Hi all. Well we have been to and returned from BC for our recce trip, have enjoyed raking in the scenery and other half has met up with prospective employers. Delighted that he has been offered jobs with 2 companies - however, now trying to work out the next step.

We know he has to apply for a work visa/permit but I’m not sure exactly which as I understand there are different options. It has been suggested that he could get a 2 year permit whereby he would have to remain employed by one employer for that 2 years until/if PR is obtained when he would be free to work anywhere and for any employer in Canada.

We know at least one of the employers has a positive LMIA, so now need clarification on what he needs to do next. He is not at all internet savvy, so it’s always up to me to research and find this kind of stuff out for him. I want to ensure I get the right information for him, hence posting here. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance 😊

Can you give us more info - his age, the job(s) and the province?

Likely that the potential employer will need to obtain a new LMIA, but if you can give a bit more info we can try and help.

Yes of course, thanks for the swift response. So the work is in Forestry, mechanical logging to be precise. In BC. Both of the potential employers do European style logging which is pretty niche over there and both are totally unable to recruit anyone from Canada to do this type of logging as the vast majority use a different method. The jobs these employers take on require the European style logging, hence the LMIA approval. However the current LMIA is only valid until the end of this year I believe, do they are looking to get someone in post before then.

He is 53 years old which I realise goes against him somewhat, but he has been advised this shouldn’t be a deal breaker. We are also told, I would be able to obtain an open work permit as his partner/common law wife or whatever. I am 47 with a background in admin type roles within the healthcare service, hoping this is correct.

OK, so if one employer has unnamed LMIA then that's going to be the quickest and easiest route, as long as you get over there before it expires. He simply needs to apply for a work permit using the unnamed LMIA as well as things like his employment contract/job offer letter. The work permit may not be for 2 years, it can be for anywhere between 6 months and 3 years, but 2 years would be fairly standard. His age doesn't go against him at all for a work permit, it may do for PR though, so if you think you may want to stay permanently I'd look at PR options now rather than move and then find you're not eligible.

Whether or not you can get an open work permit will depend on the exact job and the NOC code for it (this is assuming you're his common law spouse i.e. have lived together for a year or more as husband and wife, and can prove it).

Good luck.

Brilliant, thanks for that, really helpful. I will get him going with the work permit application and I will look into PR options straight away if his age could be a factor there.

As for myself, I can prove being common law spouse for the required timeframe. We have lived together for 16 years, have 2 kids together and have jointly owned our home for several years so that should be sufficient.

Thanks for the speedy and super helpful info.

That should definitely suffice then!

He could apply for the work permit at POE, personally with an unnamed LMIA I wouldn't take that risk, and presumably with 2 children you'll want some time to get prepared before moving anyway, so I'd apply via London and give yourself 8-10 weeks to sort everything whilst you wait for the work permit to come through.

Definitely look in to PR options, it would be awful if you moved (particularly with kids), and then couldn't stay long term.

Best of luck.

So he was thinking to go himself initially and work for a few months to make sure he was happy with the job etc before moving the whole family over. Would he be able to do that do you think?

Yes, absolutely. You can follow on when ready.

Good luck.

You mentioned applying at POE, is this something he could do if heading over on his own initially? I’m assuming this would be much quicker than applying here via London? Or do you think it would be too risky?

Thanks.