All Work and No Play

As we still haven't heard anything from the Canadian Immigration regarding our Permanent Residency, so we are going to do the sensible thing and start preparing for a 'Plan B'.

Our current work visas are due to expire in the middle of May and with the current economy as it is, there has been an increase in unemployment over the last 3 years, so there is little chance of us being granted a work permit.  In order to get a work permit now, it would need to be for a skilled job, so even though Nigel's employer would be happy to do it, it would be difficult to prove that he has any specific skills that a Canadian wouldn't, for his current role.  I on the other hand would have had a problem, the Alberta Health Region (whom I am currently working for) are no longer issuing work permits due to the number of newly qualified Canadian nurses (Graduate Nurses).  Even though I am now a qualified Registered Nurse, working in a very specialised area, I am only working on a casual basis so would not be eligible!

Basically we are going to anticipate a bit of a gap (possibly a few months) between when our current visa runs out, and when we are granted our PR.  So we have been, and will continue to work as many hours as we can, so that we can save some money and not have to worry about paying the bills when we have to stop working. 

We are due to go to the UK for about 10 days for a close friends wedding at the beginning of May so when we arrive back into Canada we will do so as visitors and then stop working.  Last week Nigel worked about 68 hours and I am currently in the middle of an 11 day stretch.  Apart from spending very little time together, it hasn't been too bad and the knowledge that we'll have a couple of month's vacation when we get back from the UK is getting us through!