christmasoompa

You've got it the wrong way round I'm afraid - he needs the job offer (and LMO) to get the Temp Work Permit.

Bottom line is that from what you've said, one of you will need a job offer to get a visa. So read the Job Hunting section of the Wiki, get out to Alberta and get job hunting!

Don't worry about fees as the only cost for a TWP is $150 at the moment, and as said above, you can't apply for that until you've got the written job offer and LMO in hand, so you can be pretty sure of being accepted by that point. Plus the actual move will cost a small fortune, so $150 is a drop in the ocean of immigration costs!

One other thing to check into, is whether or not beauty therapists are licensed in Alberta. I have a vague recollection that they may be a regulated profession, so you may need to sit exams to work there.

Good luck.

kazzikammy

See, no matter how many times I read the CiC website and the wiki section on here, am still baffled..... Roughly how much is it to immigrate? from start to finish? How long can someone stay in Canada as a tourist?
YA know I never thought about whether Beauty Therapists would be licenced or not, oh well... no biggie really, its something i can sort out and look into.

christmasoompa

Don't worry, it'll gradually become clear! If you re-read the section in the Wiki on TWP's then it will give you all the info you need on them and LMOs.

Re: cost, this thread may be useful - http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=735341

And a visitor visa is up to six months. There is also an article in the Wiki about planning a recce trip to Canada, including to job hunt. Perhaps a two or three week trip to try and get that all important job offer?

Good luck!

JonboyE

I think the general consensus is that it is between £20,000 and £30,000 ($40,000) to move a family after taking into account the costs of the visas, job hunting trip, flights, moving household effects, stuff you need to buy again in Canada, deposits you have to put down with landlords and utility suppliers, some transportation and so on. Of course it can be done for less but this seems to reflect the range posted by contributors here.

You don't seem to have and children and you are both relatively young so can maybe do without some of the home comforts for a while. A TWP doesn't cost much. If you don't have much stuff to ship over you can do it a lot cheaper. Maybe your husband's job may even come with some accommodation?

kazzikammy

We're coming over for a "holiday" asap (as soon as funds have cleared basically) And if it can be done, i think am comin back with the kids on my own (we have 2 young kids) and he's stayin out there job huntin (is that legal) he's a hotel manager, and we're trying to determine whether he's "wanted" out there or not?! Because am a beautician we've discovered I need to be licenced which is expense we dont need to start with, i dont mind doing shop/retail work.... as long as we're welcomed by canada i'll be happy
Thanks all who have helped us out

kazzikammy

well folks.....

After much discussion, we've decided that relocating to Canada will forever be a Pipedream!! There's no way we can raise the £35k+ that it will take.

Many thanks to all who have offered advice.

Karena x

james.mc

Well.... thanks for letting it be known all the same.

Are you sure it's a pipe dream?

If your husband could find work and get an LMO, TWP, once his salary starts to come through the family could follow. That would help lessen the impact concerning overall cost of moving all in one hit. There are a few families in the forum that have successfully done it that way.

Rick b

In terms of quickest there is a way that a lot of people here do not seem to mention straight away - and it often is not as expensive as it first sounds (and no it doesn't include PM'ing anyone to liase with them!!!)

Student Visa.

How it "could work":

You apply for Study Permit in a two year diploama, you have mentioned Alberta so lets say for ease at SAIT a college in Calgary. Because it is a designated College your Husband automatically gets a open work permit (no LMO and very few restrictions, none in hospitality anyhow) for the duration of your study permit which would normally be two years for a diploma.

Now as he is earning and you are but a student, he gets to use your personal allowance for tax purposes AND gets to claim back the vast majority of your study fee's. So although the $14,000 up front fees might seem a lot at first, if he manages to find a decent job (which to be honest is not that hard in Calgary) then your cost would be greatly reduced.

The best bit - if he on the open work permit gets a full time job offer in a certain NOC cat after working for the company for 6 months (or gets a full time job offer straight away and then works for them for 6 months) he can then apply for PNP which gives you both PR.

If that doesn't happen, not to worry - you would get a Post Graduate Work Permit for the same duration as your course and so during that 2 years, both of you can apply for PNP if you get a job offer in a certain cateogory.

It gets you in quickly, it is not that expensive and there is a viable route to PR. Check it out, all the info can be found on the CIC website.

christmasoompa

Or could just apply as FSW immediately rather than waiting 6 months.

But it's all a bit of a moot point if the OP can't afford the cost of moving, as tens of thousands of international tuition fees, and additional money in the bank for proof of living costs ($10k a year springs to mind?) would have to be added on top of that.

I agree that a study permit and SOWP can be a great route, but it's certainly not a cheap way in!