+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Spouse open work permit refusal. What next?

Pocketlive

Star Member
Oct 5, 2017
98
24
SOWP is not guaranteed. The visa officer is not satisfied that he will leave at the end of his stay. Or that he do don't meet the requirements for a work permit.
What requirements? Does he need a job offer for this type of work permit?
 

wonderbly

VIP Member
Aug 26, 2020
3,875
3,087
What NOC is your husband? What did he show for home ties? Possible job offer in Ghana, or at least prospect thereof? Did he specify all these in his cover letter? Applying from Saudi (UAE generally) is problematic for proving home ties. Did you apply for your study permit from Saudi too?

Yes you can apply for visitors' visa, nothing stops you from doing that. But note that visitor's visa is currently not being processed so expect extended delays.

Any which way, better apply for GCMS note to ascertain real reason for rejection.
 

Pocketlive

Star Member
Oct 5, 2017
98
24
What NOC is your husband? What did he show for home ties? Possible job offer in Ghana, or at least prospect thereof? Did he specify all these in his cover letter? Applying from Saudi (UAE generally) is problematic for proving home ties. Did you apply for your study permit from Saudi too?

Yes you can apply for visitors' visa, nothing stops you from doing that. But note that visitor's visa is currently not being processed so expect extended delays.

Any which way, better apply for GCMS note to ascertain real reason for rejection.
My husband is a medical doctor in Saudi. We showed the property we have back home, our house and our dogs. We also mentioned our parents are in Ghana.we didn't mention job offer in Ghana, we only specify we will be going back to Ghana after graduation and then build an hospice. Will getting a job offer back home help? Yes I applied for my study permit from Saudi and I used the same documents as proof of ties plus my dad as my sponsor. Do they require a specific ties to home country when you apply from UAE in general?
We already apply for our gcms note and it states that the proposed employment appear vague and poorly documented and that the applicants immigration status in their country of residence appears to be temporary, which may reduce ties to that country. Based on the above reasons, he is not satisfied that the applicant will leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay.
 
Last edited:

wonderbly

VIP Member
Aug 26, 2020
3,875
3,087
Being a medical doctor is tricky for immigrating. Your husband would have to complete licensing exams to be able to practice in Canada - how did he address this in the cover letter? Without licensing, he can't practice in Canada. So how does he expect to get a job with the SOWP?
 

janesama

Hero Member
Aug 14, 2020
488
189
Category........
WP
Job Offer........
Yes
App. Filed.......
22-04-2022
Med's Done....
13-08-2020
LANDED..........
16-11-2020
In my case, my husband holds a masters degree in Computerized engineering. However, we applied stating that he is not going to Canada to seek employment, but to be with me and support me financially. He has a business with my father that can be done on a distance and without having to be back in my country physically, plus my father signed an agreement with him stating that he will overtake his financial and jurisdictional duties (like business bank accounts) for the duration of my studies. We did not attach any of his diplomas and now actually thinking of doing maybe LM assessment
 

wonderbly

VIP Member
Aug 26, 2020
3,875
3,087
In my case, my husband holds a masters degree in Computerized engineering. However, we applied stating that he is not going to Canada to seek employment, but to be with me and support me financially. He has a business with my father that can be done on a distance and without having to be back in my country physically, plus my father signed an agreement with him stating that he will overtake his financial and jurisdictional duties (like business bank accounts) for the duration of my studies. We did not attach any of his diplomas and now actually thinking of doing maybe LM assessment
But why apply for an open work permit if he is not intending to take up employment? Why not just apply for a visitor's visa? I'm not sure a VO will look favorable on an application stating that you will be living in Canada, making money remotely but not paying taxes in Canada? what about health coverage?
 

Pocketlive

Star Member
Oct 5, 2017
98
24
Being a medical doctor is tricky for immigrating. Your husband would have to complete licensing exams to be able to practice in Canada - how did he address this in the cover letter? Without licensing, he can't practice in Canada. So how does he expect to get a job with the SOWP?
We didn't know that might be an issue, so we didn't mention anything about how he will obtain his license In Canada. However, he has done his ECA and preparing to write the first part of the exam. We are thinking visitors visa will be better this time, I just want to see my kids. Am fed up.
 

jweekend

Champion Member
Dec 13, 2019
1,280
224
We didn't know that might be an issue, so we didn't mention anything about how he will obtain his license In Canada. However, he has done his ECA and preparing to write the first part of the exam. We are thinking visitors visa will be better this time, I just want to see my kids. Am fed up.
How long is he going to stay in Canada?
 

wonderbly

VIP Member
Aug 26, 2020
3,875
3,087
We didn't know that might be an issue, so we didn't mention anything about how he will obtain his license In Canada. However, he has done his ECA and preparing to write the first part of the exam. We are thinking visitors visa will be better this time, I just want to see my kids. Am fed up.
I'm so sorry. It must be hard especially not seeing one's kids. I think you should do the owp again but write a more detailed cover letter indicating that he is already prepping for exams etc. You also need to make sure you show enough liquid cash to sustain the whole family. You should also write a letter, from yourself, stating the emotional turmoil of being away from your family especially given the mental burden of COVID.

I think this will be better than a visitor's honestly because:
1. You already applied for OWP - they are aware you are only going for visitors as a means of immigrating still;
2. No one knows when they will actually start processing visitors' again.

Good luck with this. I really hope and pray for a positive outcome for you, and soon too.
 

primaprime

VIP Member
Apr 6, 2019
3,387
884
Thanks for replying. I'm just confused on why our application was refused. Since they refused our application for SOWP, am thinking we can apply for visitors visa and then he will change it to an open work permit when gets here. We showed enough fund. I didn't show any proof of fund from my side. My husband did and it was enough. They didn't mention financial inadequacies in the gcms note, at all. All they mentioned was that the reason for coming to Canada is unclear and vague; I don't understand that part. Again, he applied from Saudi where he work and live and not from our home country. Am beyond confused on the way forward.
Applying from a third country shows weak ties to your home country, especially since the entire family plans to be in Canada. What would compel you to go back there? With three kids especially, you need a SOWP to be able to convincingly support them.
 

Pocketlive

Star Member
Oct 5, 2017
98
24
I'm so sorry. It must be hard especially not seeing one's kids. I think you should do the owp again but write a more detailed cover letter indicating that he is already prepping for exams etc. You also need to make sure you show enough liquid cash to sustain the whole family. You should also write a letter, from yourself, stating the emotional turmoil of being away from your family especially given the mental burden of COVID.

I think this will be better than a visitor's honestly because:
1. You already applied for OWP - they are aware you are only going for visitors as a means of immigrating still;
2. No one knows when they will actually start processing visitors' again.

Good luck with this. I really hope and pray for a positive outcome for you, and soon too.
Thank you! We will try reapplying and consider these points.
 

Khanasma

Hero Member
Sep 20, 2020
282
88
I am an international student in Canada. My husband and three kids applied for spouse open work permit but were refused. We are thinking of applying again but for visitors visa. Should we apply for an open work permit again or change our application to visitors visa. If we change to visitors visa, can our application be refused based on that? Thanks as you respond.
It's your right to have your family with you. You must have compromised earlier for the sake of studies but it's natural to miss the family especially kids and I think you must apply for visitor visa at the moment which can be changed or extended later on.
 

primaprime

VIP Member
Apr 6, 2019
3,387
884
It's your right to have your family with you. You must have compromised earlier for the sake of studies but it's natural to miss the family especially kids and I think you must apply for visitor visa at the moment which can be changed or extended later on.
Foreign nationals do not have a right to enter Canada and we've been over why approval for a visitor visa is unlikely.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,553
Being a medical doctor is tricky for immigrating. Your husband would have to complete licensing exams to be able to practice in Canada - how did he address this in the cover letter? Without licensing, he can't practice in Canada. So how does he expect to get a job with the SOWP?
It is a lot more complicated than licensing exams. Unless he trained in a few select countries he would need to repeat his whole residency after passing his licensing exams. The big issue is there are very few residency spots leftover after Canadian students get selected. You would need to be a PR or citizen to try and get a residency spot. It can also be difficult to find a job in Canada for many specialists. Wouldn’t recommend immigrating to Canada if an IMG wants to keep practicing medicine.