Newcomer with some questions!
 

Hi all! My husband and I currently live in the UK, we would like to move to Canada when I've completed my BA degree in 3 years (mature student with OU) we have 2 young children and I'd like to move when they're both school age (no chance of me moving with a toddler!) I just have some questions. My husband is a panel beater in autobody repair. I believe that's a skilled trade eligible for EE. But is it easier for him to find a job and get a work permit or would it be better for us to go through an immigration company/lawyer to get PR and then look for jobs, because I want to work too part time. With an offer of a job, do we need to have proof of funds that's so many $$$$? I have lots more but we'll start there! :lol: reason why we're looking into it so early is because we want to start saving as much as possible for that end goal! I've wanted to move Canada since I was 19 so it's always been my goal, thankfully now it's my husband's too!

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

The first thing to remember is that EE is a collection of multiple immigration programs including FSW, CEC and FST. Each of these have there own eligibility criteria. You will need to check against the routes to see if you qualify. Based on your post this is likely to be either:
FSW: or https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...d-workers.html
FST https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ed-trades.html

Check these and see which you may qualify for. Qualifying allows you to enter the pool of applicants but selection from the pool is based on your CRS score. This can be calculated here:
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) tool: skilled immigrants (Express Entry) - Note it will ask for English test results so just assume max points for now (not to hard to achieve with some practice).

To be selected for FSW you would need around 450. For FST it is lower but as you will have seen from the criteria either a job offer or provincial certification is required. A job-offer must now also be supported by an LMIA meaning that the employer must apply for permission to hire the worker and prove that they are unable to find a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident willing or capable of doing the job in Canada.

Take a look at the links below and let us know what you find and we can help from there.

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Hi, thanks for those.

As my husband being the main applicant we scored 525, with me being the main applicant we scored a bit higher at 540. They seem quite low? We'd be FSW as both of us have class B jobs, my husband has 11 years experience and I have 9 currently. I assume I got more points as I did mine as if I'd already got my degree (his education stopped at college NVQs) as I won't be going anywhere until that's done! I assume if there was a job offer we'd have more points. Would this be the route to go down instead of a I'm immigration lawyer/company? Any other advice welcome too. I have family in Canada but they're cousins and my uncle, shame they're not brothers clearly 😂

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Just to add to the above, you almost certainly do not need to " go through an immigration company/lawyer to get PR". The vast majority of people do it themselves. All the information is available online. If you qualify, you don't need help, if you don't, hiring a lawyer won't change that. A lawyer would only likely be helpful if (1) you have extreme difficulty reading English or French instructions, or (2) you have a very complicated past involving multiple marriages, children with a total of 3 or more parents, you have several past citizenships in countries with military service obligations, etc etc.

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Those are both exceptionally high points, and would basically guarantee a drawing in short order. Are you sure you calculated correctly? Most people are in the 400s (or below). it's possible, but normally you'd need things like multiple advanced degrees, as well as bilingual fluency to get a score that high. If you really do score that highly, you can enter the pool whenever you like and be confident for an invitation shortly after. Recent drawings are around the 440-445 mark.

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Those scores are excellent. You'd be invited to apply for PR almost immediately I would imagine. That's without even having a job offer to boost your score. Not wishing to sound negative, but I'd double check your calculations before getting out the Blue Nun. If, however, that score is accurate, you're home and dry; no lawyers required!

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Agree with those above these are abnormally high, not impossible, but far in advance of what we typical see. Might help if you post the breakdown of the scores.

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Nope, it was definitely my bad! I read one of the questions wrong!! The score was 442, I read the Canadian work experience one wrong! It's been a long day. Is that somewhat average then? Please tell me I still have a chance :( I was struggling to attach the screen shots but here's the text copied. Again, any advice welcome! It's not just a dream for us it's literally been my goal for years now, only until recently has it really come up in more serious chats. Success stories would be nice :rofl:

Core/Human capital factors

• Age = 100
• Level of education = 112
• Study in Canada = undefined
• Official Languages = 128
  • First Official Language = 128
  • Second Official Language = 0
• Canadian work experience = 0

Subtotal - Core/Human capital factors = 340

Spouse factors

• Level of education = 7
• First Official Languages = 20
• Canadian work experience = 0

Subtotal - Spouse factors = 27

Skill transferability factors

Education

• A) Official Language proficiency and education = 25
• B) Canadian work experience and education = 0

Subtotal = 25

Foreign work experience

• A) Official Language proficiency and foreign work experience = 50
• B) Canadian and foreign work experience = 0

Subtotal = 50

Certificate of qualification = 0

Subtotal Skill transferability factors = 75

Comprehensive Ranking System formula

Subtotal Core/Human capital + Spouse factors + Skill transferability = 442

Provincial nomination = 0

Job offer = 0

Study in Canada = 0

Sibling in Canada = 0

French-language skills = 0

Subtotal Additional points = 0

Grand total = 442

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

That's much more realistic. The last draw was dead on 442, so that's definitely in the ballpark for an invite, but you will need to eg study taking practice language tests, since a lot of people who are native speakers *don't* get the highest grades if they just try to breeze through (I tried taking a sample test for fun once - the audio was a long passage, and then an ambiguous-sounding question about one tiny part of it). At the top you said you'd only get the points for a degree in 3 years, so you did do the age calculation based on then, and not now? (just that you talked of having 9 years work experience, but you've got the points for age 20-29, so again this is possible, you're just in a narrow band of getting your max points for both education and age).

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Yes I changed my age to 29 which is how old I'll turn once my degree ends! I'm hoping my English tests will be quite high, I'm unsure about my husband though! How are the tests done and how is best to practice? Online?

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

The tests are done at a test centre, and yes, online practice is recommended.

Tbh, if you're eligible now and scoring enough then I would absolutely apply now, no way would I risk leaving it. By the time you have finished your degree you may find that the whole system has changed and they've re-introduced the list of eligible occupations (it used to be only those in 29 jobs qualified for PR under FSW, and there was no FST program at all), or some other change that impacts you negatively. I wouldn't recommend you leave it in case you find you're no longer eligible when you are ready to move.

If you applied now, then you could drag the application out to a year or so, then once you do get PR you have almost 4 years before you actually have to move anyway, so works within your timeframes.

So personally, I'd get cracking!

Good luck.

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Thank you for your reply! I would assume my points would go down though since I don't have my degree yet, meaning I may be even lower in the points system? I mean, I'm more than happy to start the process but I would just worry about that, it bugs me I can't have my husband as the main applicant, his job is more in-demand than mine and he works full time, I dont! Unless I do just get him to do it and hope for the best :confused: it's hard to get my head around what the best route is!!

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Ah, I see. Yes, you would score less without the degree. If you don't work full-time then are you sure you can claim points for work experience? Only full-time skilled work counts for points purposes.

Your husband can be the main applicant, but what's his score?

A job being in demand has no bearing on a PR app btw, unless of course you need a job offer to get a visa. But from what you've said, you won't need that (unless of course the whole system changes as I fear!).

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Good point! 3 of those years were full time, 3 part. My husband scored less than me at 421 but that's with top marks for his English tests which I don't even know he'd get! Obviously less if he gets less than top lol. I'm thinking a job offer may be the only way to boost the points a bit. It's a little below average but atleast still in the 400s... (Trying to stay positive here! :o )

Re: Newcomer with some questions!
 

Hi

1. I really think that you should go over your points again. Without Canadian experience nor a certified job offer, I think that it is almost impossible to read 525.