Novocastrian

In your context "permanent resident" has no connotation of permanent residency. What it means, if this matters to you, is that you'd be legal here, could work for $$ at anything you'd like, would no longer have to sponge off your partner or raise small amounts of income writing for foreign magazines (which is probably illegal anyway).

Insane.

georgeH

I don't sponge off my partner actually. We are a partnership. Long gone are the days when the man is the sole or main wage earner. I was married for 18 years to a woman who refused to work. Would you call that sponging off me? I don't send the little woman out cleaning or whatever, she has a career and her own business and is quite happy that I spend my time looking after the household, cooking, working on our boat, writing, building a house etc etc.

A couple of years ago an immigration officer told us that she wasn't allowed to support me as we might split up! He then asked me to sign a form declaring that I hadn't come to Canada for the purpose of terrorism! (all terrorists please form an orderly queue over there.......)



And I like writing for magazines (I am also working on a book ) this is quite legal and does not require a work permit (along with working as crew on a ship, working as a ordained minister, performing artist etc )

But anyway, you all seem to missing the point. Yes, I would like to be to use my skills working here but it is not that important to me. In a few months time we shall be off sailing again. At some point we want to come back here and work for a few months replenishing the coffers etc and it would be nice if I could repair a few boats etc legally.

The fact that I can't is annoying but not life threatening. Yes, I could apply for permission to live here and work which involves giving the government lots of money and waiting and waiting but I won't bother. I love Newfoundland but would never want to live in Canada. If the government would let me work when I need to (or want to ) then life would be better.

And for the record. I have never received any thing from this government. No welfare. No medical treatment. No trips to the food bank etc. I pay taxes on everything I buy (hst/gst /property tax etc ) and because I have no Canadian income, I don't get tax refunds. (my partner pays income tax on her earnings) I drive my car on a Newfoundland driving licence and have car, medical and life insurance.

Shard

I think that's fair enough. You're a visitor here, and plan to leave in due course and/or when the government asks you to. How you and your partner (legally) support yourselves is totally up to you.

However if it were me, and I found a place I liked to live, and a partner, and good friends, I'd go through the official paperwork to gain a right to stay so that I could be the one who decides my own destiny.

Greenhill

Did he also ask if you're a pirate?

Just look around your person for a moment. Do you have a wooden leg? A hook for a hand? Bird crap on your shoulder? Check your face for an eye patch.

Are you a pirate?

I think you might be a pirate.

Is this you?

fabretti18

MillieF

A totally lovely story, and I wish I'd done something half as romantic...I envy you GeorgeH. However, Christmas has a very good point...it would be easier for all concerned if your partner just sponsored you now. You are evidently committed to each other and said that you will soon marry. Canadian immigration isn't being overly difficult, they have rules that they have to follow, they don't have a choice in the matter. Whilst it won't get the old adrenalin pumping quite the same, having your paperwork sorted would give you more options in life, not take them away.

BristolUK

Building houses and repairing boats.

Might not be legal.

On that border TV show (in another thread) there was a guy visiting his Canadian girlfriend and family who was going to be doing some building work for them.

It was a major obstacle to him being allowed in because it still counted as "working" in Canada.

He was under no illusions that he was allowed entry and that he was NOT to do it. Presumably as it could be considered as taking work away from others.

Just something to consider.

HGerchikov

As far as I am concerned as long as he doesn't sponge off the system (and it appears that he doesn't) then whether he and his partner want to apply for his PR is their business. Incidentally, while going through the interminable process of sponsoring my husband to live in the UK I got friendly with an immigration officer and he mentioned one day that foreign artists do actually need a work permit to perform in the UK, I was really surprised. I don't know if its the same in Canada but I would expect similar rules. I am sure somebody else knows for sure though.

georgeH

Love the pirate ship! But wouldn't go to sea in it!

It only classed as work if you exchange your time /skills for something whether it is money, accommodation or food etc. Although I have in the past 'worked' for accommodation and food through WOOF (working on overseas organic farms ) which is exempt. I also do volunteer work which is also allowed.

It is quite legal to work on your own property, car, boat etc. If you sell something that is yours for more money than you paid for it then that is also legal so long as you don't do it as a business. I could also run a charter yacht here legally so long as it was registered in the UK and my clients booked and paid in the UK (we are considering doing this )

One of the most annoying things about Canadian immigration laws is that they have no clue about real life. As those who watch border security on tv will have seen, visitors to Canada are often refused entry because of their financial situation. According to immigration I am expected to have $150 a day for accommodation plus more for restaurants and car hire etc but many visitors come to stay with friends /relatives etc and don't need very much money. When I sail my boat I usually have several months of food on board, live on the boat, don't use marinas, don't hire cars, don't eat out, don't drink etc. So I need very little. I am not on holiday, I am just living. And if I wish to live on a couple of dollars a day (or whatever ) that should be my choice.

Shard

Well immigration laws are designed to apply to a great mass of people, not individual circumstances. Unless you are a citizen of that country or have gain residency, you have to accept you are a foreign visitor with very few rights, and indeed extra responsibility to prove that you are legitimate. It's not like crossing the border from England to Wales. Frankly, I am surprised that immigration is so relaxed about your circumstances, but since they are, fine. You must be doing everything within the law and you are enjoying your time, so everyone's happy. Just don't whinge if you happen to get kicked out for some spurious reason.

How long

So George H`s attitude is mind boggling, insane, whinging and and, why ? I didn`t see anything that he posted as whinging, he just said life would be easier if he could get a work permit.
He doesn`t want to get PR, thats his choice but because it doesn`t fit in with a lot of peoples thinking he must be wrong. He appears to have done all that he should legally, doesn`t sponge off the state and him and his partner support each other as they think fit, good luck to them both.
Hope all goes well for you in whatever you choose to do in the future and hope you`re wedding day is a great success.
Good luck to the OP in the future too.

christmasoompa

My comment about it being mind boggling was for several reasons.

I suspect that if GeorgeH isn't already in the country when he shouldn't be (his application to extend his visitor visa should have taken a matter of days, so it's odd that he apparently hasn't heard back yet), then he can't stay forever as he is. It doesn't matter if he's not working or perfectly innocent, CIC just won't let him live in Canada on a visitor visa indefinitely.

So personally I can't understand why somebody would risk being separated from their partner/new wife, when it would be very simple to secure their future so that they can come and go as they please, rather than at CIC's whim. Plus of course, if he did apply for PR then he could work as he wishes, so that's another thing it would sort.

For the sake of a few forms, a 3-6 month wait and some money (although cheaper than paying for medical insurance as he's presumably doing now) it seems to make sense to me to get residency in the country he lives in and where his wife intends to stay, but different strokes for different folks and all that.

christmasoompa

Oh, and this isn't correct - you can apply for a TWP from Canada.

christmasoompa

And (sorry, I'm not trying to pick holes in everything you say, just want to correct it for the sake of anybody else reading in the future!) this isn't right either.

According to the CIC operating manual, unpaid work can need a TWP in certain instances. See below from the manual -

Examples of “work” include, but are not limited to:

• a foreign technician coming to repair a machine, or otherwise fulfil a contract, even when they will not be paid directly by the Canadian company for whom they are doing the work;

• self-employment, which could constitute a competitive economic activity such as opening a dry- cleaning shop or fast-food franchise. (A self-employed person may also be considered to be working if they receive a commission or payment for services);

• unpaid employment undertaken for the purpose of obtaining work experience, such as an internship or practicum normally done by a student.

All of the above requires a TWP (note the self-employed bit, as it sounds like what you intend to do with a charter yacht). And only certain volunteering is allowed as well, for instance if it was full-time then that would be classed as a 'charitable worker' instead of a volunteer, for which a TWP is required.

HTH.

How long

So personally I can't understand why somebody would risk being separated from their partner/new wife, when it would be very simple to secure their future so that they can come and go as they please, rather than at CIC's whim. Plus of course, if he did apply for PR then he could work as he wishes, so that's another thing it would sort.

Personally, I can`t understand why he`d want to sail across the ocean in a storm but he does, same as he doesn`t want to fill in the forms, thats why because he doesn`t want to, thats his choice, you don`t have to understand it, he didn`t ask you to, failing that call the church police.