mich1s

you are here and you just basically stay. obviously YES i'm aware this is illegal. but i hear of stories where people in the US have had whatever waived and allowed to remain and OFFICIALLY be americans. is there a similar situation possible in canada whereby - if you actually remain IN the country for a certain amount of time, let's even say that this is self financed and you haven't actually WORKED so there is no issue of you dicking the canadian tax office for owed money...is there a time period beyond which you actually have certain rights? almost in the same way squatters had rights lol

what actually HAPPENS to all the people who DO disappear in canada. are they eventually found and deported? is arrest something that befalls them?
or is there no actual way of telling what might happen to you should you eventually become "known" to the canadian government.

i apologise for the large amount of posts by me on this forum in such a short space of time, i hope i'm not breaking etiquette but i really haven't been able to find information specific to these situations. any help is greatly appreciated.

thank you,

michael

Andrew Miller

What you are talking about was an immigration amnesty in US - long ago and will not happen again any time soon. It was never such a thing in Canada and you may stop dreaming about it.

Those found illegally here are deported and banned for years from Canada.

gooding

What would you do for work? What if you needed health care. You cannot get a job (legal) without a SIN number, or health care.

I used to live in Australia, and a friends lodger did exactly that. he could do fruit picking and that was that , and spent most of his time on the move. That is no life, having to look over your shoulder all the time. Howe would you leave the country at anytime? The would take one lok at your passport and you'd never get back. It would be like being a prisoner in Canada. That may be alright for a short while but you'd get caught eventually.
If you can't go through the legal channels, then I do not think it is worth considering. If you ended up having children, and were found out. I would have thought you may face deportation with or without your child!

May look good for the short time , but look to the future. You'd have a criminal record if caught, and possibly not allowed anywhere but home country.

You would need a hell of a lot of money to not work the rest of your life, and if you have that amount of money to start with you could get into Canada legally through the right channels.


QUOTE=mich1s]you are here and you just basically stay. obviously YES i'm aware this is illegal. but i hear of stories where people in the US have had whatever waived and allowed to remain and OFFICIALLY be americans. is there a similar situation possible in canada whereby - if you actually remain IN the country for a certain amount of time, let's even say that this is self financed and you haven't actually WORKED so there is no issue of you dicking the canadian tax office for owed money...is there a time period beyond which you actually have certain rights? almost in the same way squatters had rights lol

what actually HAPPENS to all the people who DO disappear in canada. are they eventually found and deported? is arrest something that befalls them?
or is there no actual way of telling what might happen to you should you eventually become "known" to the canadian government.

i apologise for the large amount of posts by me on this forum in such a short space of time, i hope i'm not breaking etiquette but i really haven't been able to find information specific to these situations. any help is greatly appreciated.

thank you,

michael[/QUOTE]

mich1s

thanks both of you. wasn't planning on trying that - ESPECIALLY having been schooled on the realities of it! lol - but seriously, i was quite curious as to what does happen since of course at this moment there are many illegal immigrants in canada and the us, etc.

cheers,

michael

mich1s

actually while i'm here....another curiosity....

i've been here for a year almost now and the lady i spoke to on immigration said that because of that i can apply for my permanent residency slightly differently - i have to confess i've forgotten what she said in detail and neglected to write it down since i was concentrating on something else i rang her for.

but my question would be - i noticed that one of you is an authorised immigration lawyer, now - if i wanted to apply to stay - since i have to apply from outside canada and i can't just sit here in canada and wait for my application to be approved - what good is an immigration lawyer in canada. or is it the obvious that i would deal with them FROM england?

thanks,

michael

gooding

I am sure Andrew will explain. But if you look on the CIC website you will see that you can only use immigration consultants that are approved and I think by the immigration department. These have to come from within Canada since changes in the rules. I also believe if the Candian offices have UK based offices you can use them, but best to look on the immigration website as to what they say.
The world is a much smaller place these days and my mail from Canada comes quicker to me in England than from some places locally.

If you do not have a straight forward case or even know which catergory to apply under then I think you would have money well spent to use a immigration specialist. Something must have prompted you to ask your first question?
If you have a lot of money that you could invest in Canada, or Canadian business then there are other catergories you could apply under. All is on the CIC website.
if you have been there a year how? are you a student? or did you renew a 6 month tourist visa?

QUOTE=mich1s]actually while i'm here....another curiosity....

i've been here for a year almost now and the lady i spoke to on immigration said that because of that i can apply for my permanent residency slightly differently - i have to confess i've forgotten what she said in detail and neglected to write it down since i was concentrating on something else i rang her for.

but my question would be - i noticed that one of you is an authorised immigration lawyer, now - if i wanted to apply to stay - since i have to apply from outside canada and i can't just sit here in canada and wait for my application to be approved - what good is an immigration lawyer in canada. or is it the obvious that i would deal with them FROM england?

thanks,

michael[/QUOTE]

amancharan

[/QUOTE]
i am sure andrew would help u! ask him and he will tell u wat he can do fr u!!

mich1s

[/QUOTE]

ok - here is my kinda weird situation. firstly - the year visa that i had was a special program from an organisation called BUNAC www.bunac.org who specialise in placing students in year long work placements in Canada and the US. They also extended the program to NONSTUDENTS, however - for these people - it's a ONE-OFF offer. a non-extendable, non-renewable open work authorisation.

now, i'm not rich by any means - but i am a self employed musician and i find it is far more economical to work in london for a period of time, get paid and then holiday rather than have to pay london's extortionate rental and living costs.

so while i had an open work authorisation for a year - i didn't apply for it for that reason. i merely got it so i could have a year hassle free rather than 6 months hassle free. i have many friends over here and in america and it's just nicer being closer to them all and i get to see them all a lot more than when i was in england. every moment that i'm in canada - i'm not earning a penny from canada and am purely living off monies earned in the UK before i came. as soon as i'm running low, i zip off back to london and do a few more jobs and then come back with more bread for a few more months. i'm sure this sounds highly unorthodox, but i was just planning on continuing to vacation here and explore the country, spend some extended time with my canadian and US friends and basically just soak up a different atmosphere than the rat race that is london.

as far as applications go - i've checked it through and i should be applying under the self employed category of a person involved in cultural field. i've now learned that such an application is given priority which was encouraging. and that one of the prime requirements is that you have the intention, ability and means to create a work opportunity for yourself. along with my years of experience in the industry, i practically doubled the required score needed. so the actual application itself isn't a problem. i do have to get around to doing that. my only slight problem is that i'm waiting for a big enough payment so that i can pay the fees and then afford to have the required funds needed sitting in a separate account so i can't use them.

the lady i spoke today when i finally got through suggested that can technically keep renewing my 6 months authorisation indefinitely. i basically just need to demonstrate that i DO have funds that will be able to support me for the duration of my stay. the only thing that would stop me coming in is actually at the port of entry if the officer in charge doesn't like what he's hearing and decides to deny me entry - which of course CAN happen.

i'd like to apply for a permanent resident card -i really like it here. but on hearing the stories that it takes years to process, i didn't want to not be able to visit over until my application was accepted.

i'm not sure of how that would work logistically, which is why i was looking at possibly continually renewing my 6 months. even if i get a permanent card, i'm not going to be working here. just living here instead of paying extortionate rent in london - even when u factor in flights back to london to work 2-3 times a year - it's STILL cheaper being on vacation here.

michael

mich1s

ps - like all the other cool people who've been giving me their time and energy to answer, just wanted to thank you guys too.

gooding

The self employed route may be right for you I would have thought.and all you believe about the customs guy is correct. But I do not think you can put a time on how long it will take, you need funds at the beginning of application, in theory you could spend it all again during. But you will need to show proof of funds again at end of application and on landing. They don't have to sit there all the time. BUT you will never know when they may process your application, and ask to see them again, coul dbe a few months could be years.
Why not live 6 months in USA and 6 months in Canada. Problem is where would you get application sent to? Unless you used a lawyer.

ok - here is my kinda weird situation. firstly - the year visa that i had was a special program from an organisation called BUNAC www.bunac.org who specialise in placing students in year long work placements in Canada and the US. They also extended the program to NONSTUDENTS, however - for these people - it's a ONE-OFF offer. a non-extendable, non-renewable open work authorisation.

now, i'm not rich by any means - but i am a self employed musician and i find it is far more economical to work in london for a period of time, get paid and then holiday rather than have to pay london's extortionate rental and living costs.

so while i had an open work authorisation for a year - i didn't apply for it for that reason. i merely got it so i could have a year hassle free rather than 6 months hassle free. i have many friends over here and in america and it's just nicer being closer to them all and i get to see them all a lot more than when i was in england. every moment that i'm in canada - i'm not earning a penny from canada and am purely living off monies earned in the UK before i came. as soon as i'm running low, i zip off back to london and do a few more jobs and then come back with more bread for a few more months. i'm sure this sounds highly unorthodox, but i was just planning on continuing to vacation here and explore the country, spend some extended time with my canadian and US friends and basically just soak up a different atmosphere than the rat race that is london.

as far as applications go - i've checked it through and i should be applying under the self employed category of a person involved in cultural field. i've now learned that such an application is given priority which was encouraging. and that one of the prime requirements is that you have the intention, ability and means to create a work opportunity for yourself. along with my years of experience in the industry, i practically doubled the required score needed. so the actual application itself isn't a problem. i do have to get around to doing that. my only slight problem is that i'm waiting for a big enough payment so that i can pay the fees and then afford to have the required funds needed sitting in a separate account so i can't use them.

the lady i spoke today when i finally got through suggested that can technically keep renewing my 6 months authorisation indefinitely. i basically just need to demonstrate that i DO have funds that will be able to support me for the duration of my stay. the only thing that would stop me coming in is actually at the port of entry if the officer in charge doesn't like what he's hearing and decides to deny me entry - which of course CAN happen.

i'd like to apply for a permanent resident card -i really like it here. but on hearing the stories that it takes years to process, i didn't want to not be able to visit over until my application was accepted.

i'm not sure of how that would work logistically, which is why i was looking at possibly continually renewing my 6 months. even if i get a permanent card, i'm not going to be working here. just living here instead of paying extortionate rent in london - even when u factor in flights back to london to work 2-3 times a year - it's STILL cheaper being on vacation here.

michael [/QUOTE]

mich1s

i think i will use a lawyer once i'm ready to properly commit to this application. i think i'm only gonna do it once i have the funds secured that i KNOW i can leave them. it's only 'cause of the chaotic way i earn money, i can't budget so i know i have to have a large enough amount that i can leave the settlement funds there. once i can - then i'll apply.

mich1s

i could live in canada for 6 months and US for 6 months??? how the heck would that work?? i didn't even realise i could do that. that IS an interesting idea. i have friends in buffalo nearby who drive up to see me. that could be a possiblilty

any more info?

cheers,

michael

Biiiiink

I thought the US visa waiver entitled you to a max of 90 days in the US?

gooding

I take it you are a British Citizen?
The Usa and Canada, usually allow a british citizen to visit on a tourist visa for up to 6 months at a time maximum. I travelled around the world staying between 1 year and 6 months at a time in countries with no problems. ( I did have work visa for Australia, but nowhere else.
It is up to the customs and immigration people if they let you, as always.
You would have to prove you have enough money to live on, did not intend to work or look for work as this is not allowed. I also think they would need an address you can be contacted at so as to keep a check on you. I only had post boxes at various places! But if you had a freind willing to vouch for you and put you up they may be more willling to let you stay.

You could also leave the USA and go elsewhere, for a few weeks then return again.
You will be at the mercy of customs all the time, and they may not believe you and could refuse. I also have friends who went for 6 months to USA, and wanted to stay longer, and asked to increase their tourist visa stay, they had more than enough money and could prove it, and immigration said yes.
Many people have holiday homes in Florida, from UK, and stay for this length of time. They go elsewhere for a few months or back to UK, then return. They don't need to work.

They would want to know why you wanted to stay that long. If you said it was to visit friends and tour the country like I did then they would probably be OK,

If they felt as you were self employed you may try and get work cash in hand etc, they may not let you.
If it was to "take a year out " and maybe write songs, compose music, for example, then that may be more plausible.

As long as you do not intend to anything illegal, there is nothing wrong with this. Many people do it. However if it was a retired couple with no need to work they might accept it more than a young single person who may look as if he had no steady income for 12 months and may go busking on the streets??

Also if you wanted to study any course that takes less than 6 months you do not need a study visa for Canada. if you could find a course that you fancied studying for 6 months and they accepted you then you could also stay for that long. It has to be for more than 15 hours a week to be classed as fulltime.
If you wanted to study for longer you could apply for a study visa, if you want to pay for it. College courses etc are expensive.This could get you in legally for up to 3 years, or until your visa is processed.

Just ideas anyway.

mich1s

gooding, very good ideas. thanks for the food for thought

it's making me more optimistic about my chances for temporary readmission. though i've decided that since i do want to stay here - at some i WILL have to apply obviously, and an immigration lawyer seems to be a sensible thing to go for.