Need Help about the best way to get to canada.

[diana6703]

I am a US citizen and my boyfriend is a Canadian citizen. I want to go live with him to further our relationship. What is the most efficient way to to go about this? I do want to eventually want to become a citizen, but I don't want to do it right away. He is able to get me a secretary job if we decide to do a workers permit.
If I go there can I file common law after 3 months of living together? or do we have to wait a year to file for common law?
How long can I live there before I have to leave, if I don't have a workers visa?

 

[scylla]

You must live together for a minimum of one full year to be considered common law. If your boyfriend wants to sponsor for permanent residency you sooner, then another option would be to get married. (Note that you must become a permanent resident before you can qualify for citizenship.)

Without a work permit or permanent residency, you can visit Canada but not live here. How long you are allowed into Canada is up to the immigration officer you encounter at the border. However as an American, you will probably be allowed into Canada for a six month visit. If you want to stay longer, you can apply to extend your visit.

To work as a secretary, your future employer will first have to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO). As part of this process your employer will have to prove that that role has been advertised and a Canadian could not be found for the role. You need to have an approved LMO before you can apply for a work permit. But since you are from the US, you can apply for the work permit at the border as you enter Canada (once you have both the job offer and the approved LMO).

Hope this helps.

 

[diana6703]

Thank you for your help, when can my boyfriend apply to sponsor me? Do we need to live together first before we do that? and does he Sponsor me as common law? or something else?

 

[scylla]

Thank you for your help, when can my boyfriend apply to sponsor me? Do we need to live together first before we do that? and does he Sponsor me as common law? or something else?

Before your boyfriend can sponsor you, the two of you must either:

1) Get married (spousal sponsorship)

OR

2) Live together for a minimum of one full year (common law sponsorship)

 

[diana6703]

We are also thinking about me applying for a PR; Do I need to have lived or worked there before I can apply or can I just apply? What goes into do that? I know you have to do paper work, interview, and a physical.