PGWP extension flagpoling experience

[sionnachrua]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share my experience of attempting to flagpole in order to extend my fiancé's post grad work permit - he did not get his full three years because his passport expired before the end of the three, so he only got just over two years and wanted to extend.

Flagpoling itself was not an issue - the US border agents were very friendly and every time we have done this they have assured us there is absolutely no problem with the administrative refusal, we do not need to declare it any time, absolutely not a big deal.

The main issue is that extensions of ANY kind cannot be processed at the border. The CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) officers are not employees of CIC/IRCC, they told us that they are only contracted to process certain things for the IRCC, and they do not do extensions of any kind. This was said multiple times, they were absolutely certain. The only way to extend a permit is to do it online.

There is one story on this forum of someone who begged and the border agent was sympathetic and basically processed a new PGWP for him. That is not a guarantee and very unlikely to happen.

 

[vubq123]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share my experience of attempting to flagpole in order to extend my fiancé's post grad work permit - he did not get his full three years because his passport expired before the end of the three, so he only got just over two years and wanted to extend.

Flagpoling itself was not an issue - the US border agents were very friendly and every time we have done this they have assured us there is absolutely no problem with the administrative refusal, we do not need to declare it any time, absolutely not a big deal.

The main issue is that extensions of ANY kind cannot be processed at the border. The CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) officers are not employees of CIC/IRCC, they told us that they are only contracted to process certain things for the IRCC, and they do not do extensions of any kind. This was said multiple times, they were absolutely certain. The only way to extend a permit is to do it online.

There is one story on this forum of someone who begged and the border agent was sympathetic and basically processed a new PGWP for him. That is not a guarantee and very unlikely to happen.

Thank you for sharing the experience. I think flappoling is only useful for applying for a new work permit, not to extend of any kinds.

 

[kvakumar]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share my experience of attempting to flagpole in order to extend my fiancé's post grad work permit - he did not get his full three years because his passport expired before the end of the three, so he only got just over two years and wanted to extend.

Flagpoling itself was not an issue - the US border agents were very friendly and every time we have done this they have assured us there is absolutely no problem with the administrative refusal, we do not need to declare it any time, absolutely not a big deal.

The main issue is that extensions of ANY kind cannot be processed at the border. The CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) officers are not employees of CIC/IRCC, they told us that they are only contracted to process certain things for the IRCC, and they do not do extensions of any kind. This was said multiple times, they were absolutely certain. The only way to extend a permit is to do it online.

There is one story on this forum of someone who begged and the border agent was sympathetic and basically processed a new PGWP for him. That is not a guarantee and very unlikely to happen.

Hi i have the same situation as you.

Thanks for the Post.

as you recently went to flag-poling, some more details would help me. I still have 60 days for before the expiry of PGWP. I was given 22 months of PGWP as that of the validity of my passport.
But i have renewed my passport and now i need to extend my work permit as well.

I called IRCC (that wasn't helpful), I came to know that we need to do the paper application as it is extension. But in the forum, i found that some of the applications are made online and it takes around 100 days to get the extension.

I also came to know there is one more option flag-poling and we can get extensions at flag-poling.
but based on your experience, flag-poling is not a good option to get the work-permit. I have few questions regarding this with your experience.

Which flag-poling(place) did you go to get the extension?
What all the documents needed for extension of PGWP(currently working)
what did they tell you. how to apply for the PGWP Extension?
How did you process your application?
what if they reject the application at flag-poling.? what are the consequences with that rejection?
does it considered as rejection ?
I want to give a try for extension at Flag-poling. what do you suggest.


waiting for the reply.

Thank you

 

[sionnachrua]

Hi i have the same situation as you.

Thanks for the Post.

as you recently went to flag-poling, some more details would help me. I still have 60 days for before the expiry of PGWP. I was given 22 months of PGWP as that of the validity of my passport.
But i have renewed my passport and now i need to extend my work permit as well.

I called IRCC (that wasn't helpful), I came to know that we need to do the paper application as it is extension. But in the forum, i found that some of the applications are made online and it takes around 100 days to get the extension.

I also came to know there is one more option flag-poling and we can get extensions at flag-poling.
but based on your experience, flag-poling is not a good option to get the work-permit. I have few questions regarding this with your experience.

Which flag-poling(place) did you go to get the extension?
What all the documents needed for extension of PGWP(currently working)
what did they tell you. how to apply for the PGWP Extension?
How did you process your application?
what if they reject the application at flag-poling.? what are the consequences with that rejection?
does it considered as rejection ?
I want to give a try for extension at Flag-poling. what do you suggest.


waiting for the reply.

Thank you

• We went to the Pembina-Emerson border crossing in Manitoba.
• The documents we need for extension are all the same documents that were needed for the original application; passport, transcripts, completion letter, plus new passport, current PGWP, and we brought the degree certificate too.
• They told us we HAD to apply online. I'm assuming mail is an option. Either way, they were 100% clear that it could not be done at the border, that they were not supposed to issue any kind of extension at the border. It is not their responsibility. (We even said that we thought the guy who did the PGWP for us the first time told us to come back for the extension, and the officer corrected us and said "I know the guy who issued this permit, and he always covered his bases. He definitely would have told you that an extension needed to be done online, because we can't do them here.")
• We are still waiting on BOWP instead of trying to extend the PGWP. We were just looking for something to bridge the gap while we wait for PR, and BOWP was taking a really long time. PGWP extensions are taking the same amount of time right now so there was no point pursuing it since we already had an application in.
• It is not considered a rejection since we were not allowed to apply for anything. No application occurred, so no rejection occurred. No consequences other than a wasted trip. If you try to do this after your permit has expired there could be much greater consequences.

If you try to extend your PGWP by flagpoling, the most likely outcome is that they will turn you away. I cannot make any suggestion other than to plead your case, and say that you are desperate, and explain why. The only way this will happen for you is if you have a border agent who is willing to bend the rules for you, and that is not likely.
Remember: immigration is a privilege, it is not a right.

You should apply online or by mail (whatever the IRCC told you) as soon as possible for an extension, and then once your permit expires you will be on implied status and you can continue to work as long as you don't leave the country.

 

[AJ_34]

• We went to the Pembina-Emerson border crossing in Manitoba.
• The documents we need for extension are all the same documents that were needed for the original application; passport, transcripts, completion letter, plus new passport, current PGWP, and we brought the degree certificate too.
• They told us we HAD to apply online. I'm assuming mail is an option. Either way, they were 100% clear that it could not be done at the border, that they were not supposed to issue any kind of extension at the border. It is not their responsibility. (We even said that we thought the guy who did the PGWP for us the first time told us to come back for the extension, and the officer corrected us and said "I know the guy who issued this permit, and he always covered his bases. He definitely would have told you that an extension needed to be done online, because we can't do them here.")
• We are still waiting on BOWP instead of trying to extend the PGWP. We were just looking for something to bridge the gap while we wait for PR, and BOWP was taking a really long time. PGWP extensions are taking the same amount of time right now so there was no point pursuing it since we already had an application in.
• It is not considered a rejection since we were not allowed to apply for anything. No application occurred, so no rejection occurred. No consequences other than a wasted trip. If you try to do this after your permit has expired there could be much greater consequences.

If you try to extend your PGWP by flagpoling, the most likely outcome is that they will turn you away. I cannot make any suggestion other than to plead your case, and say that you are desperate, and explain why. The only way this will happen for you is if you have a border agent who is willing to bend the rules for you, and that is not likely.
Remember: immigration is a privilege, it is not a right.

You should apply online or by mail (whatever the IRCC told you) as soon as possible for an extension, and then once your permit expires you will be on implied status and you can continue to work as long as you don't leave the country.

Can you apply for PGWP extension online while simultaneously applying for PR?

 

[sionnachrua]

Can you apply for PGWP extension online while simultaneously applying for PR?

I'm not sure what you mean by simultaneously, because they would be two different applications. But yes, you can make the two applications at the same time. You are only eligible for a PGWP extension if you did not get all of the time you should have gotten because of something like passport expiry.

 

[tntv]

Same story here. We went to Boundary Bay in hope that it would work out if we begged them. But the officer turned us away and said it could only be done online and if we insisted, he could have made the application anyway but would ultimately result in a refusal without fail.

 

[mickinet]

• We went to the Pembina-Emerson border crossing in Manitoba.
• The documents we need for extension are all the same documents that were needed for the original application; passport, transcripts, completion letter, plus new passport, current PGWP, and we brought the degree certificate too.
• They told us we HAD to apply online. I'm assuming mail is an option. Either way, they were 100% clear that it could not be done at the border, that they were not supposed to issue any kind of extension at the border. It is not their responsibility. (We even said that we thought the guy who did the PGWP for us the first time told us to come back for the extension, and the officer corrected us and said "I know the guy who issued this permit, and he always covered his bases. He definitely would have told you that an extension needed to be done online, because we can't do them here.")
• We are still waiting on BOWP instead of trying to extend the PGWP. We were just looking for something to bridge the gap while we wait for PR, and BOWP was taking a really long time. PGWP extensions are taking the same amount of time right now so there was no point pursuing it since we already had an application in.
• It is not considered a rejection since we were not allowed to apply for anything. No application occurred, so no rejection occurred. No consequences other than a wasted trip. If you try to do this after your permit has expired there could be much greater consequences.

If you try to extend your PGWP by flagpoling, the most likely outcome is that they will turn you away. I cannot make any suggestion other than to plead your case, and say that you are desperate, and explain why. The only way this will happen for you is if you have a border agent who is willing to bend the rules for you, and that is not likely.
Remember: immigration is a privilege, it is not a right.

You should apply online or by mail (whatever the IRCC told you) as soon as possible for an extension, and then once your permit expires you will be on implied status and you can continue to work as long as you don't leave the country.

Thanks for the info. When is the best time to go to the Pembina-Emerson border and which days can I go there for the flagpole? Asking bcos I learnt there are days and times for flagpole at every border.

 

[NOVAK]

Thanks for the info. When is the best time to go to the Pembina-Emerson border and which days can I go there for the flagpole? Asking bcos I learnt there are days and times for flagpole at every border.

I have same question, could someone help us figure out when is the best to go for flagpoling?