8. Get married
Being the spouse of a citizen is one of most foolproof ways to immigrate to Canada, as long as the marriage is legit. The immigration office will be checking in on your relationship for two full years, and if you split with your spouse in that time, you won’t be granted permanent residence.
You may marry your partner either within Canada or in any other country, but the process for gaining residency is slightly different if the marriage took place elsewhere. Same-sex marriages are handled the exact same way as heterosexual marriages, provided that gay marriage is legal in the country where the wedding took place.
7. Call on a family member
If you have a spouse, partner, parent, grandparent, or sibling that is a Canadian citizen, they can sponsor you for permanent residence. If granted, you’ll be able to live, work, and/or study in Canada indefinitely.
Now, part of the deal is that your sponsor agrees to support you financially if necessary, while you agree to do your very best to support yourself. Since money issues between family members can be touchy, be sure you know what you’re getting into if you go this route.
6. Go to school
For a roundabout path to permanent residence, consider studying in Canada. There are lots of great schools to choose from, but do try and pick one in the province you hope to live in long term. Usually you will be required to stay in that province after graduation to work.
A job offer is necessary in order to stay long term, but you’ll be way ahead of the pack in that regard due to your Canadian education. You can also work part time during school, but that experience does not count toward any IEC residence streams.
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