Annabel

I am hoping to move to Canada to be with my Canadian boyfriend. Is this easier than the skilled worker route? My concern is if the relationship fails in the future, would I still be able to stay in Canada?

iaink

You will need a stronger relationship than boyfriend to make it stick.

Once PR is granted if the relationship fails you are still a PR, but there will be financial obligations that were commited too, (basically means that any benefits that need to be paid outover that period, will eventually come out of your spouses pocket through the tax system) but I suspect a lot if the detail can be found in the bit on spousal or conjugal partners on the official www.cic.gc.ca immigration website, as well as from people here who have gone that route. Its certainly quicker than skilled worker, but not without its own pitfalls in proving its a genuine relationship.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/sponsor/faq-spouse.html

Souvenir

Having a Canadian boyfriend is, frankly, of little relevance. The only time that relationship will be of any value is when you make your skilled worker application and can say that there is someone in Canada that can support you. You still need to meet the skilled worker criteria, regardless of that.

Almost Canadian

Are you sure that this is correct ? I thought that it was possible to be sponsored by boyfriend - so long (as Iaink) has said it is possible to prove that the relationship meets one of the specified criteria

Souvenir

I can't be absolutely sure, no, but logic dictates that a mere boyfriend relationship probably doesn't count for much. Start showing evidence of a long-term relationship (joint bank accounts etc), then maybe.

Merely saying "I have a Canadian boyfriend; let me in", well, it's a bit of a huge bloody loophole, isn't it?

iaink

The thread title did say "partner" which is a different level of euphemism to a mere boyfriend.

Snave

But isn't the OP effectively asking about Spousal or Common-Law sponsorship? The "sponsor", in this case her Canadian boyfriend, must promise to be able support her for three to ten years after PR is granted. Unless I'm mistaken.
And, for sure, Spousal PR is quicker, cheaper and easier than skilled worker.

Souvenir

The downside is that you have to live with the broad.

Biiiiink

Exactly, if you say "boyfriend" in an immigration sense you'll be jumped on and told boyfriend/girlfriend doesn't qualify. I loathe the word "partner" but it has to be used for clarification in these forums.

Snave

I take your SO doesn't check BE.com often, eh Souv?

pkc

NO, it is absolutely, categorically NOT possible to be sponsored by a boyfriend/girlfriend - I say this as a Canadian who filled out sponsorship papers to sponsor my (then) boyfriend to Canada. We met all the criteria of the conjugal partner info, had been together for 4 years, could prove all of that - but naturally Mississuaga sent the appl back stating we didn't meet the criteria. (Well, really we did meet the criteria they just didn't write up the criteria to mean what they wanted it to ) It's been long enough now that I can't remember the situation if you've been living together for years and just aren't married, but if your situation is just that you're boyfriend/girlfriend, it's definitely not doable. We just put everything on hold a year, got married in England not Canada and here we are. I don't suppose you can get him to agree to a wedding?....

jandro

If you've been living with your boyfriend for some time then you should stand a good chance of being sponsored for PR as a common-law partner. In your application just show as much evidence as possible proving your a couple-joint bank accounts, photographs of you on holiday etc. That's what I did for my 'girlfriend' with whom I had been living with for several years in the UK. She got the VISA in about six months.

I'm not sure what happens if you split up once you arrive. I do know that the sponsor is supposed to be financially responsible for the sponsored person for three years to prevent them from leaning on the government for assistance. It's turned out otherwise in my case with her supporting me whilst I am unemployed.

MarkG

Provided you've lived together for at least a year and can prove it. If anyone could sponsor you that way, I'd have been in Canada years ago.

The easy solution is to get married, otherwise you'll be sitting in the skilled worker queue with the rest of us.

dbd33

I'm in the process of sponsoring my partner/girlfriend through immigration. We started on this in May 2005 and expect to have a decision by Christmas of this year. It's certainly possible but the criteria are quite stringent and the process seems interminable.

Souvenir

She doesn't even know about it.