Hi guys, I've just registered on these forums and they seem to have a wealth of information

Was wondering if it's easy to get offered a job (for a British citizen) or is immigration tight? My girlfriend is Canadian (and yes I know I should just marry her and become a Canadian too, etc) but in the short term - is there any way I can get a job (and therefore a work permit) for Canada (preferably Vancouver) or am I just dreaming?
Any suggestions on where I should be looking/talking/applying?

ps. job sector = IT (Junior Project Management, Business Analyst, PMO, IT Consultancy, etc)

cheers guys

Hi, Paz7, and welcome to the BE forum.

If you and your girlfriend have been living together in a conjugal relationship for 12 months or more, you would be able to demonstrate that you were common-law partners, and you'd be able to go down the spousal sponsorship route. That would make things a lot easier.

As to immigrating by some other means, you need to get a job offer first. Once you have that in hand, you might be able to enter Canada on a temporary work permit (TWP) or possibly BC's Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). If you entered on a TWP, you'd later be able to upgrade to permanent resident (PR) status. If you applied via PNP, that automatically would lead to PR.

But, whether you apply for a TWP or for PR via the PNP, you and your prospective employer have to jump through some hoops. One way or another, the system is designed to give jobs to foreigners only when there are no qualified Canadians available to take those jobs. In the case of a TWP, for example, the employer has to apply for a labour market opinion (LMO). The employer will receive an LMO only after demonstrating a recruitment campaign that includes advertising across Canada for a prescribed length of time.

Your starting point should be a reading of the Wiki section of this website.

But really, if you're eligible for spousal sponsorship, I think you'd be bonkers not to take advantage of it. It makes everything so much easier and quicker.
x

Hi there and welcome to BE I'm sure you'll get lots of help from the guys and girls here on BE also check out the WIKI section

I just wanted to make one small point, you don't get Canadian citizenship by marrying a Canadian if only it was that straight forward.

Anyway good luck with your research.

Hi Judy,

Thank you for your reply. That was very informative
I absolutely understand what you mean - I know it'd be easier to go down the spousal sponsorship route, but I doubt that'd be applicable, yet!

Just came across the wiki section (mind my ignorance of starting this topic before reading that section) - seems to have lot's of information!

Sounds like it is pretty tricky to get a company to sponsor an individual - but I've been sending my CV across to a few companies regardless just to 'test the waters' as it were.

Thanks again

Ahh whatt!

Surely if I married my gf (eventually) then I would be allowed to move to/work in Canada? (obviously after completing the processes and applications, etc)

Hi Paz and welcome to BE!

How old are you? A BUNAC Working Holiday 12 month work visa is an option if you are under 30... The 2009 visa application cycle will start in early December.

http://www.bunac.org/uk/workcanada/

Adele

Oh yes of course you could move here and work but you'd be a Permanent Resident not a Citizen. Sorry didn't mean to give you heart failure

Hi Adele,

Ahh excellent! Am just reading in to that - I have just turned 23 (yippeee!) so that defo looks interesting!

Hi again Elaine,

hehe, ah yeah I understand......one step at a time!

All the info is on that website - GO FOR IT! If you have any questions after that just ask, I did BUNAC 5 years ago! Glad it's an option for you!

Adele

Thanks Adele,

Good to hear someone that has actually gone through it and recommending it. Just a quick question though, would it be reasonable to expect, say, an office job in areas that I have specialities in (I have a very strong CV with a Master's degree + over 4 years of work experience with major blue chip companies), or are they mainly outdoor jobs and retails jobs etc?

You've got that right I moved to Canada when I was 25 with my Canadian boyfriend with not so much as a work permit and hardly any planning you're already a lot more sensible that I was. Mind you back in 1999 the internet was only just invented

hehe - well it seems as it's worked out alright for you!

If I don't learn to plan by working within a Project Management environment - I'll never learn it...

The visa is an open work authorisation so you can seek any type of work (childcare or medical professions require a medical). Really it's up to you to go for what you want to do and make what you can of the year! Some people get retail or mountain resort work, others get office admin jobs, others much more high flying 'career' type jobs - it's you that will be applying and going for the roles so the sky's the limit! The difficulty is of course that you have a 1 year work permit only - some employers may be put off investing in hiring someone who has a visa with a limited validity period. BUNAC is non-extendable, although some poeple have managed to use it as a springboard to getting temporary work permits and ultimately PR, or PNP).

All the best with your plans!

Adele

Thanks Adele!