Hi,

We are very seriously considering a move to Canada. We are 4, me, my wife and our 2 kids (3 and 6 months). I will be the primary money earner as my career is more developed.

I have done a couple of self assessment tests online and it would seem that I have passed the points requirement. I am seeking some advice on the following couple of points, if someone would be kind enough to help...

1. If I have enough points, do I need to look at the provincial occupations list, or could I move anywhere I chose in Canada? What impact would that have on the application processing timescale?

2. We are thinking of moving in about 3 years, when the fixed rate on our UK mortgage ends, when should we apply for permanent residency or temporary work permit? If we begin the process now, how long is the visa valid for?

Thank you in advance for your help. Oh and my wife wants to know if clothes and shoes are cheaper in Canada than the UK?!

thanks
James

Yes @ Costco/Walmart

No @ your local downtown boutique store/Robson Street type emporium de fashionista.

Welcome to the forum James.

Might I suggest some reading?

There is an excellent Wiki which will answer many of your questions.

Here's a link to it. http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Canada

Hi and welcome!

This Wiki article may well help you understand just how useless those 'self assessment tests' are............http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Self-A...nt_Test-Canada

Your best bet is to have a good read of the Wiki (on blue bar at top of page) which will explain everything to you - pay particular attention to the 3 articles on the first page as they are essential reading for any newbie.

Good luck!


Oh, and from what I can gather from others on this forum and from what I remember from my various trips to Canada, your wife might have to forego a taste for fashion! It may be cheaper (although don't know as it's been a while since I've been there, the cost of living is said to be about the same but don't know if that includes clothes) but choice of clothes is not good! High fashion it ain't!!

Hello, James, and welcome to the BE forum.

Points mean bugger all. Read Self-Assessment Test-Canada.

Essentially, you need pre-arranged employment to get in. And, to get pre-arranged employment, you have to pay close attention to which regions have labour shortages and which occupations are in demand. See Occupations under Pressure.

These are your realistic options:

• Apply for a temporary work permit, which you later can upgrade to a permanent residence visa if you get a permanent job offer, OR
• Apply to one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), a process that culminates in a permanent residence visa.

It doesn't have any impact on the timescale. It's the difference between getting in and not getting in.

Here is a Wiki article called Immigration Timeline-Canada. That article addresses the person who is applying for a temporary work permit (TWP). But, in very broad brush strokes, the timeline would be similar for the other realistic option, which is obtaining permanent residence via one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

If you apply for a TWP, it generally will be issued for the length of time for which your employer's labour market opinion (LMO) is valid. If your employer is given a two-year LMO, for example, your TWP likely will be valid for two years.

If you apply for PR via the skilled worker route without pre-arranged employment (a path that has gone the way of the dinosaur), you have one year from the date of your medical exam to "land" in Canada and activate your PR status. Once you are a PR, you have to spend a cumulative total of two years out of any five year period in order to maintain your PR status.

If you apply via one of the PNPs, the process will culminate in your getting PR status. But you usually have to sign an agreement to spend X amount of time in the province that nominated you. The exact requirements differ from province to province.

Even if you want to move to Canada three years from now, I think you should come to Canada on a recce trip in the summer of 2009. You can spend the time between now and then figuring out where your occupation is needed and doing other relevant research. This will help you to narrow down your possible destinations to a short list.

Read the Canada section of the Wiki, especially the four articles to which there are links at the top of the screen on the main page. I consider a reading of those articles to be critical.

They most certainly are not; they are more expensive. And the hair cuts in Canada are ugly too. And the television is poor. And the cheese is expensive. Well, let me save myself the trouble. Read the thread entitled What don’t / didn’t you like about Canada?

Hope that all helps.
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