Road To Canada Forums

I've recently returned from Vancouver after a two week holiday to visit my girlfriend, who's a Canadian citizen. We've decided that we wish to live together and set up home - she already has a home in Vancouver. I therefore have a million and one questions that I can't find answers for on the CIC website.

1. As a UK citizen, I'm aware that I can only stay in Canada for a maximum of 6 months as a visitor. If the requirement for "common-law" partner sponsorship requires that a couple [quote] must have been living together in a conjugal relationship for at least one year in a continuous 12-month period that was not interrupted. (You are allowed short absences for business travel or family reasons, however.) [unquote].........how can this be achieved with a 6 month limitation?

2. I'm a musician working on cruiseships, and am placed by a Canadian company in Montreal. If I came to Canada to be with my girlfriend on a "one-way" ticket, would the CBSA officer accept a signed and dated contract to fly out of Canada to join a ship as an honourable intention to leave Canada within the permitted 6 months stay allowed?

I should add that I work a 4 month work, 2 month break rota, so I would only be "at home" in Vancouver for 2 months at a time.

Thankyou in advance. :)

Well, first of all, Vancouver can't be "home" until you're a permanent resident. Your gf can sponsor you for permanent residence - but only after you've established a common-law partnership (that you can prove) or you get married. Unfortunately, it sounds like the nature of your career, combined with the 6 month restrictions on legal stays in Canada, might make it a bit difficult for you and your gf to establish a common-law relationship and you really need to be careful on any trip into Canada to facilitate that relationship that you don't mention that you're entering to live with your gf so that you can establish your c/l partnership so that you will be eligible to apply for permanent status. Immigration officers have been known to take exception to that and deliberately misinterpret it as your intent to use the relationship to qualify for permanent status, instead of the other way around.

As far as I can see it your work could be an advantage to you, in order to navigate the 6 month rule we just went on holiday together to the US. Although the border officer did look at us strange when we returned but nothing serious and filed for PR a couple of days after we could 'prove' a joint life (Bank Accounts etc.) for 12 months.

I would suggest you start a paper trail ASAP and whenever you come back to Canada you are just visiting when asked never mention 'Girlfriend' and always put your UK address on the form you have to fill in before you go through customs.

When you apply for PR the 'You are allowed short absences for business travel' could be used, it is just the nature of your work' make sure you keep a trail of correspondence during your separation.

The problem I see is that, after a year of "living together" - with your job you guys would spend approx 8 months apart & 4 months total together.

I'm not sure if CIC would acknowledge being apart 2/3 of a year as "short absences"

you may have to give yourself a longer period to validate the CL status.