Work Visa Application - Interdependent Relationship

[Canadianscouser]

Hi there,

I am trying to find out about applying for work visa's from the UK to Canada and am very overwhelmed! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I am Canadian and my boyfriend is British. We have been living together for three and a half years, and I believe we would qualify for the status of an interdependent relationship.

We both live in the UK and have visited Canada twice together. We now want to spend some time working in Canada and so my partner hopes to apply for a work visa.

Will our relationship status have any positive impact on the likelihood of his application being approved? How much does it cost to apply for a work visa? Will the fact that my partner received a conviction for possession of cannabis (a long time ago, while he was a student) make it more difficult for him to be granted a work visa? Any general advice with regard to applying for a work visa and maybe even permanent residence?

Thank in advance! I greatly appreciate any advice!

 

[scylla]

How old is your boyfriend? Typically you need a job offer from an employer in Canada and an approved LMIA to qualify to apply for a work permit. But he may qualify to apply for a working holiday visa which allows him to obtain a work permit without getting a job offer first.

How long ago was the pot conviction? How many years?

If you have been living together for three and a half years then you are common law and can sponsor him for PR. Once his PR status is approved he would be able to work and live in Canada like any other Canadian.

 

[Canadianscouser]

Hey there Scylla,

Thanks for the quick reply! Really appreciate your knowledge!

He's 22 right now. The pot conviction was three years ago, while he was living in student residence.

So is a working holiday visa easier to obtain than a work visa? Also what is an LMIA?

 

[scylla]

Hey there Scylla,

Thanks for the quick reply! Really appreciate your knowledge!

He's 22 right now. The pot conviction was three years ago, while he was living in student residence.

So is a working holiday visa easier to obtain than a work visa? Also what is an LMIA?

Yes - working holiday visa would be much much easier since no job offer or LMIA is required. The downside is that working holiday visas are in very high demand (especially for those from the UK). Submitting a profile doesn't by any means guarantee a person will be selected. An LMIA is something an employer has to apply for in order to hire a foreign worker. It costs the employer lots of money and time - and most aren't interested in going through the process. (Google LMIA for more information.) If the working holiday visa doesn't work out - he would need to get a job offer in Canada along with an approved LMIA before he can apply for a work permit. Assume this will be very difficult to do.

However the first concern is the possession conviction (I assume it was simple possession and nothing more). You'll need to make sure he's admissible to Canada before you apply for anything. I don't believe cannabis possession makes you inadmissible - however you'll need to research to confirm. If for any reason he is inadmissible to Canada due to this conviction, he's going to have to wait another year and a half before he can even consider coming to Canada. But again, hopefully it won't come to that.