Bridging VISA

[rebecca.smith]

Hi guys,

I'm living in Canada and I have worked out that I will only have 9 months of Category B work experience by the time my VISA runs out

A lawyer told me I could obtain a bridging VISA to cover the additional 3 months and make it up to 12. He told me I'd need to submit an application, be invited to apply and then apply for a bridging visa.

Does anyone have any knowledge and experience of this?

 

[DelPiero07]

Hi guys,

I'm living in Canada and I have worked out that I will only have 9 months of Category B work experience by the time my VISA runs out

A lawyer told me I could obtain a bridging VISA to cover the additional 3 months and make it up to 12. He told me I'd need to submit an application, be invited to apply and then apply for a bridging visa.

Does anyone have any knowledge and experience of this?

Well yes, but getting an invitation is dependent on how competitive your CRS is.

 

[rebecca.smith]

Well yes, but getting an invitation is dependent on how competitive your CRS is.

With my 12 months of experience I have around 470 CRS points

 

[DelPiero07]

With my 12 months of experience I have around 470 CRS points

You cannot count your 12 months of work experience as you must receive your ITA AND submit your eAPR before your work permit expires.

 

[rebecca.smith]

You cannot count your 12 months of work experience as you must receive your ITA AND submit your eAPR before your work permit expires.

But can I receive an ITA without 12 months of work experience?

 

[OdinNguyen]

But can I receive an ITA without 12 months of work experience?

I think you are in the chicken/egg situation here. Without 12 months, you are not eligible under CEC to get ITA to submit your PR application. Without PR application submitted, you won't be able to apply for bridging work permit which is essential for your 12 months. Best you can do is try for LMIA or go for further education.

 

[DelPiero07]

But can I receive an ITA without 12 months of work experience?

No. I simply assumed you were eligible under the FSW program with foreign work experience.

 

[rebecca.smith]

I think you are in the chicken/egg situation here. Without 12 months, you are not eligible under CEC to get ITA to submit your PR application. Without PR application submitted, you won't be able to apply for bridging work permit which is essential for your 12 months. Best you can do is try for LMIA or go for further education.

That's what I would have thought too- but my lawyer seems to think otherwise

The points score serves to indicate how likely you are to achieve economic success in Canada. Because I have a permanent job in a skilled class and good scores in all other areas, I am pretty much guaranteed to qualify (with a 470 CRS score) on a predetermined date.

The problem is that that date is three months after my visa expires. It doesn't make sense to deny a bridging visa to someone who is pretty much guaranteed to qualify- there must be a way around this?

 

[ContactFront]

It doesn't make sense to deny a bridging visa to someone who is pretty much guaranteed to qualify- there must be a way around this?

No it doesn't work like that. There's no such thing as "pretty much guaranteed to qualify". You need to qualify for CEC and submit your application before you can extend your work permit. (Assuming you are going for CEC and currently on a open work permit)

 

[rebecca.smith]

No it doesn't work like that. There's no such thing as "pretty much guaranteed to qualify". You need to qualify for CEC and submit your application before you can extend your work permit.

Could my Canadian organization send me to one of their overseas offices to bridge the gap?

I'm guessing I'd be ineligible to work for them on Canadian payroll once my VISA expires, but I could be on UK payroll and make up an extra 3 months of experience that way

Essentially, can I combine 9 months of Canadian Category B experience with 4 months of UK category B experience to make up 1 year?

 

[rebecca.smith]

*3 months

 

[DelPiero07]

Could my Canadian organization send me to one of their overseas offices to bridge the gap?

I'm guessing I'd be ineligible to work for them on Canadian payroll once my VISA expires, but I could be on UK payroll and make up an extra 3 months of experience that way

Essentially, can I combine 9 months of Canadian Category B experience with 4 months of UK category B experience to make up 1 year?

You cannot count foreign work experience as canadian work experience.

 

[ContactFront]

Could my Canadian organization send me to one of their overseas offices to bridge the gap?

I'm guessing I'd be ineligible to work for them on Canadian payroll once my VISA expires, but I could be on UK payroll and make up an extra 3 months of experience that way

Essentially, can I combine 9 months of Canadian Category B experience with 4 months of UK category B experience to make up 1 year?

Unfortunately you can't mix Canadian and overseas experience. Has to be one year full time either in Canada or abroad.