smithyutd

Hi guys, I've been reading these forums for about a year on-and-off but this is my firs time posting. I've regularly tried to find someone in a similar situation as me but I never have. Maybe someone can read this and empathise a little at least...

I just turned 26 last week and am currently in Cardiff. After graduating in 2006 I worked a few nothing jobs in my hometown in the North-West of England, before finally taking the plunge and doing something I'd always wanted to - teaching English abroad.

I went to a country in East Asia and in my first few months met a Canadian girl. And fell head-over-heels in love. At the end of our 12-month contracts we went back to our home countries - she came to visit England for 3 weeks - and then we went back to the same country in East Asia again, living together for another 12 month contract.

At the end of that contract we moved to South Wales where my girlfriend studied for her PGCE at UWIC which has qualified her to teach primary (elementary) in both the UK and Canada. While she studied, I worked an admin job from which I was made redundant a few weeks ago. Financially, it has been a very difficult year.

She graduates in a couple of weeks and at the start of July we will go to her family's place in south Ontario. Her family are wonderful and have said we can stay there as long as we want, they have a big place in the middle of bloody nowhere and we're going to take some time to relax and enjoy the summer.

After that, we have a huge decision to make. Do we go back to East Asia for another year where we are guaranteed work and income, or do we stay in Canada and try and get settled? From my point of view, with only a Sociolinguistics degree and a few years of admin experience, I think my opportunities for finding work are slim to none. But they're not going to get better if I go away for a year are they? So maybe now's the time to start toughing it out and getting stuck in to find work? I don't know.

Anyway, basically I wanted to say hi. You all seem like a good bunch so please don't be too hard on me! I'm very stressed and I just want someone to tell me everything will be okay!!!!

smithy

Greenhill

Have you already applied for, or been granted, status in Canada that would allow you to work or study here?

I think a lot of forum users will read your post and point out that you're young, in love and have the choice of residing in any of three countries.... that you should be embracing and cherishing these experiences...

Financial worries might be causing stress but you seem to have all bases covered; a guaranteed option of work in one country or somewhere to live in Canada (while you start the next exciting chapter of your lives). These are adventures, not stressors!

What do you want to do, career-wise? Are there any programs (e.g. diploma, masters) that you're interested in enrolling in, in Canada, either now or next year that will get you onto that career path?

christmasoompa

Exactly what he said. ^^^^^

And welcome to the forum.

smithyutd

You make a very good point, I guess I'm just a worrier. At the moment I'm struggling to see the path from the situation we're in now - broke, unmarried, only her with any decent qualifications and job prospects - to where I want to be before I'm 30 i.e. married, career, nice house in Canada, couple of dogs!

From what I've read, when we do decide to settle in Canada, she can sponsor me for a work visa as we've been living together for 2 years. Where would I look for work? I've obviously been googling but not found any strong sites. I guess I should just relax and go with the flow a bit more...

Thanks guys

christmasoompa

She wouldn't sponsor you for a work visa, she'd sponsor you for Permanent Residency which you'd then get approx 3-6 months or so after applying. It's worth noting thought that you would be on a visitor visa until your PR came through, so couldn't work at all, so there will be a period when you can't work.

Plus you'd need to prove that you've lived together as 'husband and wife' in your common-law relationship, so you'd need things like joint bank account, joint rental agreement, utility bills in both names, wills naming each other as beneficiaries etc - just something to be aware of if you are planning on living with her parents as you may not have much of that kind of paperwork.

For work, just have a read of the Job Hunting section of the Wiki which will point you in the right direction. I don't think her job prospects are that great though tbh, so you may be surprised to find that yours are better! This Wiki article on teaching may help you understand why...............http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Teaching_in_Canada

Good luck.

smithyutd

That is interesting to learn about the joint bank accounts and things like that. I guess we'll have to get working on that side of things.

We'd heard that the teaching situation wasn't great (some of her friends are teachers in ON and have had trouble finding work, they have now but it took a couple of years). I just don't know what I'd do for work when I got there. perhaps this is where I should start looking at Postgraduate courses and things like that.

christmasoompa

Do you not have stuff like that already? You'd need to show a year's worth of it to qualify as her common-law partner. CIC are looking to see that you've been living as 'husband and wife' for at least a year i.e. you've combined your affairs and been living as more than housemates. I was just concerned that if you are going to be living with her parents you won't have any of that kind of stuff for that time period, but you will need it going back a year or more.

For post-graduate courses, you'd need a study permit if they are 6 months or longer in duration (unless of course you've got your PR before, then you can study with no probs, plus have the advantage of paying local tuition rates rather than international). So have a read up on study permits and their requirements as well if you wish to study whilst awaiting your PR.

smithyutd

Well yes we do have some of it. We've got utilities bills going back two years in both of our names, rental agreements in both of our names. We don't have a joint bank account and neither of us have wills. I'll have to read up on exactly what is required to prove common-law partnership.

christmasoompa

That should be ok, you could maybe do wills or get some joint insurance to add to it - obviously the more proof the better. As long as you've got some stuff, and can make sure that you keep it going when you move to Canada.

Atlantic Xpat

You don't need a joint bank account to prove common law relationship. (We didn't have one when we applied and still don't 7 years, a house and a child later.). You do need proof that your affairs are intertwined and that you have been living together. Utility bills, rental agreements if you have them, affidavits from friends and family, pictures of you together, basically a case built up that you have been living together. Wills, naming each other as beneficiaries, is also useful. Use a simple will kit from WH Smiths, that's what we did!

cheeky_monkey

why dont you do what she did and take a year and do your teaching qualification in the UK..better than having a degree in somethin i never heard of surely??..then look at it all again?

smithyutd

Okay, thanks. I'll have a look into the will situation. We've got 2 rental agreements in both our names as well as cards from family members addressed to the two of us and lots of proof that we've been living as a couple, I don't think it will be a problem.

smithyutd

I don't want to teach, really.

I'm sure somebody - prospective employers - will have heard of my degree.

smithyutd

I've done plenty of searching for this through the wikis and previous posts but I haven't found the answer.

Does anybody know, if I was sponsored by my girlfriend for a spouse and gained PR, whether I would have to pay international student fees if I studied at a Canadian university or home student fees?

Thanks

Greenhill

You can't study without a permit and a work permit will probably prohibit you from studying too.

PR and Citizenship allows you to study without limitation (and therefore international fees should not apply) http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/about-pr.asp

What permanent residents can do

As a permanent resident, you and your dependants have the right:

To receive most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage.
To live, work or study anywhere in Canada.
To apply for Canadian citizenship.
To protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
You must pay taxes,