Boyfriend immigrating - ne help how to

[Evarowles]

Hi,

I'm a Canadian citizen, born and raised here. However, I am dating an American whom I've known for a while. We did the distance relationship and therefore have not lived together and can't claim common law. We would like to live together and go to the next phase, but for him to move here, he needs to be able to work here. He is semi-skilled/unskilled and just needs regular work. Applying online for a work permit makes him ineligible and would rather not rush into marriage just so he can work and we can live together.

Is there anyways to obtain an opened work permit or temporary residency for this type of situation? Or perhaps there are some sponsorship options that aren't common-law requirements? It is something where permanent residency is aimed at, just not immediately.

Any suggestion?

 

[scylla]

Re: Boyfriend immigrating - ne help how too

If he wishes to work in Canada, he'll need to find an employer first, that employer will have to obtain a Labour Market Opinion (prove no Canadian could be found for the role) and then your boyfriend will have to apply for a work permit. He doesn't qualify for an open work permit and there's no temporary residency that would fit this situation.

There are a number of sponsorship options that don't require common law / marriage (he would apply to immigrate on his own). However the options are limited for semi skilled / unskilled workers. He would very likely have to obtain a permanent job offer in Canada to qualify to immigrate. You can read more about these programs here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/apply.asp

If he's aiming for PR, just not immediately, then I would suggest the work permit route is the best way to go (again, first step is finding an employer in Canada who is willing to offer him a job).