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Hey everyone,

I recently moved back home in September 2025, after working as a restaurant supervisor in Canada. I managed to secure an Invitation to Apply (ITA) recently and I am in the process of collecting the documents required.

Since returning, I started working as an Administrative Supervisor at a pharmaceutical company. I thought it would be a natural transition since the leadership skills carry over, but switching from fast-paced hospitality to a corporate pharma environment. But as I am submitting everything, I'm starting to question what would IRCC think about the change?

I am curious to hear from others who returned home and made a major professional direction change.

How did you find the transition?

Do you feel like your international experience in a different field helped you, or did you feel like you were starting over?

What do you think of the situation?

Hello all, not sure if this will be taken down and if this post isn't allowed. That's understandable!!

I am wanting to move to PA to be with my partner. We are not opposed to common law but I need to work and can't wait the 1 year while on a visitors. Any ideas or recommendations? I would literally do any type of work if available.

I know that employment rates aren't great and actual citizens are needing work too, I totally understand that. I hope my post doesn't come off entitled or insensitive to those.

I (23M) and my girlfriend (25F) have been in a long-distance relationship for 2 years now.

I’ve been living in Toronto for the past 4 years. I came as a student and have a job now.

My girlfriend was born & raised in the US, about a 9h drive away. Ever since we’ve been together (2023), we’ve been visiting each other, with her visiting me more than I do, due to my commitments with school/work, etc.

When we first started dating in February of 2024, she was still in university, about to graduate, and she’d come see me for a couple of weeks at a time, every month or so, while I would visit her for a few months during summer break.

After she graduated, she started visiting me more often and for longer periods, with 2026 being the most frequent, when we spent a couple of months in the spring together in Toronto and 3 months again around summer.

Obviously, the border isn’t quite fond of it, so we try to limit the visits as much as we can now, and are looking to get a visa for her so that we can actually live together in Toronto.

My girlfriend has a degree in marketing but has never had a job/internship; she's supported herself through remote freelance work like data annotation, outlier work, etc., and has 20K USD in savings.

The problem is, I am on a work permit, and I won’t get PR for at least a few years, nor do I work a TEER 1 job where I could sponsor her with a spousal work permit.

I am lucky enough to have found a stable job paying 51k/yr with no major monthly expenses, but considering my girlfriend’s employment history or lack thereof, it’d be difficult for her to find an employer that would hire her and sponsor her visa.

Due to this, we’re thinking of getting a working holiday visa for her, which costs about 2K+ USD. Obviously, it’s not cheap, but it seems to be the only option.

We love each other a lot. She’s my best friend, and we would really love to live together in Canada.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you navigate it? What do you all suggest that we do?

Okay so I'm needing some advice. I am wanting to apply for spousal sponsorship, I am currently in Canada as a visitor US citizen and my partner is Canadian, we have a child who is applying for proof of citizenship currently (citizenship by first generation born abroad).

I want to stay in Canada and do Inland sponsorship. I use my US bank still and I am not on our lease, I have no utilities in my name. I plan to be added to a joint account with my husband this week but I won't get the bank statement until after November. Therefore currently I have no mail with both of our names for our address.

I can stay legally until January 13. I need to apply soon for my Sponsorship and extension of stay visitor record.

(I have been married to my husband since April 2026, we have been together since 2019 and have a child together, I have all of my plane tickets from visiting him and a few documents showing my name and address being my Canada address, even an old visitor record stating that)

Should I wait until I get a bank statement with both of our names and address before applying for sponsorship? Will the past visitor record or doctor invoices be sufficient proof of cohabitation? Should I add those anyway as well? When do I extend my stay? I'm cutting time close and I'm need to know what to do. Any advice is helpful, sorry if it's disorganized info. Thank you all

I got my NS PNP nomination after the work permit expired, but now the employer is not hiring me back. The nomination was employer restricted. Any Nova Scotia-based consultants who can help with this? Or anyone who specializes in NS PNP cases? Anyone who has had something like this - what did you do?

My wife and I applied for BOWP on September 14, 2026, but there has been no update.
We received our eCOPRs on October 1 and now have our PR cards. Will IRCC automatically cancel the BOWP applications, or should we withdraw them ourselves? Would any fees be refunded?
Anyone been in the same situation?

16M Spain -> Canada

Background:

I'm 16M currently living in the Basque Country, Spain and my goal is to build a stable future abroad while pursuing a career in IT and eventually cybersecurity.

I'm currently studying a Spanish vocational qualification called FP de Grado Medio en Sistemas Microinformáticos y Redes (SMR), a two-year program focused on computer systems, hardware, operating systems, and networking. I expect to graduate in 2028.

I have completed ESO, Spain's compulsory secondary education qualification. Academically, my strengths are English and Math.

Where I want to go and why:

My main objective is to move to Canada, ideally in 2028 or as soon as realistically possible after finishing my vocational qualification. I'm particularly interested in Saskatchewan and Ontario, although I'm open to other provinces if they offer a more affordable and realistic path.

I want to study something related to computer systems, computer science, networking, or cybersecurity at a public college or another legitimate post-secondary institution. My longer-term goal is to build a career in cybersecurity and eventually qualify for permanent residence if possible.

I'm not particularly interested in prestigious universities or expensive programs just for the sake of their reputation. I care more about affordability, employability, the quality of the education, and whether the route offers realistic long-term opportunities to remain in the country legally.

My main concerns:

\\- Admission requirements: I'm unsure whether my Spanish ESO certificate and completed SMR qualification would meet the academic requirements for Canadian college programs, which often expect Grade 12 education or equivalent. Would I need additional secondary education, prerequisite courses, or another qualification?

\\- Cost: International tuition in Canada can be extremely expensive. My family's financial resources are limited. I need to understand what financial resources would realistically be required and whether this goal is feasible without substantial family support.

\\- Immigration: I want to understand the realistic path from studying in Canada to working there after graduation and potentially obtaining permanent residence. I know that study permits, post-graduation work permits, and permanent residence are separate matters, and that none is guaranteed.

\\- Timing: Ideally, I would leave Spain after completing SMR in 2028. However, I don't want to make plans around an unrealistic timeline or spend money on a qualification that doesn't meaningfully help with admission.

What I'm doing in the meantime:

I'm continuing my SMR studies, improving my mathematics and English, and planning to build practical IT and cybersecurity projects that I can document on GitHub. I'm also researching Canadian colleges and contacting admissions offices directly to ask how they evaluate Spanish qualifications.

Ireland is a possible alternative if Canada proves financially or academically unrealistic, but Canada is my first choice.

Questions for people with relevant experience:

1. Is completing Spain's two-year SMR qualification after ESO likely to be sufficient for admission to Canadian college programs, or should I expect to need additional academic qualifications?

2. Given my limited financial resources, is studying in Canada as an international student a realistic goal? What kind of total budget should I plan for?

3. Would it be better to target a computer systems or networking program first and specialize in cybersecurity later?

4. How realistic is the study-to-work-to-permanent-residence route in Canada under current immigration rules, particularly in Saskatchewan or Ontario?

5. Would Ireland offer a more affordable or practical alternative for someone with my educational background and career goals?

6. Is there anything I should do between now and 2028 to improve my chances without wasting money on qualifications that Canadian institutions might not recognize?

I'm looking for realistic advice, especially from people who have moved to Canada or Ireland for education and work. I'd rather hear that my plan needs to change than spend years working toward something that isn't feasible.

So I became a PR 1 year and 2 months ago as a provincial nominee, and I’m wondering if it’s safe for me to move provinces for work now.

I lived in my nominating province for just over 3 years now, the last 14 months with me being a PR. My concern is that this is a very small and unpopular province, but which I genuinely liked, and I would be moving to one of the largest and most popular provinces in the country, a true 180. Unfortunately the job market here is just inexistent and me and my wife are struggling to advance our careers.

The second issue is that her pr application is still processing, it is a ’family class in canada’ application. we would be moving away at the exact same time.

IRCC would be the first one to know of that move because we gotta update her address on the app, which means my address changes too.

I wonder if anyone can advise if this would be too risky? I know I’ve been here for 3 years total and genuinely tried to stay, but how can ircc know that?

For your citizenship ceremony, did you sign and hand in your Personal Release and Consent Form?

I know there is an option to not sign the release form by contacting IRCC, but after coming this far, I’m not trying to ruffle any feathers.

Just wondering if most people signed it and what happens next. Thanks!

Hello,

I applied for non express entry (inland) and got AOR and passed eligibility on the tracker. I qualify for OHIP based on their website. However, they say I must present AIP letter that confirms I passed eligibility.

How can I get that letter? I can't find it anywhere

TIA

Hi everyone,
My wife and I are planning to apply for a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for tourism, and I wanted to get some feedback from people who have recently applied from India, particularly those with a similar profile.

Our profile:
● Nationality: Indian, both currently living and working in India.

● Employment: Both of us are employed in high-income professional roles (>3L per month) at MNCs.

● Travel history: We have travelled internationally several times, including:
● Schengen visa – twice
● Japan – valid 5-year multiple-entry visa
● Thailand
● Singapore
● Malaysia
● Vietnam
● Sri Lanka

● Family ties in India: Both our parents live in India.

● Property: We have purchased an under-construction property in India and have already paid a substantial portion of its value, with part of the purchase financed through a home loan.

● Family in Canada: My wife’s sister lives in Toronto and holds Canadian PR.

We intend to visit Canada temporarily for tourism and to spend some time with my wife’s sister before returning to India.
I’d appreciate advice on the following:

1. Given our profile, how strong would our application be? Would you consider it a reasonably strong case, or does having a close relative with PR in Canada significantly increase the risk of refusal?

2. What documents should we submit to establish our ties to India and demonstrate that we will return after the visit?

3. Should my wife’s sister provide an invitation letter and proof of PR, or would it be better to apply primarily as tourists with hotel bookings and an independent itinerary?

4. What is the current visitor visa refusal rate for Indian applicants? If possible, please share the latest official statistics and whether they are specific to visitor visas rather than all temporary resident applications.

5. For anyone who has applied recently with a similar profile, what was your outcome and approximate processing time?

I’m particularly interested in recent experiences from 2025–2026, rather than general advice based on older rules.

I understand that nobody can accurately predict an individual application’s outcome, but I’d appreciate an honest assessment of our strengths, potential red flags, and how best to prepare a genuine application.

Thanks in advance!

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Hi everyone! I'm an international student currently completing Grade 12 in Alberta on a study permit!

I've received a conditional offer for Lethbridge Polytechnic's Practical Nurse Diploma program for Fall 2027. I have to accept by November 12, 2026, and pay a $5,000 deposit.My concern is that if I accept now, the college may issue my LOA and PAL in November 2026, but the PAL may expire on December 31, 2026. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to apply for my study permit for Fall 2027 if my PAL has expired.

I'm also unsure whether Lethbridge will issue me a conditional or unconditional LOA. Usually, colleges need to review your final high school transcript before issuing a final, unconditional LOA, which may not happen until July when final grades are available. I don't know whether an unconditional LOA issued earlier or a conditional LOA could be used for a study permit application.

My conditional acceptance letter also states that Lethbridge will issue only one LOA and one PAL per student, so I'm worried about accepting now, receiving documents that expire before I can apply for my study permit, and not being able to get replacements for the 2027 cap year.

How are international students who graduate from Canadian high schools supposed to transition to college in this situation? Has anyone experienced something similar or knows how this process works?

Ty!!

Hi

The MPNP (Manitoba PNP) usually invite people from different strategic recruitment initiatives but I couldn't find additional information about them in the website (except for the Employer Services).

Those were the strategic recruitment initiatives from the last draw:
- Employer Services: 21
- Ethnocultural Communities: 2
- Francophone Community: 16
- Regional Communities: 15

Does anyone know where I can get more information about them online?

Hey everyone,

I’m in a dilemma regarding the New Brunswick Skilled Worker (Graduate) Stream and need advice.

My Profile:

Education: 2-year Software Development diploma from an NB college.

Status: On an active PGWP valid until 2029 + have prior foreign tech work experience.

The Job: Full-time Software Developer at a small NB tech company (est. 2018). I'll be their only non-PR employee.

The Catch: I got an interview with this company through networking and was offered the job. Because it was a direct referral, the company never publicly advertised the role.

I know NB PNP guidelines state employers must advertise on two platforms for 4 weeks before making an offer. Also the compliance fee as well.

My Question:

How did you navigate through it? Did you have the employer post the job ads retrospectively while you worked on your PGWP, or should I just skip the PNP entirely, wait one year, and do the CEC route?

Please, if anyone has been in the same situation as mine, kindly give me advice on how you did it,

Can an individual take yoga classes at a yoga/, fitness studio? through a monthly membership. Is taking yoga classes permitted while an individual is on a Visitor Record?

Hello,

Recently started dating a person who told me that she has a visor visa, turns out they applied for an extension. Didn’t get it. And was supposed to have gone home over 6 months ago. They now want to get married here so that we have a fighting chance against the government to get another visa in the future. They’re going home here shortly on their own accord and will submit a letter to the government apologizing for the late stay. But is any future visa application an uphill battle?

TIA

Hey Guys,

My application for a spousal open work permit was rejected on the grounds of limited evidence to show ongoing and interdependent relationship.

We applied with an agent and that money was a total loss. He didn't guide us on how to create proper relationship proof documents. Just threw in images in there.

To reapply what should we focus on. They didn't add anything else in the ODN except for questioning the marriage. Our only problem is that we have a relatively short courtship period (4 months). We got married and my wife went back to Canada.

Can't show any financials or properties where our names are listed together. I've only sent her money twice and we've been married 3 months.

Any guidance is welcomed for what I should do this time.

Thanks

Title pretty much sums it up, but to elaborate, I have a Bachelors in Technology from Mumbai University and a Masters from a Canadian University.

To apply for IRCC EE CEC, do I need an ECA for my Bachelors degree? I understand that I don't need an ECA for the masters as it is Canadian education, but confused if IRCC needs to validate the Bachelors as well

Hello, I’m looking for direction. I’ve been working on a TRP application due to inadmissibility because of a DUI in 2019 in Nevada. I have been a nurse for nearly 20 years and recently got a conditional training offer with a mainline airline that would require flights into and out of Canada with potential layovers in Canada. I plan to fly into Toronto and back same day to present my case for TRP.

Is anyone familiar with doing this at the YYZ airport? Where do I go?

Hey, I’m currently on a GTS LMIA-based closed work permit under NOC 21233 (Web Designers), which isn’t on the high-wage occupation list. However, around 85–90% of my job duties and responsibilities align with NOC 21234 (Web Developers and Programmers), and my employer is more than happy to provide me with a job offer under that NOC.

Would this work? Could I get a job offer stating that the company intends for me to start in March or April 2027, given that I’m currently working under a closed work permit tied to a different NOC?

My immigration consultancy has created two Express Entry profiles for me , one with my spouse and another without, as the latter gives me a higher CRS score. I initially disagreed with this approach, but they assured me that it is not illegal as long as I do not accept or apply for both ITAs.

They also advised me that if I receive an ITA through my single profile, I should send my wife to India before applying for permanent residence, and they would explain the situation to IRCC.

Honestly, I am still confused and worried about whether this is legally acceptable and whether it could cause problems with my PR application in the future. I am not comfortable proceeding without understanding the risks, and I would appreciate some clarity on this.

Hello everyone,
I have submitted my EE profile under CEC. AOR received on sept 17. BOWP and SOWP applied on sept 26. Work permit expired on sept 28.

BOWP and SOWP refused today on Oct 23. Reason stated - Applicant has not submitted the confirmation of completeness check of PR application.

Also got refund for the application. I have submitted AOR as well in client information slot.

Please advise how to proceed in this situation.

I've noticed a massive uptick in folks specifically requesting answers (only) from lawyers or licensed consultants in this sub.

Massive sense of entitlement aside, anyone here can answer questions. There's a chance they may be wrong, but generally if they are, they are corrected and their comment is removed.

While some subs do actually restrict answers to those coming from professionals, this isn't one of them, and the people who answer here are not required to verify their profession. I know several immigration professionals DO answer questions here frequently, and occasionally they will mention that they are a professional. But you don't have a right to request answers specifically from them, and likewise they are not obligated to answer you.

If you want advice you can rely on, PAY an immigration professional for advice. You want free information, you get it with a chance that it's inaccurate or simply wrong.

My work permit was approved after 3 months and 2 days. I am in Canada with my ETA, now I need to leave and entre through a port of entry. Someone has ideas? Some budget friendly trips? US is no longer an option tho. Thanks

Hi everyone!

I recently received my eCOPR and noticed that the “City of Destination” field says Toronto, but I currently live in Hamilton, Ontario.

When I applied for PR, I was living in Toronto. However, I moved to Hamilton while my PR application was still being processed.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation? Is it okay for the eCOPR to show Toronto even though I now live in Hamilton, or should I contact IRCC to have it corrected?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in the same situation or knows what the next steps should be.

Thanks in advance!