DatenThielt

Good morning All,

My partner has been accepted to go to University for a 2 year course in Toronto, her visa has been accepted and she will start on the 3rd of January (Assuming everything goes fine at the border). I would like to join her out in Canada and have received 2 different offers to go in for interviews with Canadian Companies for Software Development.

The current plan is to pay for 2 months worth of room rental, go there on the eTa on the 28th of December with her, and then go to the interviews and potentially get accepted, if not continue to look apply for interviews for a month. During this time I will continue working for a UK company if there are no issues with that?

If I get accepted for what would be the process, would I need to immediately apply for a work permit in order to start? Is there anything above that could cause issues?

My Partner is coming from Macedonia (we met at work party!)
I am coming from the UK as a UK Citizen

Also as far as I understand it, even though we have rented an apartment for over a year in Macedonia, because we have only lived in it for 6-8 months in broken up period the common law partnership would not apply either.

Any help or advise is greatly appreciated!
Thanks
-Ash

christmasoompa

Hi, welcome to BE.

No issues at all assuming it's a job that a Canadian couldn't do. So as long as your company doesn't have Canadian offices, then that's fine.

Once you've got a job offer, then your employer will start the process of applying for your LMIA. This is to prove that they cannot find a Canadian willing, or able, to do the job. Takes around 3-4 months to get, once you've got the LMIA then you can just get your work permit at the airport when you arrive in Canada (or apply via a visa office, but obviously takes longer).

You're not by any chance aged 30 or under are you?

Yep you need a year of continuous cohabitation to qualify as her common-law spouse.

HTH, good luck with the interviews.

DatenThielt

Thank you for the answers so far Christmasoompa!

Someone mentioned to me that there is a International Mobility Program, Is that something to look into as well or is that not a good option for what I am looking todo?

Thanks again! got 2-3 interviews lined up now so its looking good, but I'm afraid the LMIA requirements might push them away!

Looking forward to your response

christmasoompa

Depends whether or not you qualify for it. How old are you?

DatenThielt

I'm 30, 31 in march

christmasoompa

Ah, then possibly. There is the IEC visa (part of the mobility program mentioned), which is for those aged 30 and under which would get you a two year open work permit.

The bad news is that this year's program has already closed (there are only a certain number of visas available each year), the good news is that next year's might open before March. Unfortunately no guarantees, it's opened as late as April before but also as early as October, all you can do is keep an eye on the website and hope that it opens and you can get an ITA before you turn 31.

That's the only category under the IMP that I think you'd potentially qualify for, but you can check out the rest here just in case - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...lity/open.html

HTH.

DatenThielt

Thanks again Christmasoompa,

I will keep the post updated once I have moved forward in the process, Looking at this list it might be the only one (Getting old apparently still does not make things easier!)

Cheers
-Ash

christmasoompa

You'll also get less points under EE once you turn 31 too……it's a slippery slope.