Applying spouse open work permit online, please help

[dan89]

I just graduated from university this May and working full time at a big corporation as an engineer, I am on my post graduate work permit and plan to help my wife apply for her open work permit online. However, after answering the eligibility check questionnaire carefully the following checklist is generated by the CIC website:

- Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM1295)
- Passport or travel document (required)
- Digital Photo (required)
- General Education and Employment Form (required)

and two optional docs:

- Schedule 1
- Letter of Explanation

What really baffles me is that they are not asking for my information at all! They didn't ask for our proof of relationship, didn't ask for my job offer or income, didn't ask for her means of financial support, this is really baffling to me since I think these are critical pieces of information for this application.
Can someone with experience applying open work permit for his/her spouse give me some insight please? I am thinking about adding all my information and our marriage certificate to the letter of explanation, but really not sure if this is the right way to do it.

I would really appreciate anyone that can help me.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[meagan99]

don't worry, just submit the asked docs.

she will have to write your name as spouse in her application. then they will fill your name in their system and check if you declared her as your spouse earlier. they will automatically have most of your info since you are on PGWP.

if anything else is required, they will ask you for more proves.

 

[dan89]

don't worry, just submit the asked docs.

she will have to write your name as spouse in her application. then they will fill your name in their system and check if you declared her as your spouse earlier. they will automatically have most of your info since you are on PGWP.

if anything else is required, they will ask you for more proves.

Hi Meagan99, thanks very much for your reply, and you brought up an very important point that I would like to ask some further questions about. I recently travelled back to my home country and married my wife there, so CIC has no knowledge of my marital status change yet, from your post it seems that it is very important to inform CIC this change before my wife applies for her owp. How would I inform CIC about my recent marital status change? Thank you!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

from your post it seems that it is very important to inform CIC this change before my wife applies for her owp. How would I inform CIC about my recent marital status change?

You are not required to inform CIC of your marital status change prior to your wife applying for her OWP.

Your wife needs to include copies of the marriage certificate, your PGWP and proof of your skilled job with her app.

 

[mead]

You are not required to inform CIC of your marital status change prior to your wife applying for her OWP.

Your wife needs to include copies of the marriage certificate, your PGWP and proof of your skilled job with her app.

i agree with canuck_in_uk even though the work permit check list does not ask for ur documents u should add copies of ur PGWP passport visa etc also u have to add that ur job is in NOC 0,A,B category

 

[meagan99]

i agree with canuck_in_uk even though the work permit check list does not ask for ur documents u should add copies of ur PGWP passport visa etc also u have to add that ur job is in NOC 0,A,B category

if u don't add, they are going to ask for these. basically they have designed online system to take minimum documents, they usually ask for documents if a case is not rejected on other grounds.

i have enquired about other docs, help centre replied that i should collect all documents as per checklist of official paper based application as it needs more docs, then upload the extra docs along with letter of explanation.

make sure that spouse name is entered in both of yours passports. (if applicable)

 

[dan89]

Thanks for all the excellent responses, I have one more question: my wife didn't finish her university in our home country thus did not get a post secondary degree, she dropped out at the very late stage of her university study for some personal reasons and she is working as an office administrator now, do you guys think this would somehow affect her application for open work permit? Thanks in advance.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks for all the excellent responses, I have one more question: my wife didn't finish her university in our home country thus did not get a post secondary degree, she dropped out at the very late stage of her university study for some personal reasons and she is working as an office administrator now, do you guys think this would somehow affect her application for open work permit? Thanks in advance.

No, it will not affect her OWP app.

 

[dan89]

Hello all,

I just wrote up a draft for the letter of explanation, and I would really appreciate if you guys could kindly critique my letter. I believe it could be useful for others who also plan to apply online. So here is my letter of explanation:

"
Dear Visa Officer,

I, XXXXX, am applying for an open work permit as the spouse of YYYYY, who is currently working full time as a software engineer (NOC skill level A, code 2173) in Canada. The purpose of this letter is to enclose all the supporting documents that I deemed to be necessary for this application in addition to the required documents I have already attached, the enclosed documents include:

1) Letter of support written and signed by my husband
2) My husband's and my marriage certificates and their translated version.
3) My husband's job offer, pay stub and bank account statements
4) My husband's passport
5) My husband's post graduate work permit
6) My Chinese bank account statements
7) Notarized certificates of the properties and assets under my name in China
8 ) Letter of reference from my current employer

Should you have any questions or require any additional documents please don't hesitate to contact me or my husband.

Sincerely,
XXXXX
Contact Info

Signature
"

Then for each document I plan to put some comments along with the copy, for example, under our marriage certificates I would explain that we have not held our marriage ceremony yet since it is planned for next year so we are unable to provide wedding photos; under my wife's property certificates I would further comment how these certificates show her strong tie to our home country etc..

Please let me know what you guys think about this letter as well as the documents I plan to submit. Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Eliumontreal]

Hello there!! was your wife able to get the open work permit?