Coming to Montreal next week - 8/12

[KurtNYC]

Last time I came up I missed the blackouts (last summer). I'm partly vacationing (and love the food) and partly looking for work in Canada. Would love to hear from anyone who has emmigrated on how you did it. Seems like a catch 22 that you have to have a job first (or be rich). I do software development - programming and testing. And I'm a nutritionist. I have the points to qualify but no job/sponsor yet.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[iverglas]

1. alternative possibility (with addition)

NAFTA.

Here's a US source -- talks about the other direction, but the principles are the same:
http://www.americanlaw.com/computer.html
"Nonimmigrant Options for Computer Professionals" -- Computer Systems Analyst seems to be the only relevant occupation.

NAFTA provisions don't get you permanent resident status, but they do get you here and working.

The official line: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/nafta-alena/cross-en.asp

The big advantage is that you can have a contract rather than a job, in order to enter and work under NAFTA. That is, you can be self-employed, as long as you have a contract in place with a business in Canada. If you qualify in one of the NAFTA Appendix 1603 D.1 occupations (included at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade - DFAIT link), you might find a business more willing to offer you a contract than to offer you employment.


Meant to make the important point -- if you're serious, don't ask random strangers on an internet board for advice! I'm not quite a random stranger, having practised immigration law for quite a few years, but I'm out of the loop. Talk to a real immigration lawyer.

The ones in the first section at this link:
http://www.canadalegal.info/prov-ontario/lawyers-toronto/toronto-immigration.html
have huge experience in your type of case, and don't come cheap, although you'd be seeing a junior in the firm, who still wouldn't be cheap. But a consult would probably be worth it. Although none of them are lefties ("Bay Street" = "Wall Street"), they know their stuff. There is a very strong left immigration bar in Canada, and for that you want a Law Union member: http://www.lawunion.ca (roughly equivalent to the National Lawyers Guild in the US).

Of course, they're in Toronto, and if you're doing the non-NAFTA immigrant route and want to be in Montreal, you'd want a Quebec lawyer. On the other hand, you would probably have a better chance in another province if you don't speak French. If you like, I could recommend a couple of lawyers in Montreal or Toronto, privately.

It really is worth the price of a consult to find out whether you're wasting your time or not. If you are prepared with all your documentation -- completed applications, education and employment history, etc. -- you should be able to get a straight answer, at least from a reputable lawyer who is no more going to waste his/her time than waste your money on making a pointless application. If a reputable lawyer is of the opinion that you have a sound but less than ironclad application, it might also be worth having him/her handle it for you.

[KurtNYC]

3. Great info - thanks

I have been digging through government websites and sources but it seems hard to get to the more pragmatic info. So that helped, thanks.

[iverglas]

4. oops - we crossed in the ether

I added some stuff while you were posting -- just wanted to make sure you saw that too!

[metis]

2. check out Manitoba

http://www.gov.mb.ca/itm/invest/pnp-b/qualify.html

[Frederic Bastiat]

5. Some knowledge of French is necessary

I emigrated to Montreal 2 years ago, great city and people but you really need French to enjoy living and working here trust me even though you might constantly hear to the contrary.

Canada is a bilingual country but the City of Montreal is not, go figure. I know of people that can't speak the language and they really don't get the full package.

You can send me mail and I will try to respond asap.

[gula]

6. Here is a link to the government's site

http://www.cic.gc.ca/

Things have sure changed since I immigrated 30 years ago (Ouch).

Montreal is a great place to live. I compare it to an old slipper. It may have holes in it but you just know that you will never find a more comfortable pair.

If you want to meet while you're here, drop me a line.