is a year in the country to give it a shot. If you wish to become a PR, then you need to be getting a job in Canada which satisfies the LMO criteria and then applying for PR after that. You would do well to make sure this is a reasonable possibility before selling up and taking off on Bunac if one year is not what you want.

Bunac worked for me. I had already applied for PR years previously and was getting disheartened with the wait. Bunac got me in Canada for 12 months, PR followed soon after and all was peachy. I would not, however, recommend that for those adverse to winging it.

Thats always been how I've seen this approach presented here? BUNAC is just a convenient way to come to Canada for a year, earn some money while here to support your "johny on the spot" job hunt and hopefully find a job that you can leverage into TWP/PR, either by proving invaluable where you work to the point they will go for a LMO for you to keep you, or just by slogging around from door to door.

Ive never seen anyone say the BUNAC job will guarantee you a TWP or PR later on in any way, all the usual rules still apply, its just easier to convince an employer to take a chance on you here if A: You are in Canada, and B: another canadian employer has taken a chance on you already.

If you dont have the sort of skills likely to land a LMO / TWP later on, then yes, BUNAC is probably going to be a waste of time and money with regard to a more permanent stay, unless you happen to meet the canadian woman of your dreams while you are here

Ive seen it presented as a way to spend a year with the canadian woman of your dreams that youve already met, in order to meet spousal requirements, but I suspect thats also not a kosha route as BUNAC requires that you to be foot loose and fancy free as I recall.

You don't HAVE to get an LMO for a new work permit if you're quick about it you can get an AEO for the permanent job offer from the employer you're working for and that in combination with the BUNAC work permit IS accepted by CIC to give you the ability to apply for PR based on arranged employment.

Just to reply to all -

It's not marketed as a working holiday visa but:

"Non-student Open Work Authorisation Visa"

which makes it less clear since it's not an open temporary work permit in the legal sense, except that it's open, temporary and a work permit.

I never claimed anything was guaranteed, please don't put words in my mouth and I knew I would need to find an employer willing to supply a long term job offer once there. However I thought that as per the normal PR rules I would need just the continued job offer on company paper, from my employer to submit with the PR application.

Seems I was wrong, but it also seems I'm not alone in being wrong, which is not really comforting.

As lucieg advises above, you can use the Arranged Employment method to secure yourself PR. You would need to be quick though!

I should be clear, I haven't left the UK yet to activate the Bunac Visa, nor do I have arranged employment at this stage, so Lucie's suggestion isn't an option.

My annoyance is really that all I've got is a Visa that allows me to burn my life's savings going to Vancouver for a year, and which at the end of it puts no nearer PR, even if I can find a job that wants to keep me on.

IIRC in my line of work I don't even need an LMO for a TWP, though so would I stand a much better chance of getting a TWP if I wanted to work longer than the Bunac period? Would doing the job already me any advantage over being in the UK with a job offer when it comes to TWP?

I think if you fall in a non LMO field the chances of landing a job are going to be better than for the average Jo anyway, but the real advantage of BUNAC for you is you will be here on the ground to go looking for a job in your field. That could happen anyway just as a visitor as you say you dont need the LMO to get a work permit (so you can just go to the border with job offer in hand in theory).

The accepted wisdom its its much easier to find a job if you are here and someone has already taken a chance on you, even if its a relatively menial position... You shouldnt necessarily be burning your life savings, thats the point of the "working" part of the "working holiday" thing, no need to stay at the 4 seasons or drive around in a Merc

Basically you will have a canadian address and contact#, some "canadian experience", so wont fall at the first hurdle. Plus you get to test drive the country for a while and see if its really what you think it is going to be.

On the other hand as you dont need the LMO, then the aspect of BUNAC that lets you impress an employer to the point they will go to the effort to keep you doesnt really apply. The jobs where LMOs are waived tend to be the sort where there is naturally a shortage of qualified candidates anyway.

Of course it's an option...what do you think I did?

You come out here you find a job, employer offers you permanent work, you apply for an AEO you apply for PR. Granted the timing can be difficult but it can be done. I did it.

Immigration is not easy, it's not been easy for any of us...you have to WORK your ass off to make sure you get the opportunities to stay here. You haven't got a visa that puts you no nearer to PR you've got a visa that enables you to come out here and prove yourself to an employer in person, to prove you're worth that job offer. It's an opportunity that many people on here DO NOT have...so stop griping about it.

The BUNAC visa is intended for a 12 month working holiday. Whilst many have sucessfully applied on PNP, LMO, Student and Family Class sponsorship anfter using a BUNAC visa, it is clearly stated before applying that the sole purpose of applying for this type of work permit must be for the applicant to enter Canada with the intention of working for 12 months and then returning to the country of origin.

Unlike most other visas it is not open to extention, although this not entirely impossible, applications to extend or renew need to be made from outside Canada rather than via Vegraville.

The idea behind it was similar to school work experience, to give the applicant a chance to work and live in Canada for 12 months, but again, it is clearly stated in the instructions that the working holiday must be the applicant's sole intention for coming here.

Things can change in a year for sure and other applications can be made to change your status once here, but that may not be an easy process.

I didn't read you signature, apologies. But at least the fact it can be done is something positive!

I never said it was easy, what ever is? Keeping a job in the UK has meant commuting 6+ hours per day and doing upto 70 hour weeks so I'm no stranger to putting effort in.

Thanks Iain, yes I guess the big advantage is being on the spot and having a local address.

Not sure how much in savings you think I have (a Merc indeed ), but until I find work living in a studio flat and driving a 20 year old car is going to feel like paying for the Merc and the 4 Seasons!