Hi...I am just curious to know if there are any foreign pilots/workers here who landed in Canada as students and completed their flight training and starting working here and ultimately landed up with Permanent Resident status in Canada?. Well, most of people would think that once they start working in Canada after their course/training,its all set & dats it. They've made it!...NO!..my question goes 1 step ahead from that...

Question:
Has anybody landed up with a Canada Permanent Resident status(PR) after Piloting/instructing/bush flying?

I did, off instructing. Mine was through the Provinicial Nominee Program a year ago (which I understand no longer exists), but it wasn't particularly hard.

ok, great!...as far as i know provincial nominee thing still exists...

however...the reason for me asking that is cos of the fact that i just landed up wid my first ever job of a flight instructor but im not sure if i shd take it or not...as theres a FULL TIME paid work experience requirement to be able to apply for the PR under Canadian Experience Class...
although they have hired me on a full time basis, i am just not sure if the time when i am just getting the base pay and nothing else(company pays base pay + whatever you fly..so if u dont fly u just get a base pay) ...as if i am not able to fly during winters or due to lack of students in the school etc. etc.... don't know if that period is still counted towards PR as we need to show 8 hrs./day or 37.5 hrs in 1 week(5 days a week) of PAID work experience for 1 year...

any suggestions?...how did you go about things?

cos getting a PR is very important for me along with flying. i don't wish to change my field or do other jobs...

Well,thanks for your Brilliant suggestion!(seemed quite helpful indeed)....
..seems like you've been using MS Office took kit a lot so you would know about spell check/grammar better
anyways, thanx!

How's your french? Maybe try in Quebec? I know people in your situation, and it happens quite a bit there.

Btw, attitude like that won't get you very far. If English is your first language, you need to work on it; if it isn't, you need to work on it.

English isn't my first language...but I haven't had any problems in regards to it...I've always been amongst top 3 at high school & college level...and later had an overall score of 7.6 out of 9.0 in IELTS (before entering Canada)
I am sorry if I sounded like someone who has an attitude problem, cos I honestly don't!I don't have an Attitude problem...I always try to be kind and nice to people(always! ) & help if I can....but if somebody nibbles me, then I know how to respond back in a subtle way( its called getting a treatment of your own medicine)
And regarding French...well, I studied it long ago in my junior school but I don't remember much of it now.(I am 29 yrs of age)

Would you mind telling me a bit more about Quebec cos I've heard that French is a MUST (along with English) to be working there. Isn't it?
And Razorblade was in the same situation too(I am guessing) so it would be great to know about his experience and how he dealt with such a situation as he finally landed up with PR after instructing as he has mentioned in his earlier post.

Its a very important career move guys, and I am a little sensitive about it...plus I am new to the forum(joined a week back and this is my first post). I am sorry if I had offended anyone. I am just a little stressed out as I have to decide within 1 week otherwise my first job that I've been offered will be gone too .

Any information on this matter will truly be of great help. Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Ok...well, a little bit about me...
I have been in Canada for more than 4 yrs now....I was initially on a student visa/permit when i first entered...did my C.P.L from B.C and then moved to Ontario last year and completed my Instructor Rating...then applied for work visa and got an Open Work Permit(not restricted) for 3 years which enables and entitles me to legally work in Canada in any profession of my liking and in any province of my choice. I went back to my home country for a few months and just came back to Canada earlier this month and started looking for jobs...& I landed up with a job of a Flight Instructor from a small flight school based in Ontario...

This is my first job as an instructor.Although they have given me letter of appointment etc and have asked me to join them...but I am not sure if I should join them or not...not because its a small company or somthing but largely 'cos it came to my knowledge that we need to show 37.5 hrs in a week for 1 year as a Full Time Paid work experience which will make me eligible to apply for my PR within 1 year...but as you would be knowing that in the initial part of your career when you get your first job and that too in NOT a very busy school, you would definitely not be making 37.5 hrs in a week. There will be times when you barely fly for 10-15 hrs in a month and then there will b times when u don't fly at all for months(especially if its a small school and if there arn't many students..or during winters when it snows etc etc ) so you will have to survive on a base pay given to you by the company and probably look for a second job to make a living.

So all I want to know is...that if you get a base pay (which is given regardless whether you fly or not)...and you are not able to fly but you r still employed by the company on a FULL TIME/PERMANENT BASIS...is that period still counted towards your PR as a full time work experience?...I am sure Iced Kiwi you would be knowing that as you have already got a Provincial PR. Let me know the details of how to go about it,what makes you eligible, time,process ,etc.

I spoke to 2 immigration lawyers(1 today and 1 yesterday)...one said NO,, and that I need to show 37.5 hrs regardless and the other wasn't too sure and had no clue. So they weren't of any help whatsoever.

I understand PNP (provincial nominee programme) but the paperwork for that is quite similar to a PR of Canada(which includes all provinces). So if that problem is solved(the one I mentioned above) then I can simply make up my mind and decide whether to apply for a provincial PR or the country PR. The good thing about provincial PR(which I understand) is that it includes some semi-skilled work which is counted towards your work experience(like an office clerk, office admin etc), not so with a Canadian PR which only accepts certain skilled jobs(NOC A, B &C).

316,
CEC would be best route to PR.
You will need a letter from your employer stating you have been working full time for a year now with $xy/hr,around 40 hrs/week(flying, ground school, dispatch duties etc.). Plus T-4, doesn't matter what's on T-4.
Process is very straight forward, just go on CIC.gc. Looking at your English you should not have any problem to proceed!!!
The process will take 12 months from the day you apply.
Good luck.

I was in your shoes 4 years ago, took CEC route for PR. No lawyer, No IELTS. On PR for a year and half now. CIC.gc.ca is the ultimate source of all correct info.

Thanks Sarfarosh...finally some encouraging signs!

So if the employer gives me a letter that I've been hired on a Full Time basis for a max of 40 hrs in a week+ base pay... and that I've been working with them for 1 year & even though if I don't make that many hours i.e $40/week(as flying,instructing,ground school , etc), but as long as I am able to support that along with T-4( regardless of how much $$ you make and even if its a base pay that you've been receiving).

So for example... even if I receive a base pay only for next 3 months in winters(cos of no flying, lack of students in the school etc etc)...will that period still be counted towards my full time paid work experience?..As long as I am able to support it with T-4(regardless what's on it) and a letter from the employer stating that I've been working with them on a Full Time basis for 1 year.

316,
Check your PM.

I got your PM Sarfarosh...and I have replied back...thanks a ton!

Go for CEC. Never go for PNP. Take up the job, even if it means part time. All you need under CEC is total of 1950 hours. It does not matter whether you get it in one or two years. Safarosh has the best advise. Never go for any consultant or lawyer. Check out the CEC FAQ in CIC website . You can be even a part time employee or do multiple jobs. What matters is that you should work in any of O,A or B Skill level jobs and complete 1950 hours and since you have 3 year work permit you should be fine. And i am not asking you to be part time, but eventually you will start logging more hours. I am sure flight instructor falls under either A or B. Please PM me.

I Pm'ed u Capt Nemo...did u get it?

Hey there 316,

Firstly good luck with your PR app, I'm trying to do the same.

Something that I think you might have to bare in mind though (if I'm wrong about this please let me know because it'd be good for me too), although Pilot is under skill level B (2271) its not on the in-demand skills list and therefore the only way you can apply for PR as a Pilot is for a Canadian company to apply for it for you and I dont see how they can do that with so many Canadian Pilots knocking around to fill the job.

I'm not in as good a position for applying as yourself as I wasn't a student for more than 2 years in Canada so although I got my Canadian CPL I cant apply for the Open Work Permit. I wish I'd thought of that sooner

If you want, I can legally adopt all of you.

There's a local 17 year old cheerleader that I think
I could make a very good home for.

I'll give you £5.30 and a packet of biscuits if you do

Very helpfull information this is. I am looking through the same info on the above mentioned websites. I do get the general idea: student visum, temporary work permitand then a full year of work to get a permanent Residency.

However, the 'problem' I have with this, is the transition from student visum to temporary work permit. According to the information on the cic website, it takes +- 70 days to approve such temporary work permit. Does that mean that there are 70 days between 'graduating' and the moment you can start working ? So there are 70 days you can't do any work in Canada, is this correct ?

//edit:
You also need a written job offer from an employer. I find it hard to believe an employer would wait 70 days for you to get your work permit before you can start working ?

I don't think there would be a problem going from the Student Visa (so long as its been a student visa of over 2 years) to the Open Work Permit, you could probably apply for your Work Permit before your student visa ran out. The problem is getting the PR. How would a flight school or charter company or whatever request that you work for them as a Pilot instead of a Canadian.

If you can get a 3 year Work Permit though it'd be worth it just for that I reckon.

pilot316 wrote:Ok...well, a little bit about me...
I have been in Canada for more than 4 yrs now....I was initially on a student visa/permit when i first entered...did my C.P.L from B.C and then moved to Ontario last year and completed my Instructor Rating...then applied for work visa and got an Open Work Permit(not restricted) for 3 years which enables and entitles me to legally work in Canada in any profession of my liking and in any province of my choice. I went back to my home country for a few months and just came back to Canada earlier this month and started looking for jobs...& I landed up with a job of a Flight Instructor from a small flight school based in Ontario...

This is my first job as an instructor.Although they have given me letter of appointment etc and have asked me to join them...but I am not sure if I should join them or not...not because its a small company or somthing but largely 'cos it came to my knowledge that we need to show 37.5 hrs in a week for 1 year as a Full Time Paid work experience which will make me eligible to apply for my PR within 1 year...but as you would be knowing that in the initial part of your career when you get your first job and that too in NOT a very busy school, you would definitely not be making 37.5 hrs in a week. There will be times when you barely fly for 10-15 hrs in a month and then there will b times when u don't fly at all for months(especially if its a small school and if there arn't many students..or during winters when it snows etc etc ) so you will have to survive on a base pay given to you by the company and probably look for a second job to make a living.

So all I want to know is...that if you get a base pay (which is given regardless whether you fly or not)...and you are not able to fly but you r still employed by the company on a FULL TIME/PERMANENT BASIS...is that period still counted towards your PR as a full time work experience?...I am sure Iced Kiwi you would be knowing that as you have already got a Provincial PR. Let me know the details of how to go about it,what makes you eligible, time,process ,etc.

I spoke to 2 immigration lawyers(1 today and 1 yesterday)...one said NO,, and that I need to show 37.5 hrs regardless and the other wasn't too sure and had no clue. So they weren't of any help whatsoever.

I understand PNP (provincial nominee programme) but the paperwork for that is quite similar to a PR of Canada(which includes all provinces). So if that problem is solved(the one I mentioned above) then I can simply make up my mind and decide whether to apply for a provincial PR or the country PR. The good thing about provincial PR(which I understand) is that it includes some semi-skilled work which is counted towards your work experience(like an office clerk, office admin etc), not so with a Canadian PR which only accepts certain skilled jobs(NOC A, B &C).

Hey man , how are you ? Ive got a question about thr pgwp, do I need to have a job offer for CIC to issue a pgwp or is my CPL and instructor rating course enough for a pgwp ? Thanks much
Hisham