Moving to Canada: CDN w/ USA wife

[thengling]

I am contemplating a move from North Carolina to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

I am a Canadian Citizen.
My wife is a US Citizen.
We have a US born son, age 12.

1. My wife held Landed Immigrant status in Canada between 1988 and 1994.
Will she need to reapply for Landed Immigrant status from scratch, or is it a simple matter of renewing the existing paperwork?

2. When and where would the application/renewal take place: before transit, at the port of entry, or afterwards?

3. Any recommendations on the most convenient way to move? (Hire a truck company, PODs, self move, etc) Cost will be covered by my new employer. I am still negotiating contract terms, so I'd like to have an idea of moving cost expenses for information.

Thanks for your help. Frustratingly, I cannot seem to find a warm body at Immigration Canada to speak with -- I keep getting directed to a website link which is not at all helpful for my situation. Any contact advice?

Thanks again,
T

[dgjamison]

Originally Posted by thengling

I am contemplating a move from North Carolina to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

I am a Canadian Citizen.
My wife is a US Citizen.
We have a US born son, age 12.

1. My wife held Landed Immigrant status in Canada between 1988 and 1994.
Will she need to reapply for Landed Immigrant status from scratch, or is it a simple matter of renewing the existing paperwork?

2. When and where would the application/renewal take place: before transit, at the port of entry, or afterwards?

3. Any recommendations on the most convenient way to move? (Hire a truck company, PODs, self move, etc) Cost will be covered by my new employer. I am still negotiating contract terms, so I'd like to have an idea of moving cost expenses for information.

Thanks for your help. Frustratingly, I cannot seem to find a warm body at Immigration Canada to speak with -- I keep getting directed to a website link which is not at all helpful for my situation. Any contact advice?

Thanks again,
T

Hi, nice to hear from you, did your wife take out citizenship for Canada? If not I really am not sure what the procedure is, I know in Australia if you leave the country more than 5 years i think it is you have to reapply, but not sure about canada, totally agree with you about immigration canada, really frustrating not being to speak to someone and ask a simple question and actually receive an answer good luck to you your wife and son in your new life
djam

[thengling]

djamison:
No, my wife did not take out Canadian citizenship.
I think that for Canada the time period is 10 years. However, in that "useful link" provided, I can interpret that being a spouse of a Canadian citizen, even when outside Canada, will be deemed the same as living in Canada during this time.
I am just not sure.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by dgjamison

Hi, nice to hear from you, did your wife take out citizenship for Canada? If not I really am not sure what the procedure is, I know in Australia if you leave the country more than 5 years i think it is you have to reapply, but not sure about canada, totally agree with you about immigration canada, really frustrating not being to speak to someone and ask a simple question and actually receive an answer good luck to you your wife and son in your new life
djam

[Auld Yin]

Originally Posted by thengling

I am contemplating a move from North Carolina to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

I am a Canadian Citizen.
My wife is a US Citizen.
We have a US born son, age 12.

1. My wife held Landed Immigrant status in Canada between 1988 and 1994.
Will she need to reapply for Landed Immigrant status from scratch, or is it a simple matter of renewing the existing paperwork?

2. When and where would the application/renewal take place: before transit, at the port of entry, or afterwards?

3. Any recommendations on the most convenient way to move? (Hire a truck company, PODs, self move, etc) Cost will be covered by my new employer. I am still negotiating contract terms, so I'd like to have an idea of moving cost expenses for information.

Thanks for your help. Frustratingly, I cannot seem to find a warm body at Immigration Canada to speak with -- I keep getting directed to a website link which is not at all helpful for my situation. Any contact advice?

Thanks again,
T

1) Did your wife have PR status? The rule is that a PR must live in Canada 2 years out of 5 but you as a Canadian citizen allows her to use the years with you as those years, so she should be able to return to Canada under your auspices.
2) AFAIK she can turn up at the border with you and provided you have all documentation in place be able to re-enter Canada legally.
3) If your new employer is covering cost of the move then you should just hire a removal company as they will handle all the customs/immigration concerns for you. It's difficult to give you an idea of the removal costs but I don't think you'll get much change from $12-15,000.