Kittykerr

Hi! I'm new here, I'm Cara and I'm living in Herefordshire and feel i'm in a very strange situation. My partner of 7 years (We are 23/24 now and are childhood sweethearts) is a permanent resident of Canada, all his family have been in Canada for over 5 years now and emigrated from The North West of England.

My partner and I are currently living in the U.K but are planning on Moving to Canada as soon as humanly possible. My partner has not been in Canada for the 2 years out of 5 due to the fact that at the time of his parents emigration he was young, stupid and in love with me (silly huh?!) and was super keen on joining the Calgary police service / Canadian Armed forces, but his application was declined, however an application in the UK was accepted and he has been an officer here for the last 5 years gaining loads of experience, he is in the process of applying to the calgary police once again.

After writing and visiting the Canadian embassy in London they agreed that it was a special circumstance and he was still able to keep his PR, though in his passport it only allows 1 entry to Canada, which concerns me as we are going to Canada to visit the family on the 13th of January, there he is also going to see the Calgary police regarding his application, the embassy were aware of this visit, so why did they put that he was only allowed 1 entry?! Very confused and a little concerned.... We are both So eager to become Canadian residents and to be with the rest of the family, and for them to help with the hew baby (Oh Im 3 months pregnant at this time... and hope to bring our child up with his or her grandparents to hand! )

Anyways... thats our background.


Basically I have loads of questions, most of which have been answered after searching on here!! which I thank you all.

One thing - We currently own a flat here in the UK, after the sale of the property, the likelihood of having a huge sum of money to put towards a mortgage in Calgary is getting smaller as I tott up the cost of moving.

However we are lucky enough to have family who have a large plot of land on which we could build our very own home.... Has anyone here done this?? Built theyre own home in Canada... is it very difficult?... time consuming.?.. expensive? I'm actually a professional in the building trade here in the U.K so have a vague idea of cost... But other than that I'm stumped!

Would appreciate a response, and maybe a chat with anyone else in similar circumstances... I'm so excited about a new Life In Canada, can hardly contain myself, the UK just doesnt come close!


Thanks

Cara xx xx

Kittykerr

Hmmm, probably should have put this in the meet and greet bit. Soz

iaink

Lucky Him, thats pretty rare! Because its a last chance i suspect, they have basically given him a "go over" to go land and meet the PR requirements again. Unfortunately its only for him not you too.

He could perhaps go as a visitor and not use his "one entry" on that occasion, as some people do after getting there PR visa through. Does it have an expiry date? The one entry thing is the standard PR type visa AFAIK.

Its pretty rare for this to happen though, I would ask an expert like Andrew Miller in the immigration area.
Once hes over there again Im guessing he will have to do the spousal thing to sponsor you. Preganancy complicates it because the kid will need papers too, but you cant do that in utero, so there will be a delay unless you get over and live with him and deliver the kid in Canada.

If you come to canada while hes sponsoring you then you wont be able to work until you have approval in principal and can get an open work permit until PR is confirmed. If you stay in the UK waiting for sponsorship, then the kids arrival will slow things down.
Lots of demand for construction in Calgary / Alberta = Long delays and great expense Im afraid. Good Luck, lots of chatty sorts around here

Kittykerr

I'm expecting to have the baby in Canada god forbid anything should happen between now and then (i am a bit of a worrier). And be sponsored By my partner. Hopefully with the help from the family in Calgary I will be able to get back in to work very quickly. So will obtain a work permit, and as there is huge demand for construction in Calgary I'm hoping that my job will be sort after! Im a QS with experience with a large building company here in the UK, I have had conversations with companies in Calgary already regarding jobs and even working from home... I understand that networking and being very chatty and almost 'in your face' with employers in canada is the way forward, I wouldnt like to call myself pushy, but I feel its the only way forward! Its not what u know but who u know apparently!

Ive heard that importing modular buildings from the US seems to be a good way of self build at the moment (although an alberta log home would have been my 1st choice), and as the US dollar is in our favour ATM maybe I should be looking there?!

iaink

I would focus on the pitfalls of immigration and actually getting here, getting sponsored, having the kid etc before worrying about work and finding / building a home Even modular homes need someone to finish them, and there is a real shortage of workers to do that. It could be that a smallish job is far harder to get done than a ground up new build. Thats bad if you are trying to build a home, but good if you are looking for work as networking becomes less important in a hot job market.

First though you need to figure out exactly what the it is he was given by CIC, and then whats involved in sposoring you in a timely enough manner that you can deliver the child on Canada while avoiding potentially very large non resident health care expenses that you wont be able to find insurance for with you happy preexisting condition.

Kittykerr

Whatever happens, I remain optimistic!!!

It surely wouldnt be possible / ethical for my partner to be a permanent resident and his very own child not eligible for residency in Canada. His family are more than willing to put us up in they're home, thankfully they have room! In fact they are in the process of developing they're basement as we speak ready for our return to canada in 2 weeks! I forgot to mention that my partner and I spent a year in canada in 2001, where we both worked, whilst he was waiting to get in to the Calgary police force.

Anyways, I guess I will have to wait until our return to sort things out!!

I honestly believe we have a lot to gain and to give by moving to Canada. We both have well paid good jobs here, but as I dont have family, I feel we would benefit hugely from being with family during this period in our lives. And that means moving to Canada!

iaink

You would think...but it happens all the time if you screw up the application.

As far as PR for the kid goes, if its born outside canada it WILL need a seperate application , even if you have just been granted PR yourself. Happens all the time, just browse through the immigration forum here.

Dont assume common sense has anything to do with the process. Its a jungle out there!

Kittykerr

haha! thanks for the words of caution... Grrrrr I thought it was only this country going mad?!?!

looking forward to a few weeks of snowboarding lessons... although 3 months pregnant, im desperate to get some kind of lesson as during my last visit i nearly horrifically injured a bunch of teeny kids at the bottom of the slope... I still wince at the memory...

Alberta_Rose

The visa for landing as a permanent resident is a "single use visa" ...... after which you can come and go with a permanent resident's card which you should get a few weeks after "landing".

Did he "land" with his family to start with but not get a permanent resident's card?

They also issued me with a single use visa when I had to return to the UK before getting our PR cards, to finish selling the house, and my PR card was sent to my hubby here in Canada.

Once your partner has established himself as a permanent resident here, I think he can sponsor you under the spousal class .... but I do think this whole thread should really be moved to the Canada immigration part of the site, where the "experts" lurk, for more definitive answers.

Almost Canadian

Unless I have totally misunderstood the situation, I think the OP needs to have a look at this thread http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=415240

as, it seems to me, he is stuffed and he is only being let back in to be told he no longer has PR.

Maybe Mr Miller can throw some light on it.

I really do hope I am wrong

Kittykerr

hi, this is scott, the other half!!

quoting the last poster who said i would only be allowed in to then be told im no longer a PR i dont think this is the case at all.

as when i was applying for the travel permit the chap from CIC in london actually phoned me and said he was happy to arrange it so i could come and go a few times to sort out finally moving there. he was very positive about the whole thing and said he would need to make it so i can re enter Canada a few seperate times as i explained that i could not stay on this first trip as i would need to return to the UK to sell my house and the rest.

he was also explaining ways for Cara to come, and he actually came up with positive suggestions on how to get round the problems we would face.

im hoping that as they have agreed to reinstate my PR status on compassionate grounds, which they have as i had to send lots of evidence to prove my reasons for being out of canada etc, when i return to canada for the 3 week trip i should be able to pick up a PR card to then allow me to come and go a few more times before returning for good.

so im fairly positive, especially after the man phoning being so positive and saying thats what he wanted for me.

Kittykerr

scott again, just had a reply from london and they said i can apply for a PR card whilst im there for 3 weeks. and if it doesnt arrive in time i can get a further multiple use travel permit whilst waiting.
so all seems good.

iaink

If you have a british passport and the ROLF or IMwhatevernumber form then you really dont need to pay for the travel document. Your british passport means you dont need a visa to visit, so getting on the plain is no problem, and the visa form is proof of status. Pr card is really not a necessity for those with Visa waiver passports, the card was really intended as a simple proof of status for airport worker without access to the CIC database so they could weed out those who would be refused entry and have to return at the airlines expense.

Biiiiink

Edited: Have now read CIC blurb and what you say makes perfect sense, previous post no longer relevant.

Links for anyone else interested - See #18 for compassionate grounds - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kit...s/IMM5524E.PDF , http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/applica....html#wp295202

Alberta_Rose

It sounds like CHC are on your side, so good luck with it all, and good luck with the Calgary police (tell them to stop chasing me ..... I was a very good safe and careful driver in England but coming here has changed me!!!!! )