(Sorry posted on the wrong page)

Hello

I have stumbled across this site, by accident, and it appears to have all the information that I required prior to submitting my application.

We applied in Jan 05, and received our visa's in July this year.

My wife & 2 kids are preparing to leave th UK in April 2008, and heading for Ontario. We live in a town called Nelson near Manchester.

So I look forward to learning of other folk's experience's prior to landing, and sharing some of my own soon!

Bye

Wow, great news, you are on your way. There are so many people on here who would love to be joining you! Good Luck and keep posting.

Yeah, best of luck with the next steps of the journey.

Nice one mate! Let us know how you get on as we're just starting the emigration process and have 2 kids also.
All the best and good luck!

Hi we are heading to Ontario which part are you going to, have you all been to visit ? good luck with everything,
sue

Thanks I will. How far are you with the process? We applied in Jan 05, then didn't hear anything till January this year, then the process just speeded up, with medicals in May & Passport request in July. We are looking forward to landing April 08

We are looking at the Brampton area, this because we have family in this area.

We have been to Canada 3 times, the first time was back in 2001, and we thought yes we'd like to live here, but we would wait and come back to see after a couple of years.

Then we went in 2004, and had a look around, and said that we would definitely want to live in Canada, so we put the application in.

We then went last year and that visit confirmed that we had made the right decision. So now we're getting the house ready for putting onto the market.

When are you going?

Sam

same here Sam, not sure how the market is going at your end its very slow here at the moment, might even consider letting if oh gets a job first
sue

Hi Sue,

The market is slowing up here, and we need to get the house on the market, it's all frustrating! Just as we're about to make the leap.
But wife tells me to have faith, we've got this far...and I look back and think yes, she has a point there.

Sam

Hi Sam

The market is slowing down all over, but talk is there may be an interest drop all be it small, thats the word in the city lets hope eh, it always slows down in the winter, at least it gives us time to get the house up to scratch, am busy decorating from top to bottom and its a big house, its great to be focused on something though,

We are going out on a recci ( as they say ) in a couple of weeks all being well will book last minute because of oh work. hope to secure a job if not this visit then he will go again after the new year.

There is an american base nr us, they are crying out for houses to rent for there big wigs so might go down that path if its not selling by the time we go,

You did well with your visas time wise from what we have been told its now 3-4 yrs or more, we are nr the beg of pr thats why we decided to go down the job route, although that in itself can take months to get reading some of the stressed out posts on here, awful to think we could be one of them soon

Yes your wife is right keep faith you have done well so far fingers crossed for you all, let me know how you get on

cheers sue

hi Sue,

We applied Jan 05, and last year (Oct 06) we went to the Emigrate show held at York, just to look around really, and to speak with like minded people, and we came across this Canadian Immigration Lawyer.

Anyway started talking to this Lawyer, and he told us that CIC London hadn't started looking at the application, and that it could be at least 4 years...giving us the worst case scenario!
(Looking back I don't know if he wanted us to pass our file over to him)

We went away feeling a little down, and then started looking at the possibility of trying to get a job out there so we could get the process speeded up.

But then earlier this year we started receiving letters from CIC requesting Police checks, and wanting us to update our file.

So you never know, we went from feeling down, to excitement, over the space of a few months. Quite a rollercoaster.

If you need any information as how we went about the our process, let me know. i'd be only too happy to help.

Wish you the best in whichever route you take for applying.

Sam

Hi sam

Thanks for the offer of help, it must be great to be getting so nr to your goal,
When you recieved the letter to update your file, did you get the chance to add points, ie if you learn to speak French, or obtain more qualifications ?
I think i read somewhere that you gain 10 points for arranged employment, do you know or did you add anything, my husband speaks French but didn't put it down, also to help with living there our 6 year old and myself are having French lessons, which is quite funny as he is picking up much quicker than i am and i did it at school ( too long ago )
We are going down the job route i can't wait 4 years,

sue

Hi Sam,

Just wondering what sort of reaction you received from family and friends,
how did you tell them, i don't want everyone to keep asking about it all the time, so not sure when we should tell them.
having family there must be nice, our nearest are in Seattle and LA

cheers sue

Good news Sam, many congratulations!

I have family split between Cambridge and Hamilton, in Ontario.

I know it's easy to say but I'm afraid you'll just have to be patient on the house front - but it will happen.

Good luck with the house move in April 08.

Sue,

I was lazy, I wanted to (and should have) learn French, but couldn't get my act in gear!

I did however update my file, by enrolling for classes in Computer Networking, and various other courses.

My wife, also had the opportunity to attend various courses, related to childcare, as she is a Nursery Nurse, these too were submitted, to update our file.

Again I found that yes, once you arrange employment, you approach the CIC and tell them of your pending job, your points are increased. CIC then speed up the application, your file, is brought up to the top of the pile, so that they can issue you with a visa. But thats what I have found, I don't know of other folk's experience in this particular matter, as I said I didn't fully research it. It is worth pursuing though.

We thought about arranging employment, and getting out there, after the Emigrate show, and started looking at the process, But didn't fully research, due to time commitments!

Had we not have received a request for updating our file in January, I think we may have put more time into this route, as we were getting anxious at that stage.

Good Luck, with your research & decision, and please let me know how you get on.

Sam