Applying for CEC while looking for another job

[ninaz24]

Hi,

I did a post graduate program from humber college and have been working here since July 2006 - December 2008. I was about to start my new job in January 2009 however, on my last day at the previous job, I was told that due to the economic situation, the new job does not exist anymore. Now, i have the work experience and the canadian post graduate degree. My work closed work permit is valid till december 2010. If i were to apply for CEC now, would it affect my application if i am currently unemployed? Do i need to inform them of that? Let me know.

Any help/suggestion would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Nina

 

[Leon]

If you qualify for CEC having worked 2 years or more on a skilled permit, it doesn't matter if you are unemployed at the time you apply. You don't even have to be in Canada anymore to apply.

 

[ninaz24]

ok. thanks for your reply. \so i do have my new work permit even though they dont have a job for me....now is that considered my current legal status in canada? I mean if i were to go on EI would that affect my application at all? what i, i leave the country after i apply? what happens then?

Thanks for your help

 

[Leon]

Apparently you can't get EI when you are on a work permit unless it's an open permit because you are not ready, willing and able to take any job that comes along. Call CIC if you want to make sure about qualifying for CEC but I don't think it will affect anything that you are unemployed right now. The requirements say you need 2 years of full time work in the last 3 years before you apply. If you have that, you are good.

 

[ninaz24]

Are you serious? I am not eligible even though i contributed for it? thats not fair!!!!

 

[Leon]

Some people posted about this some time ago. They had been refused and appealed and found out that because the primary work permit holder who had lost his job was not on an open permit and therefore not able to take a job being offered without spending some weeks or months changing his work permit, he did not qualify for EI. The spouse who was on an open permit probably would have but she was not the one who had lost her job.

However, just because you don't qualify for EI unemployment benefits doesn't mean it's money wasted for you because I am sure you still qualify for EI sickness benefits and maternity/parental leave because those have nothing to do with your employer or ableness to change jobs. I agree, it's not totally fair though.

 

[ninaz24]

ok so now if i were to leave the country and apply for CEC do i still send the applications to buffalo? i mean if i send it while im in canada and then leave...how does that work

 

[Leon]

If you are still in Canada when you apply, you send it to Buffalo, otherwise to your homeland visa office.

 

[ninaz24]

thanks for your response. i will be applying for the CEC this month. so if i were to leave the country at the end of Feb, will the buffalo office still process my case if i gave them a mailing address? Also for language efficiency test, i have to give the IELTS or is it something else?