Hi all,

My OH is intending to secure a job and a positive LMO as way of entering Canada. I am however confused about the work permits and other documents. Is it correct that you can apply for a work permit and visitor visa at the point of entry as opposed to having to send paperwork off weeks before? Just when I think I have got my head around it all, something else pops up and confuses me!

With regard to proof of funds, is a bank statement enough? Do we need to get our common law union letter signed by someone here before we arrive at POE??

If anyone has entered Canada by this method I would be grateful for some help......please

Many thanks

Hi,

I arrived in Canada 2 years ago on an LMO and obtained my TWP at point of entry, all I had to show was my contract and LMO and answer a few easy questions.


As I had an LMO I did not have to show proof of funds on entry and my partner obtained a spousal TWP which is open so can work any where. The only thing you need is a way of paying the process charge which can be cash or card.

Do this at the border is so much quicker than by post in the UK and the Border agents are really nice and helpful.

We came thru Ottawa airport which is quite small.


Roger

Hope this helps.

For the common law part we just show a bank statement and the council tax bill from our old UK address.

Just incase you don't know.... The LMO takes about 6 weeks as the employer has to advertise the vacancy on the Job bank website for 4 weeks

Thanks Roger, very helpful indeed

Do you not need to submit the common law declaration then?

Thanks

We didn't but it can only help if needed, you never know!!

Where are you looking to go?

Roger

We are in the process of trying to obtain interviews so ideally within 6 months maximum. My OH has family already living and working in AB and are helping to source potential employers/companies!

How did you find the whole process of moving and settling in??

Well it wasn't to bad for us or I should say me, I was offered a job by a company here and they did the LMO for me.

I didn't have time to settle in as I was sent to China within 3 weeks of being here and didn't return until Xmas but my partner came just before I left and she found a job and made a couple of friends. People are a lot more friendly here!

The whole process went quite quickly, about 6 weeks to get the approval and then we planned from there. I went to Canada and started work and my partner stayed behind to finalize the house sale and arrange the shipping.

I think the most stressful part is the packing and shipping as you really don't know what to take with you. Shipping can be expensive so we got rid of all our furniture and white goods and just packed the things we really liked, it still came to £2000. When you arrive here you will need to state what items you are shipping and the estimated value

I found the TWP process easy, they are very helpful. You declare what you are doing to the border agent who then checks the LMO, they then ask you to go to the immigration office to complete the process which took us about 25 minutes.

When they completed ours they said ..... Welcome to Canada and we hope it all goes very well..... And then you are FREE

Every time I travel for work and return the border agents always say ... Welcome home... So much different to the UK who normally just ignore you and wave you on..

Roger

I have a couple of shipping companies visiting in the next few weeks to give us a quote but like you, we probably wont take much furniture or any electricals. I have said to my OH that if we do this, we all arrive in the country together so all the shipping etc will have to be arranged before we go. Our house will be handed over to my parents to sell on our behalf, luckily we have saving for which we can declare so if the house takes ages to sell it isnt too much of an issue. We will be living with the inlaws for at least 6 months all being well so will have an opportunity to save a bit more etc.

I am just waiting for the thumbs up

Good luck with the job/ interview part!!

Roger

Just a note as someone going through the LMO process now. The job only has to be advertised for 14 calendar days (although the companies immigration company is doing 20 days) and some occupations can get an Accelerated LMO (A-LMO) which only takes 10 working days.

Yep, they have changed the LMO process to speed it up. They are also changing the CEC process from 24 months to 12 months very soon.

Hi


If you read the Press release from Kenney, and read between the lines, I think that the 1 year skilled employment for CEC is only going to apply for graduates in Canada. probably still be 2 years for non Canadian graduates.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/departm...2012-09-14.asp