American Immigrating to Canada

I am a 30 year old American (University Graduate) married to a
Canadian in the application process of obtaining my Canadian Permanent
Residence.

I have been involved in this Canadian Permanent Residence application
process since June 2006. It is a frustrating process because I am not
yet able to work. Every job I apply for and mention I am seeking
sponsorship just ignores my resume. I would like to work and stay in
Manitoba, we like it here and my spouse's family is here. To keep my
work history recent and up-to-date I make frequent trips to New York to
work and visit family.

I believe that the application process should vary depending on the
background of the person. English is my first language and I am
educated in New York and have extensive work experience in New York.
For me to adjusting to Winnipeg has been easy and I was hopping the
application would go through faster, it has not.

Calling the immigration office has become a daunting task it takes 4-5
months just to open your application and the applicants name. Every
application gets sent back at least once just to add an addition four
months to any application. Our Permanent Resident application got sent
back for not writing the word Present under employment status and place
of residence (we put the date we sent the application, instead). The
entire process can span one to three years. Where the applicant and
their partner has to live in a state of limbo and unsure of when they
can really start their life.

I recently began reading about arriving into Canada and claiming
political asylum. Canada has the most generous asylum system of any
country in the world. This makes it possible for every interested
persons to seek political asylum with free legal advice. In fact, the
Canadian Parliament passed new legislation that makes it easier for
asylum seekers to apply for refugee status and makes it more difficult
for those found not to be genuine refugees to be sent home. People
seeking political asylum can be HIV positive, can get on welfare right
away, can get a job, can get free medical care, can get arrested, can
have a prior criminal record from another country or countries, and can
basically live this way for as long as they so want to in Canada (only
around 15% actually leave).

Compared to the proper application for Permanent resident which being
HIV positive, being formerly imprisoned, and being arrested in Canada
are definite no-no's for proper immigration. Also, for the first 8
months plus I can not legally obtain work, get a health care card, get
on my husbands insurance plan, can not receive welfare from Canada, and
not get a Canadian credit card. After making political asylum easier
in Canada, the permanent resident immigration application into Canada

has become increasingly difficult following 9/11.

Please note we want to stay in Winnipeg, we love it here, but I need to
work and we are willing to leave Canada and go to New York where the
application process for my husband will be considerably shorter. Please
help us, Manitoba needs quality immigrants!


Thanks,

Marina Shusterman