Help with Marriage and Permit

Hi All
I am hoping you can give me some advice as I'm not getting very much help from any official sources.

I am English born and bred and my Fiance is Canadian. We are getting married in England on March 21st 2009.
My other half is applying for his marriage visa but we have now decided to stay in the UK for a year to save some money before coming back to Canada on a permanent basis.
I cannot work out from any of the web sites if/how he can work whilst living with me there. We both have a son from previous relationships so work is very necessary.
I understand he cannot work on his marriage visa - so does he apply separately for a work permit or wait until he arrives and then apply to work? He can stay 6 months on his marriage visa.
I am stumped! Any help is good help!
Any advice on any English topics feel free to ask!
Hope to chat to some of you,
Lynn

Ok, my experience is a bit different to yours. I'm a Canadian married to an EU national living in the UK, however, I do have a Canadian friend who married a British National, so I know a bit about her situation.

She came to the UK on a fiancée visa and had to get married within 6 months. They got married, and she got a spousal visa that was good for one year, where she could work.

Once you are married, he will have to apply for a marriage/spousal visa and then he will be entitled to work. He will either get a visa that is good for 1, 2 or 3 years after which he will need to renew. AFter he has been in teh UK on the marriage visa for 3 years, I think then he can get indefinite leave to remain. But with that, he can' leave the country for more than 2 years, if he does then he loses that status and has to start all over again with visa applications.

Thank you!
These forums are great, the British government should be paying us instead of the rude unhelpful people I generally speak to!

Things are looking up today!

Many thanks for your reply.
Lynn