applying for open work permit at point of entry

[thermite]

Hi,

If I apply for the open work permit at the point of entry, does it get issued right away? Or what is the processing time?
Is it faster to apply inland or at the point of entry?
(To be precise, my wife will be applying for it. I'm sponsoring her and once she gets TRV she plans to apply for the open work permit)

thanks!

 

[scylla]

When you say that you are sponsoring your wife - what do you mean by that? Are you a Canadian PR or citizen and are sponsoring your wife for PR? Or is the situation different?

 

[thermite]

Yes, I'm a Citizen. We're returning to Canada, as I got a job offer there.
I'm trying to find the faster route for her to obtain a work permit.
(while doing sponsorship in parallel).

 

[scylla]

She doesn't qualify for an open work permit by virtue of accompanying you. The open work permit policy you've read about only applies to spouses accompanying foreign workers or international students to Canada. Since you are a Canadian citizens, she doesn't qualify for an OWP.

Her fastest path to an open work permit is through being sponsored by you for PR using the inland (within Canada) process. In order to submit this application, both of you must be in Canada. So you would have to wait until you arrive here to send the application in. You should include an open work permit application along with the inland sponsorship application. The OWP will be approved approximately four months after the application is received by CIC.

Note that the inland process of applying for PR does come with a few downsides. Specifically the long processing times and the fact the applicant/sponsor really shouldn't leave Canada while the application is being processed.

 

[thermite]

Can't she apply for temporary resident visa?
She should have a good chance of being issued it for more than 6 months (my offer is from a University for 3 years), in which can she can get an open work permit according to: cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=177&t=17

"Who can apply for an open work permit?
Your spouse is
a skilled worker in an occupation under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type 0, A or B."


No?

 

[scylla]

It's impossible for any of us to say if the TRV will be granted or not. Sometimes it is difficult to get a TRV approved if your spouse is Canadian. To increase her chances of being approved, she should provide strong evidence of ties to her home country.

You've unfortunately once again misunderstood the open work permit rules. Open work permits are only granted to individuals holding temporary work PERMITS (TRPs) - not temporary work VISAS (TRVs). Your wife will be applying for a TRV and will therefore not qualify. TRPs are special permits that are very difficult to get and are granted to individuals who are otherwise inadmissible to Canada (typically due to a crime).

Again- the fastest path to an open work permit for your wife is through the inland sponsorship process (provided she is able to get the TRV approved and come to Canada). The wait time will be around 4 months.

 

[scylla]

"Who can apply for an open work permit?
Your spouse is
a skilled worker in an occupation under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type 0, A or B."


No?

Again no - you are not a skilled worker. A skilled worker is defined as someone who is a foreign worker in Canada who requires a work permit to work in Canada. You are a citizen and therefore not a skilled worker.