Advice needed: No time to apply for CSQ before permit expires

[Britt93]

Hello,

I'm currently on an IEC visa that expires on September 8th. I've been looking into applying for PEQ. I was planning to sit my French exam next week and apply for my CSQ straight after. This would have given me just enough time.

However, I've been told that no French exams are being held since it's the Summer, and the earliest one I could sit would be August 23rd - this is much too late.

Is there anything that I can do? A bridging visa I could apply for? Someone I can write to to ask for a bit longer?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[scylla]

Hello,

I'm currently on an IEC visa that expires on September 8th. I've been looking into applying for PEQ. I was planning to sit my French exam next week and apply for my CSQ straight after. This would have given me just enough time.

However, I've been told that no French exams are being held since it's the Summer, and the earliest one I could sit would be August 23rd - this is much too late.

Is there anything that I can do? A bridging visa I could apply for? Someone I can write to to ask for a bit longer?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

You've left things extremely late...

There are no bridging options available and you cannot extend your IEC.

Does your country allow a second IEC participation? If so, that might be an option if visas are still being issued - although you don't have much time to submit a profile into the pool, be selected, apply and have your new IEC approved.

I would start by verifying that you really can't take a language test in July. I find it unlikely that both TCF and TEF exams are unavailable in July (I'm assuming you actually mean July when you say "summer" since August is still summer). Exam dates to fill up quickly - so it's another thing if there are exam dates in the July - but you are registering too late and all of the spots have filled up. I think that's actually what has really happened. Also recommend looking outside of the city you're living in for test dates. Since you've left this so late, you might have to travel to a different city to take the exam.

If you cannot find an earlier test date and don't qualify for another IEC, then you should apply to change your status to visitor before your IEC expires. This will allow you to remain in Canada (although you'll have to stop working as soon as your IEC expires of course).