# Visiting or immigrating to Canada as a skilled worker - few questions



## 321 (Apr 7, 2011)

Forgive me for the multi-volume dissertation below – if you know the answer to one or two questions vs. all of them, please contribute. 

I am a citizen of a country in Eastern Europe residing in the US on a work visa. I’ve applied for permanent residency here through my employer as well as through one of my relatives, though ready to move on from my current job and be self-employed (online business). I’ve got about 3 years left worth of wait time to wait for permanent residency through either channel, although that’s what it was 3 years ago – the line it seems is not moving at all due to more (?) people applying and US potentially setting more limits on number of permanent residency visas they give out. So I’d rather not wait another 2 to 3 years just to find out that the line is now 5 years! 

My thought is, while I wait for permanent residency to come through my relative, I can wait it for it in Canada as a visitor/student (I do not need to acquire employment while waiting as I have some savings to live on) or apply for permanent residency in Canada using the self-sponsorship point system, as the wait times seem shorter, though I’m confused regarding a few things:

1.	What is the difference between the “Federal skilled worker” designation and “skilled worker” or are they the same thing? My profession is not on the list of "federal skilled workers".

My Profession it is Skill Level B, though (technical occupations and skilled trades), and is listed in National Occupational Classification list, and I have scored more than the 67 points on the self-assesment test.

2.	I’ve taken French in college, and I think I can pick it up relatively fast, but it may take 4 to 6 months of French courses to become relatively proficient. To better my chances, can I indicate on the self- sponsorship application that I am “moderately proficient in French” before I take the language test? Or does the language test have to be submitted with the permanent residency application?

3.	I am considering applying for permanent residency first, then applying for a visitor visa to leave US and come into Canada, then change it to a student visa (French language school). Is there any flawed logic here? Will they let me in on visitor’s and then change it to student’s visa even if they know that my intent is to become a permanent resident?

4.	Would it be better to do #3 above in reverse? That is – apply for a visitor visa first, then a student visa, then permanent residency?

5. Is it true that after getting a visitor visa they generally stamp it with allowable visit time of 6 months per visit for a multiple entry visa? And if I stay six month, is there an amount of time I need to stay out of the country before I can reenter again? If I re-enter again, after the first stay being 6 months, is it likely that I’ll be able to re-enter again for another 6 months?

6.	Is it better to apply for permanent residency while inside Canada or from US? Which way is faster?

Thank you for your help!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

321 said:


> Forgive me for the multi-volume dissertation below – if you know the answer to one or two questions vs. all of them, please contribute.
> 
> I am a citizen of a country in Eastern Europe residing in the US on a work visa. I’ve applied for permanent residency here through my employer as well as through one of my relatives, though ready to move on from my current job and be self-employed (online business). I’ve got about 3 years left worth of wait time to wait for permanent residency through either channel, although that’s what it was 3 years ago – the line it seems is not moving at all due to more (?) people applying and US potentially setting more limits on number of permanent residency visas they give out. So I’d rather not wait another 2 to 3 years just to find out that the line is now 5 years!
> 
> ...


Good Luck.


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## 321 (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks for the quick response, Auld! Do I understand correctly that you do not need to be on the 29-profession "federal skilled worker" list to apply for permanent residency in Quebec? Sounds like as long as you speak French, your profession is Skill level A or B and is listed on the NOC list, and you can get the rigth amount of points on the self-scoring test, you qualify to apply, correct?


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## 321 (Apr 7, 2011)

Also, if I was to apply for a student visa, visitor's visa or permanent residency, and I live in the US and not a permanent resident of it, but a citizen of my home country, would I apply to an office in the US or in my home country?

If in the US, which office do I apply to?


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