canada4home

Hey folks

I was in canada on a one year working holiday visa beginning in january 2010.
I had a couple of jobs and around september I got a job with a renovation comapany renovating private homes. The job we were on was to finish in december along with my visa the beginning of january. My boss had another job lined up with a house which would be an 18 month job. He said if this went ahead he would apply for an LMO for me.

On the recommendation of a friend there (who had done similar herself when she first went to canada) I applied to vegreville before my visa ran out to change over to a tourist visa, stating on the form that I wanted to change my status while I waited for a positive LMO application. I sent this off and having enough money to see me through with rent etc for 6 months if i had to, I stayed on waiting for a reply from immigration.

As it turned out the people who were getting the house renovation couldn't get funding and as a result my boss disbanded the crew for the time being. Telling me he would apply for me if it started up again. In the mean time I sent out hundreds of emails to jobs hoping to find one that would sponsor me.

Around june a letter was sent to my girlfriends house from immigration for me (we had broken up a few months before hand) and i didn't get it from her till july. It stated that my application to transfer to tourist visa was denied an 'if I haven't already left canada to do so immediately'. I left canada the beginning of august.

So now I am starting out on the road of working as a truck driver, I need two years experience driving before a company in canada will sponsor me.

Am I wasting my time dreaming that I will have a chance going back to canada to live and work. I understand that when i arrived in canada initially i made a promise to immigration to leave on the agreed date but failed to do so. Have I ruined any chance by failing to obey this? The only thing going for me is I wasn't frogmarched to the airport by authorities and left under my own steam.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Former Lancastrian

Seeing as you left and no removal order was issued you are ok to return though you maybe asked when you left etc.
As for the truck driving job there are various threads you can search or use the Wiki button on the top.
PS we dont frogmarch people we gently escort them in a Canadian type of way lol.

canada4home

Wow that is great to hear. So they will have a record of me leaving and will not have issued a removal order in my absence?

Also since I returned home it has been recommended to me that I return to canada for a two week holiday in the meantime to prove I'm not a 'stay without documents' type person. Is there any point in doing this or should I just carry on with my plans until I can hopefully get sponsored in 2 or 3 years?

Thanks again, it's a load of my worried mind, and great to hear you guys don't frogmarch as it would have been my only bad experience in that great country

Former Lancastrian

We wont have a record of you leaving unless you had your departure confirmed. Chances are the letter was just that, asking you to voluntarily remove yourself. Removal Orders are normally only issued if you have been formally reported or arrested.

Now obviously if you are returning then we can safely ascertain that at some point you left Canada but we would not know when you left and if indeed you were an overstay. I wouldnt worry about it if no removal order was issued.