Immigration

[robs02elantra]

Ok, so here is a flame about my life at the moment.

I love the way that things are. I'm married, I've got an ok job that I enjoy and pays the bills. I've got immigration on my back.

Wait, Immigration on my back??

So I'm Australian and my wife is Canadian. I lived here from 99-02 and then moved back to Australia, where I worked for Bunnings Warehouse for 2 years, forefiting my education at University of Canberra to take numberous expensive trips back to see my girlfriend at the time, the girl who is my wife now. 35,000 in all is what I spent on travel in the 2 years we were apart. She is worth every penny. So now I'm trying to immigrate to the country to live here with her for as long as I live pretty much.

So you would think, moving from Australia (warm, sun, beaches) to Canada (snow, ice, salt on roads) would be proof enough that I'm not just doing this for a greencard. Nope, not the case. I have to list every job and home that I've had and lived in for the past 10 years. I'm 21, they want to know where I worked when I was 11???

They want my wife to prove that she can pay for me to live here for the next 3 years without any help, she's a full time student. My temporary visa runs out in May, and the current processing times for "green cards" here in Canada is 7 months, I might just make it. If my temp visa runs out before the other one kicks in, then I am not allowed to work anymore, and not allowed to support my wife. Talk about a rock and a hard place man. I am completely all for helping people who need it, and I am in no way, shape or form racist. However, Canada lets in 200,000 immigrants per year, and the majority are people who come in and collect Social Insurance, I know, I used to work at a fruit and veg store where 90% of the clients were immigrants, and they all came in on social insurance payday for their groceries.

Like I said, I like that they get the help that they otherwise wouldn't get the chance to have, but I am here working my arse off, and the Canadian government says to me "we want to make sure that you are not going to be a risk of social insurance in the first three years you're here." I've got a job working in Canada, but that's not enough for them, they are worried that I'm going to all of a sudden quit working, and sit on my arse and collect the governments money (which is illegal for an immigrant in my situation anyway, besides the fact I've been working since I was 13 anyway).

Sorry, I just had to vent about that. It's so insane that I can't fathom it.

[ArunSenior04]

I'm really uninformed on how Canada runs things, but I guess if you look at it through their eyes, I can understand their stance.

[evan938]

all i am going to say about immigration is that im glad youre doing it legally. i could flame about illegals all day. i better stop now while im ahead

[robs02elantra]

I would NEVER even entertain the idea of illegally staying in the country...

but

at the thought of not being able to support my wife and I, I can see why some people are driven to that.

[05xd]

So you lived there for 3 years,then moved,and now they are getting on you for this?I dont know much about how Canada's immigration laws are,but I work with a guy that came to the states from England and he was telling me all kinds of horror stories that most people are not aware about.It's weird how most illegal immigrants around here can get drivers licences and all kinds of **** that they are not entitled to,but yet a person who wants to do that stuff legally catches all the flack.Like I said,I don't know how Canada is,but I wish you the best of luck

[yevRPS]

7 months...huh... i feel your pain man but you don't have it bad. try this. been here since sept. 96 going to school. all paid cash. no loans, no grants, no scholarships. so let's say a nice round number of $50K till the school was over. since then i got a job and am paying taxes as if i were a citizen (for tax purposes one is considered a citizen after 3-5 years depending on the country of origin). to get a temp work visa a company had to shell out about $2-2.5K. just applicaiton fees no lawyer fees. since then applied for immigration based on employemnt another $2K or so plus about the same in lawyer fees this time. and guess what. the case was filed with the DOL 12 months ago and no updates what so ever. just a month ago got a confirmation that they have the case and are "working" on it. with no time estimates of when it's going to be done. after they approve it (if they do) gotta file with immigration. the current processing times for my district are about 10-12 months the last time i checked. with about 2K more in fees plus lawyer fees. i try hard not to ***** since i know it could be even worse. but come on now! trying to play by all the rules and get fEcked in the arse. meanwhile tonns of illegals get in daily. i do have a beef with the us immigration system that heavily favors family based immigration and does not take into consideration how useful or useless you're going to be to the society, economy, etc. i much better prefer canadian and australian immigration system which is points based (age, education, profession, work experiance, knowledge of the language, etc.) i wish i would've made a move years ago for canada or australia but i've "invested" way too much time and money here. pittsburgh has become my home at this points. with everything but my family here. so here's my rant. immigrants unite!! :)

[robs02elantra]

man, that sucks. I hate the hoops that we have to jump through. Sometimes I feel like a show pony.

I would try to get into canada based on employablility, but like I said, I gave up going to university so that I could make enough money to visit often to Canada to see the misses and my friends here in Canada (mostly the misses). I don't have what they want here for the points system, but I've never been unemployed apart from by choice (once in graduating year for exam time). Last time I checked, I was off by 2 points in a 60 point system.

Where are you immigrating from? I really hope that everything goes well for you!

by the way, my immigration application fees are in the 2k's as well.

[yevRPS]

one of the only two double landlocked countries on the planet - uzbekistan

[robs02elantra]

very cool. again, good luck with everything

[yevRPS]

thanks same to you

[Leviathant]

Rob, Canadian immigration is a breeze compared to US immigration. Which is a breeze compared to Aussie immigration, probably.

My wife Melissa's from Australia, lives here in the US with me. Believe you me, I feel your pain, and I'm not even the one doing the moving.

If you want to find out how much you really love someone, fall in love with a foreigner and one of you try to immigrate. If you can make it past the stress of immigration, you can handle anything.

yevRPS scratches the surface of the frustration of dealing with the information black hole of the US BCIS. The fear that you make one wrong move and you have to start all over again. Sending in papers, they receive them wrong, and you're to blame, unless you keep very excellent records of everything. I can't wait until Mel has her full on citizenship. That won't be for something like six years though, and until then, there's this little tiny worry in the back of my head that someone at the BCIS will screw something else up with our process, but this time it'll be major, and we'll have to do everything all over again.

I have a great amount of respect for the people who immigrate here legitimately. It's tough work, it's expensive, I can see why people just sneak in (less hassle!!!), but to go through these ridiculous motions... you be nice to anyone you've met who's immigrating to the US :p It's ****ing stressful work.

[robs02elantra]

Well, my dad was looking at the australian immigration policies, and if he wasn't australian, and tried to immigrate there, they wouldn't let him in. We're not as strict as some, but we're not that easy either.

As far as Canada goes, I've tried a lot of different angles to try and move back here to be with my wife, and spent a lot of time and money to try and do that. I wouldn't really say that it's a breeze, but at the same time I'm not going to say that it's easier than US immigration. My parents tried to immigrate there after we moved from VA back to Australia (my dad's a diplomat). No joy though, they wouldn't take us back again.

[jeffv1970]

I know where you are coming from. I am in the process of bringing a "friend" here from the Philippines> The **** you have to go through is unreal. To me, i am about ready to say the hell with it and just go there and stay. With all the stuff I have been through this year, I wouldnt think twice about telling this country to take my citizenship and stick it.
I firmly agree though if you both get through this, you will have a relationship that nothing can tear apart. I wish you the best.
Jeff

[Nerraux]

Freakin foreigners...go back to Foreignerland*!



*(I meant to say, "that sux, hope you get it worked out." and "Pittsburgh rules!")

[robs02elantra]

I read the first part and my blood started to boil, I was about to start tearing right into you...then I read the part at the bottom and had to laugh at myself.

Cool...

[mtlelantra]

This guy I used to work with married a girl from China... When she applied for immigration here in Canada, they wanted to see all their correspondence, including love letters and such... creepy!

[robs02elantra]

Just paid the immigration fees online and started the process for myself. 1575 was the cost to apply. More costs to come if I am accepted (although not that much, but still money I don't want to spend).

I'm mailing the package tomorrow. Registered, signed for package that is going to be sent like it is an A4 Envelope that is lined with solid gold. I'll be anally raped before I let anything happen to this immigration application.

[CsL_FrEaK]

jesus christ
i had no idea that getting a citizenship anywhere was so hard
i wish all the luck to you to get it.

[05xd]

Good luck with the process man.Hope everything goes smooth for you

[hyundaiho69]

that is so sad :( i'm new to this whole forum thingie but i just read all the posts and i feel like i want to cry inside and out. you're wife is the luckiest girl in the world to have such a sweetie-pie like you! i wish i could find a great guy like you.... plus you drive an elantra! i love elantra's so much and i think you have a really pretty one

[korai9989]

^^^ well spent first post, nice job :thumbsup:

I hope you get everything figured out, rob.

i could flame about illegals all day.
you don't want to get me started on that either, bru.

[easy rider]

plus you drive an elantra! i love elantra's so much and i think you have a really pretty one

I used to have the same one basically, its a beautiful car.

Really bad news man, I feel for you for sure. Hopefully it will all blow over before it becomes too big of an issue.

[robs02elantra]

Thanks everyone. It will work out in the end, it just depends on when, and how long I am forcefully unemployed for. On the upside, if I have to be out of work for 3 or 4 months, I will have the cleanest car and apartment in the world.

[korai9989]

^^^ haha. You can come clean mine too ;)

[robs02elantra]

Maybe I will start a cash only car detailing thing.

Maybe not...being that it would make me one of the immigrants that Evan hates so much.

[elantra_ON]

hey rob, dont you worry you'll get it figured out.
I'm kinda peeved at canada too. I'm a citizen but educated elsewhere and they would not recognize my education.

so anyway, without going into details I'm doing what i'm not trained to do, which i think is a waste. But like you, decided to push through and hope one day these guys will get their light bulb lit.

good luck!

[Kokit]

To robs02elantra - don't be sad, you are happy, imagine that you are Russian, and learn who it's difficult to immigrate (with saving russian pasport) for example to Canada. ;) , and you'll figure out that you are in a simple situation!

Good Luck! :)

[robs02elantra]

Applied in January, visa runs out in May, might not get the next one until August. Not allowed to work, or volunteer at all for the time between May and August at all!

Lets look at the facts. I'm a 22 year old male from Australia, able bodied and willing to work anywhere. Australia is a Commonwealth Country, not only that, but my mother is British so I have British citizenship and even that doesn't help me immigrate to Canada. I am married to a Canadian, and I spent $30,000 on plane tickets to keep the relationship alive from across the globe, while keeping every single plane ticket as evidence to prove this isn't a fling. We had 200-300 people at our wedding and 100 at the reception, my parents came over from England for it....

IS THIS NOT ENOUGH SUPPORTING EVIDENCE TO SAY THAT I AM A SAFE BET TO LET INTO THE COUNTRY?

I agree, I could come from somewhere that is restricted access from Canada, but at the moment as it stands, if you have a university degree, or even a community college diploma, then you stand an easier chance at getting into the country for good, even if you are from Russia. Right now, an Afghani man who pledges allegance to the Taliban is in Canada and cannot be deported because he came in legally and is now a permanent resident. How much does it suck that he is allowed to stay here and have everything covered, be allowed to be on social insurance and even get free healthcare like every other Canadian, but I am forced to go through this crap to stay with my CANADIAN WIFE!

I'm not upset with you, Kokit, I'm upset with the system...which is definately no easier for me than it is for you.

[evan938]

ok, so i just caught the post from like 2 months ago

i dont have any problems with immigrants as long as they do it legally, and make a good attempt at learning the language where theyll be moving to. i wouldnt expect to move to guatemala or el salvador and expect them to learn english for me and a small group of americans, or go to france and expect them to quit speaking french.

while its fine to speak a native language with a group of like minded individuals, please adapt for the other 90% who speaks the main language

[robs02elantra]

haha, I have some interesting experiences from France with respect to the language. I tried to learn it, but was freaked out on more than one occasion while trying to use the small amount of Broken French that I knew and being asked a question that I had no idea what it was.

Like ordering "pain au chocolat" and having the lady behind the counter tell me the price was fine...but when she asked me if I wanted anything else, I hadn't learned how to say that yet so I stood there with a retarded look on my face until she assumed that was all I wanted! HAHA

[KeWLKaT]

^ lol Rob is that pain au chocolat story the only one you got?


:)

[robs02elantra]

no, the other one involves me almost crying though

[Kokit]

I'm not upset with you, Kokit, I'm upset with the system...which is definately no easier for me than it is for you.
I feel the same, you are right, the bureaucratic system is awful. :bowdown:

[robs02elantra]

Ok, update!

2 short weeks to go until I am forcibly unemployed for an undisclosed amount of time. My immigration is looking like it should be worked on in August, with news coming in September or later. So, May-September with nothing to do. It's scary, let me tell you, very scary

Can anyone else understand now, what it must be like. I've got a wife to support (luckily she just got a summer job) but it's going to be tight. And if I don't get the papers through when she has to go back to school, that's no income. Do you finally see why it is so hard to stand against the powers that draw you into illegally working in another country. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I'm just going to sit and do nothing for the next 4 months (guaranteed, possibly more than that..)

[05xd]

Thats so messed up that you can't work that whole time.How does that help matters any in their eyes?I wish the best for you mang

[Vampyrate]

you can do side jobs that pay under the table. thats how i got around child labor laws when i was younger and just worked for friends of the family

[Nerraux]

You should just kill a couple immigration officers. Then, you will help a number of people like yourself, AND they'll FORCE you to stay in the country and house you and feed you for it. Not to mention that I've heard conjugal visit sex rocks!

[robs02elantra]

hahaha, and "house me and feed me"

just have to watch my back in the slammer, eh!

[robs02elantra]

Ok update:
I got a letter in the mail the other day saying that I've been approved in principal. Meaning they've reviewed 90% of my application and think it looks pretty good. So I am now allowed to apply for (read, spend 150 on the application and wait 51 days to hear back about) a temporary work permit. So, being that I can't live on nothing forever I paid the 150 and sent off the application. A day later, I checked my status again online, and it says now that they have made a final decision on the permanent residence (150$ down the drain for the work permit) and have sent out a letter with said decision in it. Now I wait, it's like waiting for college applications, but where if you don't get into the college you want to, they deport you!

Here's hoping!

[JacksonJ]

Good luck.

[fifthgear]

Ok, so here is a flame about my life at the moment.

I love the way that things are. I'm married, I've got an ok job that I enjoy and pays the bills. I've got immigration on my back.

Wait, Immigration on my back??

So I'm Australian and my wife is Canadian. I lived here from 99-02 and then moved back to Australia, where I worked for Bunnings Warehouse for 2 years, forefiting my education at University of Canberra to take numberous expensive trips back to see my girlfriend at the time, the girl who is my wife now. 35,000 in all is what I spent on travel in the 2 years we were apart. She is worth every penny. So now I'm trying to immigrate to the country to live here with her for as long as I live pretty much.

So you would think, moving from Australia (warm, sun, beaches) to Canada (snow, ice, salt on roads) would be proof enough that I'm not just doing this for a greencard. Nope, not the case. I have to list every job and home that I've had and lived in for the past 10 years. I'm 21, they want to know where I worked when I was 11???

They want my wife to prove that she can pay for me to live here for the next 3 years without any help, she's a full time student. My temporary visa runs out in May, and the current processing times for "green cards" here in Canada is 7 months, I might just make it. If my temp visa runs out before the other one kicks in, then I am not allowed to work anymore, and not allowed to support my wife. Talk about a rock and a hard place man. I am completely all for helping people who need it, and I am in no way, shape or form racist. However, Canada lets in 200,000 immigrants per year, and the majority are people who come in and collect Social Insurance, I know, I used to work at a fruit and veg store where 90% of the clients were immigrants, and they all came in on social insurance payday for their groceries.

Like I said, I like that they get the help that they otherwise wouldn't get the chance to have, but I am here working my arse off, and the Canadian government says to me "we want to make sure that you are not going to be a risk of social insurance in the first three years you're here." I've got a job working in Canada, but that's not enough for them, they are worried that I'm going to all of a sudden quit working, and sit on my arse and collect the governments money (which is illegal for an immigrant in my situation anyway, besides the fact I've been working since I was 13 anyway).

Sorry, I just had to vent about that. It's so insane that I can't fathom it.


Your girlfriend attends McMaster University? I assume this because you are currently in the Hammer. If that's true, I bet she has some classes with my girl. That would be pretty interesting if it works out to be so. I'm surprised you're married at 21 - not because I believe it's too young, actually, I've been through my fair share to keep my relationship going and people think it's too soon for us to be serious. I know I'm getting a bit off topic, but if you'd like to talk about that aspect of your situation I wouldn't mind at all. I think in a couple of years I'll be in a similiar situation as my girlfriend is a full-time Student and I am working and I might be the main provider for a while.

Anyways, I think it's ridiculous. I've known of immigrants who come here, live off of our system and welfare for a year and go back to their country A LOT better off. Our immigration system is foolish because it isn't doing a good enough job educating the people coming into our country and helping them adjust to our lifestyle. With all do respect, if any of us here in North America wanted to move to Europe, South America, or the Middle East/Asia, we couldn't carry all our traditions and customs there - we'd have to adjust. But again, I am getting off topic. I really think it's outrageous that you'd have to go through all of that. Our "filtration" of immigrants/refugees here is poor - I'm sorry to say it. What are they thinking?

[robs02elantra]

ha, thanks. The system is the way it is because people abuse it. I'm not saying it's fair, and I'm still not happy about how long it has taken me to get this far...but it is the way it is because people abuse it and use it to their own advantage.

As for McMaster, my wife is at Brock, they have a small teachers college in Hamilton...so I'm sorry to say that I don't think they would be in any classes together.

[jalmir]

I hope you'll have it !!!

all this paper work sucks, but it'll be worth the hassle when you'll finally receive your citizenship!!! :D

[fifthgear]

Haha ok. Where is the teacher's college (I'm just curious)?

[robs02elantra]

in the 1800's on king street east

[fifthgear]

Maybe sometime when I'm up there, if you're free, and my lady is very busy studying, I'll sneak off and we can meet up for a cafe, espresso, what have you and chill.

[robs02elantra]

sounds like a deal to me. Just pm me on here and let me know next time you're in town

[fifthgear]

Alright cool :) You can vent some more with me about immigration and the tough challenges of keeping relationships together over distances :)

[KeWLKaT]

so rob whats the update on this

[robs02elantra]

nothing yet...and I'm home all day tomorrow without the car, just waiting. So the mail better come early in the morning, and the letter better be there. I don't know how much more waiting my heart can take.

[mlumz]

good luck rob,
thank god I've never had to deal with immigration. But to those worried bout citizenship from a greencard in the US don't worry if you've been in the US for several years. My mom got hers several years ago and it only took like 6 months with no hurdles, just basically application, background check, take a test and then sworn in.