I hope you don't mind that I just sent you a PM about all of this, since my boy and I are going through such a similar issue right now. We ended up paying a lawyer $2,000 to advise us on how to fill out a lot of the immigrations paperwork because it was so overwhelming to us, so I thought I would try to share some of that advice with you, lol. Of course, it is 1 AM here and I might be slightly incoherent.

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Or, you know, I'm also here if you just need someone to complain to about all of the paperwork

I hope you don't mind that I just sent you a PM about all of this, since my boy and I are going through such a similar issue right now. We ended up paying a lawyer $2,000 to advise us on how to fill out a lot of the immigrations paperwork because it was so overwhelming to us, so I thought I would try to share some of that advice with you, lol. Of course, it is 1 AM here and I might be slightly incoherent.

 

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Or, you know, I'm also here if you just need someone to complain to about all of the paperwork

Oh no, I don't mind at all! I think the biggest problem I'm having with the paperwork at this point is that it looks a little too straightfoward to me in some regards. I keep looking for the catch that'll come around to bite me on the ass. I hadn't even considered seeking out a lawyer to help out with anything. Honestly, I'm surprised I got past my little moment of panic about whether or not I could work as a vet assistant in Canada that crept up over me earlier. All the immigration stuff I saw regarding skilled workers only had notations for veterinarians or vet techs. Google searching found me info on vet assistant programs at a bunch of universities up there, so I'm guessing I'm okay.

I just don't know where to start with half of it. Course, I think part of that has to do with the whole not quite having my brain past the squeeing stage regarding getting married.

Oh no, I don't mind at all! I think the biggest problem I'm having with the paperwork at this point is that it looks a little too straightfoward to me in some regards. I keep looking for the catch that'll come around to bite me on the ass. I hadn't even considered seeking out a lawyer to help out with anything. Honestly, I'm surprised I got past my little moment of panic about whether or not I could work as a vet assistant in Canada that crept up over me earlier. All the immigration stuff I saw regarding skilled workers only had notations for veterinarians or vet techs. Google searching found me info on vet assistant programs at a bunch of universities up there, so I'm guessing I'm okay.

 

I just don't know where to start with half of it. Course, I think part of that has to do with the whole not quite having my brain past the squeeing stage regarding getting married.

I know what you mean about looking for a catch; I always do that too, especially after the horrible attempt my boy and I had crossing the border at Sarnia. That attempt was so bad that we ended up hiring a lawyer. Of course, then we later found out that we just had the misfortune of getting an officer who was having a bad day and there wasn't really much of a problem with us crossing originally. But oh well. I think that hiring a lawyer is probably a waste of money now (which is why we didn't re-hire a lawyer for processing my study permit applications, so I'm hoping that all goes through okay with what we did on our own).

My boy keeps reassuring me that it all really is straightforward and that they make it simple and straightforward so that your average person can fill it out by themselves. He is less cynical than I am

Again, congrats on getting married

I know what you mean about looking for a catch; I always do that too, especially after the horrible attempt my boy and I had crossing the border at Sarnia. That attempt was so bad that we ended up hiring a lawyer. Of course, then we later found out that we just had the misfortune of getting an officer who was having a bad day and there wasn't really much of a problem with us crossing originally. But oh well. I think that hiring a lawyer is probably a waste of money now (which is why we didn't re-hire a lawyer for processing my study permit applications, so I'm hoping that all goes through okay with what we did on our own).

 

My boy keeps reassuring me that it all really is straightforward and that they make it simple and straightforward so that your average person can fill it out by themselves. He is less cynical than I am

 

Again, congrats on getting married

I always look for a catch with everything. Probably comes from dad drilling it into my head that you must always read the fine print on things, so you don't get walloped with stuff you weren't expecting months after the fact. Sound advice that's kept me from doing many, many stupid things with signing stuff over the years.

It does seem like this'll be pretty straightfoward when it comes right down to it. I'll have to go up for awhile to find employment, get letters and such written, do whatever medical examinations I may need to go through (doubt I'll need one), get my criminal history check done which won't be much of an issue (oh yay, I had a traffic ticket a few years ago), submit everything with my application, and wait. Which means I am going to apply for a temp. visitor visa just to keep my ass from dangling out during the entire process, in case there's some kind of delay. This'll also keep it simple as far as not having to rush around all over God's green to find an apartment within something like a week of me starting work. If I time it right, I'll be able to get residence stuff straightened out before starting a job. I think. I hope.

I also need to check all the regulations as far as bringing pets over the border. If I'm recalling correctly, I just need a vet check before we leave, and a record of their rabies shots to prove it out at the border that they're healthy. But, again, just in case and all that.

At the same time, I've got to pace myself with things. I'm not going to be able to move until after I finish my course and get a job down here, so I have to stop this dance of freaking out over all of it now, and remind myself that this won't happen for at least a year. Yeeeesh.