Living in Canada and Changing Residency Status

Summary: If you’re visiting Canada and you want to remain living in Canada, how do you go about it?

Imagine this scenario - your bags are packed and you’re on your way out the door to explore what living in Canada might have to offer you and your family.  Your intention is to spend six months living in the Ontario area to see if it suits you because you have friends there – but now, a few months in to your extended stay in Canada you’ve heard that the Canadian Rockies are simply spectacular – so, can you stay longer, can you over run your visitor’s visa?

Well, we’ve found that the answer to that question and all questions relating to changing your residency status once you’re living in Canada depend on many different circumstances.  On the whole the Canadian government is incredibly receptive to immigrants, expatriates and even those who want to extend their visit visits - but some paperwork and procedure all come into play of course!  So, if your passport has been stamped with a six-month limit and you’re going to need to get an extension, this article is for you because in it we look at temporarily living in Canada and changing your residency status.

If you have a six month visa and you want to take a side trip to the mountains after your Ontario exploration as per our above example, you’ll have no real problems – but if in reality you have enjoyed your visit so much that you want to spend the rest of your life living in Canada then it is well worth the effort to handle the paperwork correctly from the outset: -

How to Extend a Stay in Canada

Should you have your heart set on spending a few extra months exploring other regions before deciding where – or even whether – to settle down in Canada, you are going to need a Temporary Resident Visa.

The Canadian government offers the application forms online and provides a very good step-by-step guide on how to fill in all the necessary paperwork.  These documents are crucial if you want to stay longer and take in more sights - plan on paying out a little under CAD 100 for the application fee and read all about extending your stay on line at the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration website.

Moving To Canada

You’ve been to Ontario, you’ve ventured into the Rockies and you’ve now found your dream retirement home in Canada – in other words, you’ve spent so much time living in Canada that your heart is truly set on planting permanent roots in Canada.

So what now?

Unfortunately, to apply for permanent residency after visiting on a passport and even extended temporary residency visas, the Canadian authorities prefer it if you go home first!  The government requests that you apply for immigration and a permanent resident card from your country of origin.

While you may think this could put a damper on your plans to buy that dream property in Canada and begin your new life immediately, chances are it won’t.  The fact of the matter is Canadian immigration is generally pretty liberal, especially for EU citizens - and if you intend to become a tax-paying member of Canadian society you have a very high chance of being accepted as a permanent resident and even a citizen.

The time you spend back home getting your paperwork and affairs in order will be well worth it – why?  Because the time will give you a chance to review your options more closely and comprehensively away from Canada – you can truly ensure your decision to immigrate to Canada is the right decision for you and your family.

Additionally the time will allow you to settle up your affairs and tie up loose ends before moving to live in Canada.

The immigration process is relatively straightforward for Canada; it does require a lot of paperwork though!  But hey, if you really want to relocate it’s well worth the effort.  With a beautiful landscape, fantastic cities and a property market that’s quite impressive and affordable on the whole, Canada is seen by many as well worth a few hops across the pond and a few pieces of paperwork and forms to be filled in and submitted to the relevant authorities.

There are some circumstances where it is possible to apply for immigration from within Canada - but generally it is considered best to go home first.  If you have any questions, check with Canadian immigration or your country’s consulate.

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