Best way to move to Canada

Canada Immigration Forum (discussion group)


 
       
Subject: Best way to move to Canada
  Hi,

I live in Panama, Central America, and I have been considering moving to another country looking for a better quality of life for me, my wife and my newborn daughter. I am leaving aside all questions related to the immigration process, and just leave the ones you may help us out with a hint or two.
First of all, my original plan was to visit Vancouver before doing any other immigration move. We chose that city as our potential starting point mainly for its bearable climate and cosmopolitan city life.
For that, I understand I need a visitor visa. But then again, I am so seriously considering moving in, I feel I should apply for a permanent residence right away.
Here are the questions:
- Do you think it is a good to first get a visitor visa, fly over and meet the city, and then try to apply for the residence? Wont it be more expensive or will it still be more advisable?
- I am a Software Engineer with an MBA with marketing emphasis. My wife is a dentist from Bogota. We have been married now for 6 years. Do you think Vancouver is a good city to start considering our professions?
- Is it ok to have two ongoing visa applications at the same time? of should I wait for visitor to be approved (if i decide to do both) before I try to apply for the permanent residence?

I am not sure but I haven?t found anywhere I could have these questions resolves, so I am relying on you for a hint or a guide on who to ask

Thanks again and have a good day,

Victor Hugo


[29-12-2007,13:00]
[***.226.4.81]
VICTOR H. Torres
(in reply to: Best way to move to Canada)
It sounds to me that you´re unfamiliar enough with Canada to feel the need to visit. If that´s the case, I would visit Canada first. The immigration process is a long one, and requires much patience. You should already be in a frame of mind that Canada is with certainty where you want to move and live when you apply for permanent residence. If this is lacking, then a comprehensive visit should be done first.

The other point is that you and your wife don´t need two separate permanent residence applications. One application covers the family, in your case you and spouse.

As afar as Vancouver, others here especially Sharon can advise.

[29-12-2007,13:22]
[**.47.168.9]
Richard
(in reply to: Best way to move to Canada)

Hola Victor,

You cannot immigrate to Canada on a visitor visa. I got the impression that you want to get a visitor visa and once you are in Canada you want to apply for a permanent residence.

Unfortunately that is not how it works. Permanent resident application are processed outside of Canaday, ou are going to have to apply from the Canadian Embassy located in Gutemala who is in charge of your region for permanent residence status.

Here is the website:
http://geo.international.gc.ca/latin-america/guatemala/visa/skilled_worker-en.aspx

I would recommend you to search about what is like to live in Canada and see if Vancouver is your best fit for your background. You may also look what it takes to obtain a license to practice engineering in the province of BC and also the licensing requirements for your wife.

Either you or your wife can be the main applicant under the skill worker category and the other as a family member. From Gutemala is going to take about 2 years under the skill worker category. (I just met a guy from Costa Rica who immigrated to Canada)it took hom about 1.5 years.

You may also visit

http:www.cic.gc.ca

Adios and buena suerte

Bill

[29-12-2007,20:54]
[**.65.0.48]
Bill
(in reply to: Best way to move to Canada)
I didn´t get the impression Victor wanted to visit and immigrate to Canada at the same time. I think he was looking for timing advice regarding visit vs. apply right away. Maybe he can clarify.
[29-12-2007,21:16]
[**.47.168.9]
Richard
Best way to move to Canada (in reply to: Best way to move to Canada)
Thats right. I am not planning to stay with a visitor visa, but I was thinking either to apply for the visitor visa first and then after my visit, apply for the PR visa, OR if i could send in both applications at the same time (assuming that one will come out sooner than the other).

It is good to know how long the process takes though. If you think I can, I would rather do both applications at the same time (my concern is that immigration may think as you did: that I will try to stay with a visitor visa) but all I want to do is cut the time off as much as I can.

Thanks for the advice, I didn´t know you need a license to work as a software engineer. I will find more about that.

I do have another question about all of this.
Every time I do the preevaluation, I notice it asks about having a preassigned job from the HRSD of Canada. Is this something available to someone like me? and how can it improve my chances to be accepted?

[30-12-2007,11:52]
[***.226.4.81]
Victor
(in reply to: Best way to move to Canada)

Engineering is a regulated profession in Canada that is why you need a license.

Here you can find out about the licensing stuff.

Http://www.apeg.bc.ca

If you find an employer that is willing to hire you and your profession and skills are in high demand then your employer may seek for a job comfirmation from HRDC.
It will give you an extra 10 points in your application if I am not mistaken.

If you and your wife are experince professionals with no criminal record and in good health you have a good chance
to be approved as an immigrant to Canada.

I don´t think that sending both applications is good idea but I might be wrong on this.

Each application is analyzed using two completly different criterias. Once you send your application for PR and then for visitor visa, you are going to have a hard time convincing the Canadian officer that you have no intentions to stay in Canada once you enter the country.

I think doing your homework about what is the best province to get started according to your skills, housing, weather adaptability, licensing is a good thing. Then plan a visit, you may visit some organizations to find out if they are recruting and what does it take to be hired, make some appoinments to see if there are chances of being hired once you land in Canada as an immigrant all that may increase your chances of succeed in this country.

These are just my thoughts. Happy new year 2008.

Cheers

Bill

[30-12-2007,15:07]
[**.65.0.48]
Bill
Best way to move to Canada (in reply to: Best way to move to Canada)
Thanks a lot!
I have a pretty good idea of how to proceed now. I´ll do my research and hopefully may help others based on my experience too...

Happy new year 2008 for you too!

[31-12-2007,10:21]
[***.115.140.58]
Victor
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