lifeisgood

Ok....

So from the reading I've done I gather that unless you have an offer of employment it could take ages for you to secure a way of entering Canada, especially with regards to Permanent Residence.

Now I know a lot of people on here have entered on a temporary work permit, but you need a job offer before you can apply for this? Or have I got this incorrect?

I might have this all wrong and be stressing over nothing anyways...but...

I want to come over on the Skilled Workers/PR route and I am an elementary teacher. It will be no problem to get my teaching certification transferred over, but can't apply to get this done until I have permission to work in Canada. I can't apply for any teaching jobs that I've seen unless I have permission to work in Canada first - also need the certification transferred over before I can apply.

So I can't go for the TWP route as I can't secure employment first without a work permit....so as a bit of a catch 22 I think the only way I can go for is the PR route which could take forever, especially as I still won't be able to secure employment until I have that in hand.

My husband is an artist and a youth/community worker - would we be better putting him as the main applicant?

Is it worth us even trying to emigrate to Canada or will we just get our application chucked out? Sorry about the confusing post as well - it's a bit of a ramble!

lifeisgood

Oh also meant to say we don't mind waiting a few years for our immigration, as we're not in a rush. Ideally would like to move over in 3-4 years or so, but don't want to apply and wait and wait if we haven't got a hope or prayer iyswim?

Thanks again!

kiton6

You should wait till later this autumn firstly to see if your occupation will be identified as one of those in demand and therefore on the immigration minister's list. If it is then you would be able to apply via the SW route. If it is not then it would be difficult to go via the SW route.

lifeisgood

Will do - thanks very much!

christmasoompa

This Wiki article about teaching in Canada may help a bit...........http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Teaching_in_Canada

Good luck.

Paul Wildy

If you want to move to Canada on a temporary work permit you need a joib offer first to get the permit.

The only ways you can move to Canada without a job offer up-front but still have the ability for at least one of you to work (so not just both as visitors)that I'm aware of are:

- as someone else says above if your occupation is on the new priority processing list (not released yet) then you could apply as a Skilled Worker (you also need to meet the points score etc)

- if you want to settle in Nova Scotia and believe you can establish some connections to that community before you apply then there is the NS PNP Community Identified Stream

- if one of you fancies going back to being a student then you could enrol on a course in Canada and enter Canada on a study permit. If your husband (for example) came on a study permit you could apply for an Open Work permit (so its not tied to a particular employer and also you can have the work permit without needing a job offer first (which makes it easier to get the job sometimes). Plus, after you have studied/worked in Canada for a bit* on temp permits you could apply for PR under the Canadian Experience Class

* "a bit" - you need 2 years of working on a temp work permit or to have graduated from a Canadian uni and worked for at least 1 year.

lifeisgood

Ok, looks pretty grim. Now obviously we'll need to wait on the new lists coming out, but on this website I see couple of categories that either one of us or both have adequate work experience in within the past 10 years.

http://http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/wor...couplist.shtml

British Columbia
4142 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
4212 Community and social workers (both currently working in this category)

Alberta
4212 Community and social workers
6241 Chefs (husband is a qualified chef, and could get positive references)

Nova Scotia
6241 Chefs

We have enough points, so that should hopefully be one less barrier to cross....so am I right in thinking that if the above stay on the new list we can apply for the SW route through one of the above and at least have a chance?

I've had extra training to qualify me to teach in Lutheran schools (private religious schools) and have already contacted them to see if that's an avenue I can go down at all. The Lutheran school systems in Canada and the States has a good working relationship, so hopefully that will prove to be a possibility of securing employment, and then possibly going down the TWP route?

Might have to think about the other suggestions people have offered as well. Thanks very much for all your help, it really is much needed!