Please help me and answer some questions regarding Canadaian citizenship!!

Fiona59 · Oct 31, 2005

Sounds like the guy's going to try and claim refugee status. I'm not to sure of all the entitlements, but refugees are entitled to health care and support.

To obtain citizenship, you have to apply to legally reside here and I think its currently three years before you can apply for citizenship. As an immigrant there are certain criteria you have to meet and arriving here penniless and wanting it provided to isn't one of them. Right now there has been a lot in our media about family sponsorship which basically allows immigrants to bring over close relatives and they are legally responsible for their financial support. Some of our provinces want this category disallowed because of abuses similar to those planned by your friends man. Bring over aged parents, under educated siblings, promise to provide for them, and all of a sudden whoops, they need welfare because the sponsors situation changed. I've seen this happen in BC which has a large Asian population. Our country had to change the pension act in the '80s due to the influx of elderly relatives who were at the time able to obtain a pension here without ever working here. It was sad and at the time cases of elder abuse were reported.

Our economy isn't in the pits. I live in a very wealthy province.

Yes, there is a shortage of SKILLED labour and our country recruits overseas. Having said that we also have medical staff leaving and going to the US.

Tell your friend to contact a Cdn. Embassy to get details.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2005

Thank you very much for responding!!!!!

Sounds like the guy's going to try and claim refugee status. I'm not to sure of all the entitlements, but refugees are entitled to health care and support.
To obtain citizenship, you have to apply to legally reside here and I think its currently three years before you can apply for citizenship. As an immigrant there are certain criteria you have to meet and arriving here penniless and wanting it provided to isn't one of them. Right now there has been a lot in our media about family sponsorship which basically allows immigrants to bring over close relatives and they are legally responsible for their financial support. Some of our provinces want this category disallowed because of abuses similar to those planned by your friends man. Bring over aged parents, under educated siblings, promise to provide for them, and all of a sudden whoops, they need welfare because the sponsors situation changed. I've seen this happen in BC which has a large Asian population. Our country had to change the pension act in the '80s due to the influx of elderly relatives who were at the time able to obtain a pension here without ever working here. It was sad and at the time cases of elder abuse were reported.
Our economy isn't in the pits. I live in a very wealthy province.
Yes, there is a shortage of SKILLED labour and our country recruits overseas. Having said that we also have medical staff leaving and going to the US.
Tell your friend to contact a Cdn. Embassy to get details.

ghostcat · Nov 1, 2005

I am a US citizen in the process of moving to Canada (BC) so I can fill in a few blanks I think....

There is a nursing shortage, at least in BC, and you are able to get (slightly) fast tracked for immigration as a nurse. You have to first apply to the RNABC (it has a new name now that I can't think of) and be approved to take the licensing exam. They look into education, work experience, criminal record, references etc... This took about 2 months for me. Once you are approved you can apply for a job, and when you have a job offer you can apply for a work permit. This is what I'm waiting for and I've been told it takes about 4-6 months for a US applicant. You can apply for a temporary nursing license after you have a job offer as well, if you don't want to take the exam before you move.

As you can see this is a very complicated process - they don't make it easy to immigrate to Canada - the primary reason being that they don't want to burden the welfare system. Once he is here, if his employer wanted to they could sponser him in the Provincial Nominee Program and he could get Permanent Resident status that way, as well as for a spouse and children. The process takes about 9 months and costs a bit - I can't remember how much exactly. He could then sponser his family in Africa, but you have to prove you have enough money in savings to support them for, I think, a year. It is a per person amount they have predetermined, plus application fees, etc. It isn't cheap - that is why even though my husband's aunt lives there and offered to sponser us we decided to go on my nursing license instead.

I don't know how refugee status works, but I would think since he is already living and working (and establishing relationships!) in the US that would be hard for him to claim. Trust me, we thought we should be able to claim political asylum, but it didn't work!

Wish your friend luck - but maybe she'll be better off without him!??

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2005

Thank you for responding . I mentioned my friend is a RN but failed to mention that her boyfriend (intended husband) is a LVN/PN. I was under the impression that only RN's could apply and retake the licensing exam. Please correct me if I am wrong. He is making this sound so easy like you move there , they give you welfare and housing then you move your family. I just dont know but apparently he has been looking into this and talking to people for quite some time.

I am a US citizen in the process of moving to Canada (BC) so I can fill in a few blanks I think....
There is a nursing shortage, at least in BC, and you are able to get (slightly) fast tracked for immigration as a nurse. You have to first apply to the RNABC (it has a new name now that I can't think of) and be approved to take the licensing exam. They look into education, work experience, criminal record, references etc... This took about 2 months for me. Once you are approved you can apply for a job, and when you have a job offer you can apply for a work permit. This is what I'm waiting for and I've been told it takes about 4-6 months for a US applicant. You can apply for a temporary nursing license after you have a job offer as well, if you don't want to take the exam before you move.
As you can see this is a very complicated process - they don't make it easy to immigrate to Canada - the primary reason being that they don't want to burden the welfare system. Once he is here, if his employer wanted to they could sponser him in the Provincial Nominee Program and he could get Permanent Resident status that way, as well as for a spouse and children. The process takes about 9 months and costs a bit - I can't remember how much exactly. He could then sponser his family in Africa, but you have to prove you have enough money in savings to support them for, I think, a year. It is a per person amount they have predetermined, plus application fees, etc. It isn't cheap - that is why even though my husband's aunt lives there and offered to sponser us we decided to go on my nursing license instead.
I don't know how refugee status works, but I would think since he is already living and working (and establishing relationships!) in the US that would be hard for him to claim. Trust me, we thought we should be able to claim political asylum, but it didn't work!
Wish your friend luck - but maybe she'll be better off without him!??

spots · Nov 3, 2005

Ghostcat, perhaps things are different in Alberta. I am a registered nurse moving to Canada and the process has gone like this for me. First I had to register with the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses. This entailed coming to canada to write the CRNE (comprable to the US NCLEX) once they reviewed my application and approved me. Then I had to wait 3 months for the results and a permit to work as an RN in the province. In order to get a work permit I must have the registration, pass a medical and have a job offer. Currently I am waiting on the medical to be entered into the system in Ottawa, that could take 10-12 weeks. In the meantime I came to Calgary, had several job interviews and obtained the job offer. Thus far it has taken me 10 months. It's a long process but it is possible.

Oh yea, I forgot, you have to pay the fees for the CRNE, the Registration as an RN and the work permit as well as cash for the medical as it can only be done by apporved physicians. About $1000 in all.

Fiona59 · Nov 3, 2005

The availability of work for LPN's varies from Health Authority to Authority.

If he is educated outside of Canada the appropriate College of LPN (basically our version of your BON) evaluates his education, decides what he requires to work in their province and advises what education upgrading may be necessary, only then will he be allowed to write our national exam.

This man sounds like he is living in the clouds. Coming to this country isn't easy (easier than it was back in my parent's day but that's another story).

Welfare is being cut back in most provinces and he would not enjoy trying to live on what he would receive. Housing isn't free, and isn't given out. In my city their is public housing and the wait is years long. Most refugees I've met have lived very modestly in private rentals and as soon as they are given permanent resident status work their butts off to get out of our system. My son's best friend arrived here nine years ago as a family of refugees and they now have citizenship, own their own home, but their employment is not the same as it was in their homeland, the language was a big difficulty and they've never applied to sponsor anyone from back home.

Sounds like your friend needs to lose this loser.

ghostcat · Nov 3, 2005

Ghostcat, perhaps things are different in Alberta. I am a registered nurse moving to Canada and the process has gone like this for me. First I had to register with the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses. This entailed coming to canada to write the CRNE (comprable to the US NCLEX) once they reviewed my application and approved me. Then I had to wait 3 months for the results and a permit to work as an RN in the province. In order to get a work permit I must have the registration, pass a medical and have a job offer. Currently I am waiting on the medical to be entered into the system in Ottawa, that could take 10-12 weeks. In the meantime I came to Calgary, had several job interviews and obtained the job offer. Thus far it has taken me 10 months. It's a long process but it is possible.
Oh yea, I forgot, you have to pay the fees for the CRNE, the Registration as an RN and the work permit as well as cash for the medical as it can only be done by apporved physicians. About $1000 in all.

It sounds fairly similar, although I can work on a temporary license if my work permit comes through before my CRNE results. I was able to get a job offer as soon as I was approved to take the exam. How was the exam???

ghostcat · Nov 3, 2005

I honestly don't know if LPN's would fall under the "Skilled Worker" category or not. I'm sure different provinces have differerent processes also, I only know BC. I can't imagine that anyone would allow what he is thinking though!

spots · Nov 3, 2005

Ghost, you are right, if you can get a work permit with a temp liscense you can work. I'm just too cheap to pay for both. The medical has been the most time consuming thing for me. The exam was different from the NCLEX, the questions were more along the lines of therapuetic communication and not so much about procedure and pharmacy. Of course safety is a major area for both tests. I suggest you get the CRNE prep guide. I have been out of school a long time but I did fine. Hope it goes well for you, good luck!

ghostcat · Nov 4, 2005

Ghost, you are right, if you can get a work permit with a temp liscense you can work. I'm just too cheap to pay for both. The medical has been the most time consuming thing for me. The exam was different from the NCLEX, the questions were more along the lines of therapuetic communication and not so much about procedure and pharmacy. Of course safety is a major area for both tests. I suggest you get the CRNE prep guide. I have been out of school a long time but I did fine. Hope it goes well for you, good luck!

Yeah, I'm hoping I won't have to pay for a temporary license, but my family is pretty eager to move! We'll see how the timing pans out. I'm still waiting for my "official" job offer, I haven't gotten to the medical exam yet.

I have the prep guide, I haven't had alot of time to study it yet... I have been out of school for 14 years, so.... yikes!

Where are you moving from? And why? (if you don't mind me asking)

spots · Nov 4, 2005

Ghost I moved from Tennessee to Calgary because I love it here, the people are friendly and intelligent and I love the canadian rockies. :chuckle Don't mess around with the medical, it's required before you can start working, permit or not, and it could take up to 3 months!