Strategically Pursuing the Options Available to Them, Both Spouses Obtained Permanent Residence Together｜Mr. and Ms. M
Date Posted:April 17, 2021
Last Updated:September 24, 2026
Mr. and Ms. M met on working holidays in Australia and had long dreamed of “someday moving abroad together.” After gathering information, they found hope in the ELSS stream of BCPNP, which is open even to those without specialized skills, and came to Canada fully prepared.
However, one obstacle after another stood in their way: rising PNP scores, finding sponsors, the difficult question of which of the two would be the applicant, and even a sudden return to Japan when their implied status expired, followed by a name change.
Each time, based on the accurate judgement and advice of Ms. Yamashita, the consultant in charge, they chose the best route. In the end, everything from the ITA to nomination and PR went smoothly, and they obtained permanent residence three years after arriving in Canada.
We could leave procedures such as getting married and changing names during the application to them, which was reassuring.
BCPNP - ELSS
N/A
Working Holiday Visa
Kelowna, BC
Approximately 2 years
Key Points from the Consultant
N/A
Immigration Consultant
Born in Japan. After working for a major computer manufacturer, she participated in multiple international IT projects at PricewaterhouseCoopers. She immigrated to Canada in 2003 and completed the Immigration Consultant Program at the University of British Columbia, becoming a government-certified immigration consultant. She specializes in consulting for Japanese clients, covering short-term visas (such as work permits) and permanent residency applications (FSW, PNP, CEC, Family Class, etc.).
Client Comments
Why did you decide to immigrate to Canada?
While on a working holiday in Australia, I met my partner, a Japanese man who was also there on a working holiday, and we started talking about moving abroad together, outside Japan, in the future.
After gathering information on various countries, we found that even without special skills, we might be able to obtain permanent residence through ELSS, a stream of BCPNP, one of Canada’s permanent residence programs. So we set a departure date and devoted ourselves to gathering information and improving our language skills until then.
What made you choose Shiraishi VisaJP Canada?
After entering Canada, the first wall we faced was finding workplaces that would employ and sponsor us. To increase our chances of obtaining permanent residence, when handing out résumés we made sure to check whether the company would be willing to sponsor us. Fortunately, we each found a workplace willing to support us. After that, we worked as hard as we could to prove ourselves, and when talk of sponsorship became serious, we decided to hire a consultant and asked Shiraishi VisaJP Canada.
We chose Shiraishi VisaJP Canada because it is a major firm with by far the most experience. What set them apart from other companies was how carefully they explained every detail, starting from the counselling session. We chose Shiraishi VisaJP Canada without hesitation.
What was the most memorable part of the process?
There were many hard things on the way to permanent residence, including English tests and hard work every day… but what we agonized over most was “which of the two of us (or both?) would apply for permanent residence, and through which process.”
At the time, the minimum score for BCPNP draws was rising day by day, and we were both at a borderline position where we might just make it if we worked hard, so it was very hard to narrow it down to one of us. Because of that, we had to communicate with our employers each time, Ms. Yamashita, the immigration consultant in charge, would talk things over with us, and then the two of us had to discuss it again. Meanwhile, the points kept rising, and we would all discuss it again… and this repeated endlessly.
With our direction changing 180° from day to day, work was so hard that I felt I might collapse every day, and there was also the pressure of having to reach our target English scores no matter what, so it was really tough at the time. That’s why, when things finally worked out on my side and the ITA arrived, I was overjoyed (laughs).
How was your experience using Shiraishi VisaJP Canada’s services?
There are many reasons we are glad we asked for the application service this time. First, our implied status expired and we suddenly had to return to Japan. Also, since we were not married, it gave us a chance to think about our future.
Ms. Yamashita advised us on the whole process: returning to Japan, registering our marriage, having her change the names on all the data in our pending application, and returning to Canada after waiting to be nominated. Amateurs could hardly handle something like this, so we are really glad we asked professionals. We were anxious while waiting for the nomination, but thanks to them everything went smoothly and we were able to come back to Canada. After we applied as Federal Skilled Workers, everything proceeded without any problems, and three years after coming to Canada, we obtained permanent residence.
Future outlook and a message for those planning to travel to Canada
As for the future, we have stayed in Kelowna, British Columbia, the whole time since the beginning, and we have never even been to Vancouver, the province’s largest city, let alone travelled around Canada. So from now on, we want to discover the true charm of Canada through travel, events and so on (depending on the COVID-19 situation…). Also, now that we are no longer tied to our jobs, I think it would be good to try things we are really interested in.
Among those aiming for permanent residence, I think many people are unable to move as they would like, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. But if you think of it positively as a preparation period, there is every reason to make the most of it. Keep taking in “information and English” now. And don’t be passive; take action yourself. If you move, your situation will change.
Additional Comments
Ms. Yamashita, thank you so much for your precise advice all this time. Thank you for everything over such a long time.
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