moving to canada with gf/ wife

[kimmysaysso]

Dear forum,
I am a 28 years old British citizen who has just finished their PhD. My girlfriend is a 31 years old PhD with duel citzenship of US and UK. As of September this year she is starting a job as a lecturer at a univerity in Canada. She has started her move to Canada and is currently in the US. I am currently in Britain.
What is the best way for me to gain access to Canada to be together?

1) is it worth considering my 6 months visa-free travel to Canada as a serious option? As I understand it if I mention that I am using this time to visit a girlfriend then I am automatically at risk of being turned back at the border as a person liable to breach the 6 month limit.
1a) I have 11, 000 GBP in the bank which I can use to demonstrate that during this 6 month period I will not be taking out work illegally/ illegal work. Is this enough?
1b) Of this money how much could potentially be requested as a bond?
1c) I currently have no definite employment in the UK after my 6 months visa-free in Canada to prove that I would return to the UK after this period.

If travelling to Canada under my 6 month visa free entitlement the plan would be to secure work for 2010, return to the UK at Christmas-time and secure a work permit and work visa.

2) The second option is for my girlfriend to fly back to the UK in July and for us to get married. As I have already mentioned, she is a UK passport holder - as am I - so marriage in the UK is theoretically (!) no problem.
2a) What benefits does this give us for me living in Canada with her?
2b) Where would I go to get a spousal visa?
2c) What would be my entitlementa under this?

My girlfriend's/ fiance's job is a two year contract July 2009- July 2011 plus the option of a yearly extension.

Any information would be very useful.

I'm planning a trip to London and Canada House next week

Best regards, Gerard

[UKStephen]

The US and Canada have NAFTA (NOrth American Free Trade Agreement) visas that allow citizens to work in the other country as long as they are in a certain job category....and lecturer is one of them.

I believe it automatically allows the foreign spouse (not boyfriend) to join them immediately. I did this from Canada to USA for a lecturing position several years ago....the only downside was my spouse was not allowed to work until I qualified for a more permanent US visa (Green Card).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_status

Having just said that....I can't find anywhere on the web that talks about spouses in the case of US to Canada.

Might want to check into it though. But be careful....these are considered temporary visas and I'm not sure if you can 'upgrade' to permenant resident once in the country.

Best of luck