# US engineer wishing to get Permanent Resident status in Canada



## epilobium (Nov 19, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping for some help. I'm a Canadian living in Canada, but I am trying to help my significant other (SO) move to Canada to live with me. He is an American citizen living in the US. He has extensive employment experience as an electrical engineer involved in building design. He does not have a job offer yet.

Here are some options that I see for him:

1. Find a job and enter under a NAFTA visa then seek PR status during that time.

2. Apply to immigrate under the Federal Skilled Worker program. The official site seems to indicate that an application can be made even if there is not yet a job offer, but when SO filled out their questionnaire it didn't seem like that was the case. Does anyone know?

3. Apply to immigrate under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (Strategic Occupations - Skilled Workers) program.

Any recommendations as to how he should proceed? Are there any serious barriers to living here under a visitor visa while looking for a job?

His English is excellent, but he was not born in the US and he has a slight accent. Will he be required to take the official language test?

Thanks in advance for any guidance that you can offer


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## Stargazer (Jan 10, 2009)

I don't know what's best, but we did #1. That would be the quickest way to get him here I think. Has he been applying for jobs? 

I believe many people apply for PR from their home country without a job offer. That may take longer, I'm not sure.


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## epilobium (Nov 19, 2011)

Stargazer said:


> Has he been applying for jobs?


Thanks Stargazer. He has been checking out the job options here but not applying yet. He is thinking about what direction to take his career in.


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

Are you married? Living together for more than a year?


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## epilobium (Nov 19, 2011)

G-Mo said:


> Are you married? Living together for more than a year?


No, a serious long-distance relationship.


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

epilobium said:


> No, a serious long-distance relationship.


Is there a reason you can't live together in the same country? Can you not get a visa for the US?


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

Hi,

Just had a thought....


He can go to Canada with a tourist visa and stay there with you for 6 months if I am not mistaken please check.

Once he goes back to US stay a week there and go back again. If the officer asks why he is returning, he just tells the truth. I am in a relationship. The officer might refuse entrance but unlikely. After completing a year of relationship and this is confirmed through your friends he is allowed to apply for immigration on the grounds of common partner. You will sponsor and take care of the process

Or he just stays there and forget the tourist visa (but try to extent call Canada border to find out how to request an extension) and stay there with you until you two complete a year of relationship and apply on the grounds of common partner. You need to live a year together...long distance relationship is a NO NO

Very important: The immigration allows your partner to stay in Canada during the course of the application regardless whether his visa had expired..


In the meantime he can also look for jobs while in Canada with a tourist visa, not a problem. Electrical Engineers are secured under the NAFTA agreement so getting a job is preferred as NAFTA will allow TN status...then he can work out the PR process after having couple of years with a work permit.

Good luck


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

Canuck_Sens said:


> Just had a thought....


Of course, they can't work for that whole year and while the visa is being processed, so, up to 2 years+.

If possible, it's better to apply as a conjugal partner if you can show there is a reason you could not live together but can prove your relationship.


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## epilobium (Nov 19, 2011)

G-Mo said:


> Is there a reason you can't live together in the same country? Can you not get a visa for the US?


For various reasons, I have to live here. He is arranging to move here but obviously he will need to have a work permit and have a plan for living here long term.


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## epilobium (Nov 19, 2011)

Canuck_Sens said:


> In the meantime he can also look for jobs while in Canada with a tourist visa, not a problem. Electrical Engineers are secured under the NAFTA agreement so getting a job is preferred as NAFTA will allow TN status...then he can work out the PR process after having couple of years with a work permit.


OK, that is good to know. That seems like the most logical course of action.


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