Hello,

My British boyfriend and I (Canadian citizen) are hoping that he might be able to live with me in Canada for a year, during which time he'd like to do a course, and work part-time. (I'd be working.)

He has enough points to qualify as a skilled worker, but it seems it would take quite a long time to process - several years, according to the CIC's website. He couldn't apply as a student, as the programme is a correspondence course with no daytime classes. (we asked)

I lived in the UK for two years as a working holidaymaker, then 6 months as a visitor while he supported me. I worked temporary jobs of moderate skill level. During that time, I lived with him for a year and a half out of a two-year relationship.

Documentary evidence of our commonlaw relationship is slim. I did receive mail addressed to (only) me at the address we shared, but the mortgage and utilities remained in his name as was the case before our relationship. I made payments to his account, but irregularly/in lump sums. I am listed as a second in his health insurance. We have travelled together many times in the two years of our relationship.

Would bank statements help support an application to sponsor a common law partner? Would 'circumstantial' evidence count or help (like photographs, flight tickets, emails between us, affadavits written by friends who've known us as a couple)?

We want to simplify our lifestyle - it's part of why we want to live in Canada. I think it would be difficult for him to get a permit-sponsoring job that would accommodate our goals.

Is an application through the family category the best way for us to go about this process, or is there a more expedient/easier approach?

Many thanks for any help.

Pictures, gifts, phone records, letters, emails, and letters from family and friends are accepted as proof of a valid relationship. My husband and I were never asked for any more than that. We did not share a bank account or any joint utilities or credit accounts. We sent all of this information in with our original application and were never asked for any more proof of our relationship. The application information does state though to sponsor a spouse or common law partner you must be employeed or able to show appropriate funds to support the person you are sponsoring. We had to have proof that he was employeed continously for the year of and prior to our date of application. He is a pilot and was layed of for a very short period of about 14 days and even with that he was not elligble as a sponsor until 12 months after that time.