Are they processing work visas from US during COVID-19

[Copingwithlife]

I am moving from California to Vancouver, and planning on driving over the land border. Actually what I realized is the moving company I talked to said I will need to release my belongings at a CBSA office when the driver crosses the border. But since you have to self isolate for 14 days, you basically have to live with whatever you can bring with you for two weeks before you can visit a CBSA office.

And keep in mind new quarantine rules came into effect today . You must show your plan on how you’ll take care of yourself while you’re in quarantine. No concrete plan, your entry could be refused . Or you’ll be put into a government compound for the two week quarantine period

 

[robkin]

Still no update on the work permit, but I was reading through the IRCC web pages and ran across this:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/temporary-residence/work-permit.html

"Foreign nationals who are presenting themselves at a land border may still apply upon entry as per subsection R198(1) and insofar as they are not prohibited from entering Canada on the basis of the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Prohibition of Entry into Canada from the United States)."

"Foreign nationals will not be able to apply for a work permit at the POE (unless entering from the U.S. and allowed to do so under Order in Council: 2020-0185)"

This seems to suggest it is still possible to get a work permit at the border as long as you have all of the normal documentation necessary and you are not going for tourism, recreation or entertainment and also you are not presenting covid symptoms.

 

[Yqing237]

Still no update on the work permit, but I was reading through the IRCC web pages and ran across this:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/temporary-residence/work-permit.html

"Foreign nationals who are presenting themselves at a land border may still apply upon entry as per subsection R198(1) and insofar as they are not prohibited from entering Canada on the basis of the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Prohibition of Entry into Canada from the United States)."

"Foreign nationals will not be able to apply for a work permit at the POE (unless entering from the U.S. and allowed to do so under Order in Council: 2020-0185)"

This seems to suggest it is still possible to get a work permit at the border as long as you have all of the normal documentation necessary and you are not going for tourism, recreation or entertainment and also you are not presenting covid symptoms.

Do you have to receive a port of entry letter to do that though?

 

[robkin]

Do you have to receive a port of entry letter to do that though?

I am no expert but isn’t a port of entry letter what you get after you apply and get approved? It seems to suggest you can apply still at the land border. But I guess I don’t know for sure.

 

[Yqing237]

I am no expert but isn’t a port of entry letter what you get after you apply and get approved? It seems to suggest you can apply still at the land border. But I guess I don’t know for sure.

I think you have to be from visa exempt country right?

 

[robkin]

I think you have to be from visa exempt country right?

I am pretty sure you have to be from a country that doesn’t require a visa.

 

[robkin]

I just wanted to give an update. I decided to take the risk and a moving van picked up all of our stuff from our home in California. I figured if we got turned away at the border we could just rent a vacation home on the beach in Washington and just keep trying at different border stations at the worst...

So we drove to the border at Blaine. The initial screening now includes Covid screening and self isolation questioning. We got sent to the secondary officer in a car parking area. After answering a bunch of questions they took our applications. My application was prepared by a professional firm and they included some text about my job being essential (software engineer). I don’t know if this made a difference, but it was 30 pages for the CUSMA ICT app, with a start date of this coming Tuesday. My wife had an LMIA supported closed work permit and a start date in August.

Anyway after a long wait in the car they came back and asked me to come into the office to pay for the issuance. I did that and then handed them my form 1 temporary riv vehicle import. They took that and sent me back to my car. 20 minutes later they came out and gave us our two work visas, visitor records for the kids, and completed form 1.

Then they apologized for it taking so long (there was no line, so it seems like it was faster than normal — it took under two hours from arriving.) We were sent on our way, although I think we got some possibly quizzical looks from others in bc as we drove given that we had us plates. Or maybe I’m just paranoid.

Now on to self isolation, we’ve got 30 days worth of food with us...

 

[Yqing237]

I just wanted to give an update. I decided to take the risk and a moving van picked up all of our stuff from our home in California. I figured if we got turned away at the border we could just rent a vacation home on the beach in Washington and just keep trying at different border stations at the worst...

So we drove to the border at Blaine. The initial screening now includes Covid screening and self isolation questioning. We got sent to the secondary officer in a car parking area. After answering a bunch of questions they took our applications. My application was prepared by a professional firm and they included some text about my job being essential (software engineer). I don’t know if this made a difference, but it was 30 pages for the CUSMA ICT app, with a start date of this coming Tuesday. My wife had an LMIA supported closed work permit and a start date in August.

Anyway after a long wait in the car they came back and asked me to come into the office to pay for the issuance. I did that and then handed them my form 1 temporary riv vehicle import. They took that and sent me back to my car. 20 minutes later they came out and gave us our two work visas, visitor records for the kids, and completed form 1.

Then they apologized for it taking so long (there was no line, so it seems like it was faster than normal — it took under two hours from arriving.) We were sent on our way, although I think we got some possibly quizzical looks from others in bc as we drove given that we had us plates. Or maybe I’m just paranoid.

Now on to self isolation, we’ve got 30 days worth of food with us...

Congratulations on your successful border crossing. Did you have an approved work permit prior?

 

[robkin]

Congratulations on your successful border crossing. Did you have an approved work permit prior?

No I applied far in advance online on February 29, but unfortunately that was not far enough in advance as it did not get processed before all of the vfs offices shut down. The initial officer did ask if the planning for this move was made far in advance and the work permit documentation I submitted to the agent also documented that I had submitted a permit online far in advance. But no I did not have a work permit issued which is why I decided to apply at the border. But they did ask if I had any reason I would have to go back to the US, which I didn’t since we vacated our former residence.

 

[Yqing237]

No I applied far in advance online on February 29, but unfortunately that was not far enough in advance as it did not get processed before all of the vfs offices shut down. The initial officer did ask if the planning for this move was made far in advance and the work permit documentation I submitted to the agent also documented that I had submitted a permit online far in advance. But no I did not have a work permit issued which is why I decided to apply at the border. But they did ask if I had any reason I would have to go back to the US, which I didn’t since we vacated our former residence.

Did you also have a port of entry letter stating that you should apply at the border?

 

[robkin]

Did you also have a port of entry letter stating that you should apply at the border?

I did not have anything other than my application, although my application did contain a cover letter explaining my situation and the text "As per Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's guidelines, a foreign national who is coming for an essential (non-discretionary) purpose is exempt from the travel restrictions, and therefore is not required to request a written authorization from the Government of Canada to travel to Canada."