Apply a work permit in another country???

[Johnnyx1017]

I'm a PhD visiting scholar from China and now living in Montreal for a research collaboration in McGill University.Me and my famliy(my wife and daughter)came here on Jan 27th,2019, via visitor visa and our visitor visas expire on May 28th,2019,so I submitted a work permit application for myself and visitor visa extension applications for my wife and daughter on Feb 15th,2019.
However, I got our application refused today,the reason is You are not a person described in Immigration Legislation who can apply for this type of document from within Canada. An application of this type must be made at a Canadian Visa office in another country.And my wife and kid got refused also because of my refuse.
I must clarify that I have legal and formal invitation letters from McGill and sponsorship from China Scholarship Council,and all other files needeed to apply for a work permit.The reason they're saying about my refuse is just I cannot apply for a work permit in Canada.so strange and ridiculous.Local friends told me that I can actually apply for a work permit even if i'm in Canada.
Anyway, my wife and kid are leaving Canada before this November and I'm leaving January,2020 because my contract with both universities request me to leave once the collaboration is over,so any ways of letting my family staying here before November and me staying here before next January will be ok.
So what should i do next?So desperate in Canada...

 

[Copingwithlife]

You may want to clarify something, you stated that you and your families visitor visa expire 2019-5-28, and you are mentioning they are leaving Canada before 2019/November, and you January 2020, that is past your visas expiration date
You need to extend your visitors visa, that is not up to the University. All countries have their rules, it is neither strange or ridiculous, as I am sure your country has rules that have to be followed for immigration as well

 

[Johnnyx1017]

You may want to clarify something, you stated that you and your families visitor visa expire 2019-5-28, and you are mentioning they are leaving Canada before 2019/November, and you January 2020, that is past your visas expiration date
You need to extend your visitors visa, that is not up to the University

thank you for your kind reply,Sorry I didn't made this clear,so my families intend to leave Canada before 2019/Nov and me Jan 2020,that is just our intentions