Cuban to Canada

[David Ottawa]

Hi there,

I am a Canadian citizen and met a Cuban woman with a 5 year old child while visiting Havana. She has a 4 year Canadian Tourist Visa in place and has visited with me twice in the last 3 months. We are looking at immigration options for her and her child. We would like to become common law partners if she is able to bring her child and access a work visa here. Could you provide any recommendations to process or insights into pitfalls?

Thanks for all your knowledge,
Dave

 

[Riley Haas]

Well, for a work permit she needs a job offer from a Canadian employer and what's known was a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA, think of it as permission from the government to hire a foreigner).

Common-law requires at least one year of living together, which is not possible on a visitor visa, unless she is able to enter for 6 months, exit, and return immediately for another 6 months (at the discretion of the border officer).

The easiest thing is to get married and then sponsor her for permanent residence.

 

[David Ottawa]

Thanks Riley!

If we were to marry... is it best to do so in Canada? As well, what about her 5 year old daughter? If we marry, what process do we need to do to have her come to Canada. She already has a legal document from her father to move with her mom.

She is trying to get her a tourist visa at the moment but the Havana Embassy has shut down?

 

[Riley Haas]

The only reason it's better to marry in Canada is because the certificate will be in English (or French) and you won't have to get it authenticated/legalized/etc. Otherwise, there's no difference.

If you marry her, you can sponsor both her and her daughter at the same time.

I just hear today about the shutdown. It seems as though the visa office in Mexico City is taking over, so applications will have to be sent there.

 

[Riley Haas]

process for a Cuban to receive a tourist visa to visit Canada

Hello all I just registered to this forum because I am hoping that someone can clarify the process for a Cuban to get a tourist visa for Canada. Rules have changed so some information in internet searches is out dated. The person who I would like to invite lives in Santiago de Cuba and does not...

www.immigroup.com

 

[David Ottawa]

Thanks again!

Assuming we marry in Canada and promptly apply for Permanent Residency. What is an estimate to how long that may take?
Also, can she and her daughter stay on a Tourist Visa will waiting? Is she eligible for a work visa as we wait for a PR?

 

[Riley Haas]

It takes approximately 12 months.

If she and her daughter are already in Canada, she can apply for a work permit when you submit the sponsorship application and the daughter can apply for a study permit.

 

[David Ottawa]

Thanks so much Riley! What a resource!

 

[Riley Haas]

Good luck

 

[David Ottawa]

Thanks so much!

 

[David Ottawa]

Hi again,

I am trying to find out information regarding the Havana Canadian Embassy closure. My girlfriend and her 5 year daughter are applying for a Tourist Visa but a BIOMETRICS print is required. Do they need to go to Mexico at this point? Are there options as this is not feasible.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

 

[Riley Haas]

There are other VACs in the Caribbean. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...rcc/offices/find-visa-application-centre.html I'm sorry to say I don't know if there's another solution.