ldoughty

Hello all,

New around here, but have been getting a lot of useful insight from the forum!
I'm looking for some advice on what might be the best visa route to take for permenant immigration/ citizenship to BC, somewhere around summer 2021.
My loose idea currently is the apply for Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Worker Programme - However, I am quite aware that it may be a much simpler process to apply for an IEC visa, secure a job, and then apply for Permenant Residence once I am already there (with a higher CRS score because of having a job already?)
I currently score 70 on the Federal Skilled Worker Programme scores, and 470 on the CRS scores.
I work as an Aircraft Engineer in the UK. Unfortunately my skills and qualifications don't transfer directly to a licence to practice in BC, but I have found a part time course that I can do between now and then which puts me eligible to practice as an apprentice and work towards a licence that way, which suits me enough.

Any advice, or thoughts/ comments would be much appreciated!

Liam

scilly

Hi, welcome to the Forum. You've come to the right place to get help.

First question I would ask as you mention the IEC route .................. how old are you now/ will you be in your hope of getting here in 2021??

The upper age limit for the IEC visa is 30 for English, 35 if you happen to be Irish.

ldoughty

Hey Scilly!
Thanks for the reply - I'm currently 25, so I'll be 27 in 2021.
Interesting that the Irish have a different age agreement (unfortunately doesn't benefit me, but that shouldn't be an issue).

Engineer_abroad

ldoughty

My role in the UK is the equivalent of an AME, but in the Royal Navy, so because all of the training is done in-house, my qualifications (NVQ2, I believe equivalent to a High School Diploma in Military Aircraft Engineering) don't actually get me very far when transferred to civilian, and then to Canadian as well. (So arguably, more akin to a mechanic?)
What has been suggested previously is that in the time between now and summer '21, I can do a Transport Canada approved AME course online, sit the final exams at the end of the course in Canada, and then be eligible to work as an apprentice towards full AME-M licence.
Worth mentioning that I do have an Undergraduate Degree, which has helped my points, but it's not in the field that I currently practice in.
From what I've seen online through the EE website, I am eligible on all aspects, but I think I would appear quite low down on the CRS ranking (although, still within the acceptance bracket)
My main concern with choosing a IEC over an EE is the potential to be employed in apprentice role, if I am only on a working visa that is eligible for 2 years. IE taken less seriously as an applicant because I'm not a permenant resident? Whereas going for EE, I think I'm low on the rankings because of not having an offer of employment? (So in my head, although maybe not in reality, it's a vicious circle. But I appreciate that this may all just be in my head...)

Thanks!

*Edit* While it is in my head as well, my work experience as an Aircraft Engineer comes under skill level B on the NOC, and by the time that I leave, will be over 4 years of experience, so 13 points towards the FSW score?

christmasoompa

Not sure why you think you'd be low down on the CRS ranking if you're scoring 470? At that level you'd have been invited to apply for PR in every draw this year bar one (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...-previous.html), So if you're sure Canada is where you want to be and you meet the other eligibility criteria, then I'd personally apply for PR via EE as soon as possible.

Good luck.

ldoughty

I hadn't seen the previous invitations before - what a weight off my mind! Thanks for sharing.
So just for my curiosity, as the application is yet to be formally started (although I have my IELTS this month, so will then be able to get a better idea if that changes anything on the rankings), does Summer 2021 sound like a reasonable timeline from the end of this year/ Start of next year? 18 months start to finish (ie. application going in, to me being in canada - even if under Dual Intent).

christmasoompa

Absolutely fine. Have you got your ECA yet? If so, and you submit your app as soon as you've got your IELTS back, then mid 2020 onwards would be my best guess for you getting PR, you don't need to leave it as long as mid 2021 unless you have a reason to wait.

ldoughty

I haven't got an ECA yet, so I'll get straight on with that. And my mid-21 date is because of restrictions due to my work commitments here. Good to know that it is plenty of time to get everything sorted though!
With my degree, which hopefully holds significant weight for my application as FSW - is it likely to be an issue that my work experience, and current work, is different from the degree which I will be using against the ECA?