Out of curiosity, had you gone to the USA, and brought your wife there, would it have been a problem to come to Canada with her after she was already in North America? I would never have thought it would be such a challenge...the one that you went through. I suppose, that if you had changed from a foreign worker, to a permanent resident, things would have been different as well. Lot's of PR's sponsor family to come to Canada. I'm just glad its over for you...what a ton of frustration!
Everything about living in Canada was a challenge and a frustration, I accepted a job there
and was told to just get a permit at the border on my way into the country
I did that and it was a 3 or more hour interview to convince the border guard that it was OK for me to get the permit --- she really did not want to issue one to me ---
since I was an Engineer, and this company in Canada made me a job offer,
because they determined nobody else in Canada was available to be hired.
I said I should be issued a work permit.
She questioned everything about my background etc ... even asking
if my engineering degree was legit, and did I have a transcript from the University I attended
even though I had graduated back in 1985. And had over 20 years of work experience as an Engineer.
I advised her to check with the University and former employers to confirm, what I was claiming and I pointed to the phone.
I finally got a 1 year Work Permit, later I realized I should of asked for a 3 year one, but no one told me I could do that. No one at work advised me or told me I could get PR status, even though I renewed my work permit and was in Canada for 3 years (2009 - 2012). Then again, people at work did not care for me much.
I was in Canada by way of a WORK PERMIT --- ONLY --- and did not have a residence in the US
which allowed me to live there, and work one job, at one location, ONLY.
This seemed to be out of the box for people and caused trouble for me.
I could not work any other jobs, anywhere else in the country, not even as a waiter.
I was issued a temporary SIN number so I could open a bank account, get paid from work, and
pay Taxes to the Government of Canada, and I had to file forms with the CRS each year,
and with the American IRS each year. (twice the FUN)
I found an apartment in China Town section of Toronto.
I attended and got involved with a Chinese christian church on Dundas street.
That was the BEST thing I ever did.
I made 50 or more friends there, the congregation was amazing.
And I spent a LOT of time there, because the gov could not stop me from doing volunteer work.
So I signed up for EVERYTHING at that church
Serving meals to the homeless, doing bible study, pray meetings, Home groups, everything I could find there.
I spent time and money learning Mandarin, which freaked out a few people at church since I understood them
when they were NOT speaking English.
Good thing I made friends at church, because all my co-workers treated me like shit, because I was an evil American, and they used to harass the hell out of me. I concluded they had big chips on their shoulders because of the US in general, and I was a handy target. They used to call me the most bizarre names, and every time I crossed the border to visit my children (2 times a month) they would infer that I was involved in a lot of illegal activities (NOT TRUE)
Not my imagination, since one day at lunch, in a food court they gave me so much crap, a stranger came over and start ripping them a new one for how they were treating me, and he was embarrassed by them, and ashamed of them ... for my part I did not really care and laughed it off. I was there for a paycheck, and did not care about any of those fuckers, or how miserable their life was, I was a happy guy. and they hated me for it.
I kept a bible on my desk, so I could read it during breaks, and it seemed to make things worse.
I did not care, I was not going to change my habits.
"Out of curiosity, had you gone to the USA, and brought your wife there, would it have been a problem to come to Canada with her after she was already in North America?"
once my wife was here in the US, and she was a Perm. Resident of the US, we went back to Toronto a lot,
on day trips and weekend trips, TOURISM is not a problem.
Living there and using resources is not as easy, as a non-perm resident.
one time I almost got deported, and banned entry, now that was an interesting experience ...
--Mike
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