Question for our Canadian Friends??

[Dust of the Sun]

Wondering if any of the Canadian members of this board have any knowledge of the current level of difficulty for a non-Canadian to enter Canada as an immigrant of whatever level or status it is called there now?? Any experience as to what is required...how much it might cost...how long it might take...what would be achieved, not necessarily Canadian Citizenship, but something akin to our Green Card maybe??<br><br>Any tips or advice would be welcome as I have a British Cousin who's a South African citizen who wants to come here to the States but can't (our immigration policies only favor...I won't go there) and I'm thinking maybe he could get here thru Canada???<br>Dust<br><br><br>

 

[johnny_canuck]

<font face="Arial">Anyone can get a temporary 6 month visa to enter Canada. Just go to the local embassy or Consul and fill out the papers. Also a temporary work permit can be issued for seasonal workers. Right now the Government will be releasing new requirements for&nbsp;immigration. Those that have job skills that are required here and cannot be filled by Canadians will be viewed seriously. The next budget is in February should outline these requirements. There is supposed to be a fast tract for these new workers. And of course Americans can apply as well. It takes two years to become a "landed Immigrant", after which the person can apply to become a Canadian citizen. We have dual citizenship here. So if you were born in&nbsp;Australia, you would still maintain that citizenship and also be a citizen of Canada. There are a lot of Americans who have moved to Canada in the past few years and now live here permanently.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hopes this helps.</font>

 

[Dust of the Sun]

Thanks Johnny, I should have been more clear in that my cousin is 60 plus and not a worker so I should have asked what chance a retiree has...I imagine since he's British, from South Africa, that must count for something.<br><br>When Canadians come to the USA to spend the winter, are they allowed to use their Canadian Driver Licenses?? Have you come driving into the USA??<br><br>My cuz wants to come to live in the USA but since he has a snowballs chance in hell of getting a visa to live in the USA I'm trying to brainstorm maybe a back door way thru Canada?? Is this a sensible approach I wonder??<br><br>He'd like to get a motorhome and travel the US and Canada...but with the War on Terror and issues of immigration, I'm rather pessimistic as to his chances.<br><br>

 

[johnny_canuck]

His best bet is to go to the Canadian Embassy in South Africa. You can drive anywhere in the world with an international drivers&nbsp;licence.