Aussie Being Sponsored By Canadian, Just About To Lodge Application

[benjis_monikuss]

Hello all,

Long time reader, first time poster. I am currently going through the fun task of applying for permanent residency under the common - law class. I'm Australian, been here for almost 3 years and am on my second WHP that expires Dec 15, 2014. My Canadian boyfriend and I have been in a relationship since Feb 2, 2012, and entered into the common- law union on Feb 2, 2013 as he was my roommate for months before our relationship officially began. We have lived together continuously in this time, have a joint account, I have medical that names him as a beneficiary, we have a joint dental coverage and he works full time as a heavy machinery operator for a very decent wage. I worked full time since I was 14, including my move to Canada. I had 3 weeks off to travel when I first left Australia, then right back to the grind over here. I am a qualified chef but have recently moved more behind the scenes in hospitality and sales over the last year and a half. We just moved out to Mission, BC and after some contemplation my boyfriend insisted that I work part time for a while. I just got a part time job at a bakery, my first day was Sunday Nov 17 and I work around 25 hours a week.

Putting this application together has definitely been stressful, before I started working part time I was working 50-60 hours a week so trying to find time to come home and be a good house wife while getting the tedious task of permanent residency taken care of was a difficult task. I am now at a point where I feel comfortable to submit the application and had hopes of doing it tomorrow before I just found out that since I'm applying inland, I will need to do the application for an OWP too. I wish CIC would state these things because if I hadn't found forums like this I would be hooped. I'm fairly confident with our application, going with quality over quantity. I have photocopies of our joint account, joint dental coverage, my insurance with him named as beneficiary, bills for both of us at this address, we'll have a common - law union statutory declaration (2 now I guess for OWP), 2 stat decs from friends/ family about our relationship, 4 pages of cell logs showing regular calls every day from 2 months a year and a half ago and 2 most recent months to show the consistency, we have T4's for my boyfriend from the past 12 months as well as a great letter of employment from his current company, I have my 2 specified photos, my police check from Aus and I went and had my medical on Tuesday. We have all our photocopies of identity documents and have triple checked our entire package against the document checklist and instruction guide. I have a few questions to add just before I'm done and I'm hoping someone could shed some light for me;

- I don't need an LMO to apply for the OPEN work permit that I submit with my PR right? A letter from my current employer should be fine? And when attaching this application to the PR application what is the best way? Just have everything for OWP paper clipped together and the bottom of the PR packagae or put it in a completely different envelope to put inside PR envelope.

- So assuming that we get approval in 11 months, which is the current processing time for stage 1, how long would it usually take to get the OWP from that point? My current WHP will expire in a year and 3 weeks essentially from application submission.

- I read that even if there is a delay for the OWP I still have implied status as long as stage 1 gets approved right, as I'm his common - law. So I won't be able to work but I can still stay here with him? This is a big deal as he's all I have, I'm not close with family in Aus and applying outland didn't make sense because I'd have to pay $2k in return flights if they decided to interview.

- RE photos of relationship: I had printed wallet sized pictures to paper with captions of who, where and when on the back. We take pictures with cell phones, neither of us owns a real camera that we would get prints of so all of our photos are on files on computers. Not sure of exact procedure for this.

I have more questions that I can't think of right now but I want to get this application submitted as soon as possible, we had delays with government forms getting lost in the mail (both here and in Aus, gotta love the postal system) so this application was initially going to be submitted at the end of October. Now behind schedule, finding out about the OWP has put the fear or God in me and I just want this whole terrible thing to be over with so I can go back to sleeping at night haha. Thank you for any and all help.

Bennie

 

[MilesAway]

The odds of you being interviewed are minuscule. You are from a visa-exempt country, and you're in Canada, working. Are there any red flags, such as huge age gap? Otherwise I would strongly advise you to apply outland. You could be done well before your application would even be looked at inland.

If you do decide to apply inland, then yes, include the OWP application. You'd get that shortly after stage 1 approval. Your application for a work permit is what gives you implied status. If you are on a working holiday visa, they cannot be extended, so you would not be able to work, however you can stay as a visitor.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

I don't believe there are any red flags, he's only 10 months older than I am. What will happen if I change my application to outland right now though? I will still be fine to work here until at least Dec 15 2014 when my current WHP expires right? Is there anything different I have to do in order to apply outland? I am sending an absolutely complete application; full fees paid, medical and police check already done and with application etc etc. I'm worried about changing everything so close to completion ???

 

[Rob_TO]

- I don't need an LMO to apply for the OPEN work permit that I submit with my PR right? A letter from my current employer should be fine? And when attaching this application to the PR application what is the best way? Just have everything for OWP paper clipped together and the bottom of the PR packagae or put it in a completely different envelope to put inside PR envelope.

If you apply Inland, you don't need any letter from an employer to submit app for OWP. Even someone here on visitor status only and not working, can submit an app for OWP along with inland application.

- So assuming that we get approval in 11 months, which is the current processing time for stage 1, how long would it usually take to get the OWP from that point? My current WHP will expire in a year and 3 weeks essentially from application submission.

You should get OWP pretty much at the same time as stage 1 approval.

- I read that even if there is a delay for the OWP I still have implied status as long as stage 1 gets approved right, as I'm his common - law. So I won't be able to work but I can still stay here with him? This is a big deal as he's all I have, I'm not close with family in Aus and applying outland didn't make sense because I'd have to pay $2k in return flights if they decided to interview.

Yes, if stage 1 isn't done in time and your current WHP expires, as long as you submitted app for OWP with initial application, you would be able stay here as visitor under implied status.

- RE photos of relationship: I had printed wallet sized pictures to paper with captions of who, where and when on the back. We take pictures with cell phones, neither of us owns a real camera that we would get prints of so all of our photos are on files on computers. Not sure of exact procedure for this.

You can just arrange the pictures into a Word or some other document file, maybe a couple pics per page, write some captions in, and print them out on a colour printer.

All this being said, you should really be applying outland. Since you have status here for at least another 1 full year, you can even request the outland processing be done in Canada. They would do this in the CPP-Ottawa office, and any potential interview would also be done in Canada.

But even if CIC decides to send your app to Australia for processing, the chance of interview is practically none. And you should get full PR, in less time than it takes for just stage 1 of inland.

Check the outland app package here. Lots of docs are the same or similar to inland... some are new. Check the Australia-specific document as well (part 3). http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

 

[benjis_monikuss]

I'm going through it all now. So I have a full Australian police check, if I apply outland do I now need to go and obtain a Canadian police check?

And if I apply outland what will happen if I still haven't received my PR and my current WHP expires, will I need to leave the country? Will I need to go to Australia or can I just go stay with some friends down in the states so it's not a huge chunk of money and being on the other side of the world. It definitely seems like the way to go, I only didn't consider it because I thought the interviews were mandatory and $2k for a weekend trip to Aus isn't really in my budget hahaha

 

[Rob_TO]

I'm going through it all now. So I have a full Australian police check, if I apply outland do I now need to go and obtain a Canadian police check?

And if I apply outland what will happen if I still haven't received my PR and my current WHP expires, will I need to leave the country? Will I need to go to Australia or can I just go stay with some friends down in the states so it's not a huge chunk of money and being on the other side of the world. It definitely seems like the way to go, I only didn't consider it because I thought the interviews were mandatory and $2k for a weekend trip to Aus isn't really in my budget hahaha

Before your WHP expires, you could request to turn it into a visitor permit. For visa-exempt applicants, they usually give 6-month extensions at a time. Or you could just leave to the USA, and return back to Canada as a visitor.

However I would try to apply via the CPP-Ottawa office. One of the outland docs asks which visa office you would like for processing. So in addition to selecting CPP-Ottawa, you should include a cover leter enforcing that fact your current status is good until Dec 2014, and that you really want processing/potential interview done in Canada.

I don't think a Canadian police check is required unless they ask for it, as CIC can do these on their own for Canada. Though i'm not 100% sure here.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Ok so having a look into it, Sydney process times are about 1 year, start to finish, Ottawa 16 months. I'm just a little confused on how I apply outland but select a Canadian CPP? I definitely want this all over and done with as easily as possible, so applying to Sydney seems like a good bet. It does mention in the checklist that I need police checks for all countries I have lived in for more than 6 months, which would be the Aus one and Canadian, but it states elsewhere that if they want it, the CIC will request it. Could you explain the benefits of the Ottawa a little bit for me?

 

[Rob_TO]

I'm just a little confused on how I apply outland but select a Canadian CPP?

Because you have been legally admitted to Canada for at least 1 year, so you are allowed to select Canada for processing. As i said, one of the forms asks which office you want to select for processing.

Don't use the times on CIC website. If you read the CPP-Ottawa thread on this forum, you'll see people's actual times and right now they are in the 8-10 month range for full PR. You can also read the Australia visa office thread for times here.

Advantage of applying in CPP-O vs Australia, is that just in case an interview is required it would be in Canada and not Australia.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Alrighty, well I definitely want to take this advice, you guys know what you are doing! So the best way I can go about this is to apply outland, send it to CPP- Ottawa and at the very front of my whole application provide a cover letter stating that I wish to have all processing/potential interview in Canada as I have a full WHP until 14-12-15.

Hopefully this will all work out and if I'm very, very lucky maybe this whole thing will be dealt with before my current visa even runs out! That would be absolutely amazing as I've had nothing but trouble so far with this process.

The CIC should employ you guys as Informative Counsels as you do a hell of a lot better than what they have on their bloody websites!

Thank you so much for the help, fingers crossed at latest I'll have this bad boy shipped off on Monday!

 

[Rob_TO]

Alrighty, well I definitely want to take this advice, you guys know what you are doing! So the best way I can go about this is to apply outland, send it to CPP- Ottawa and at the very front of my whole application provide a cover letter stating that I wish to have all processing/potential interview in Canada as I have a full WHP until 14-12-15.

Hopefully this will all work out and if I'm very, very lucky maybe this whole thing will be dealt with before my current visa even runs out! That would be absolutely amazing as I've had nothing but trouble so far with this process.

Again, keep in mind that after you submit your outland app to CPC-Mississauga, and make the request for Ottawa.... they may still decide to just send your app to Australia. However if this happens don't be upset, as your chance for interview is very small. And Australia is one of the quickest visa offices out there.

So there is very high chance you would have full PR before your current WHP expires.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Ok, so because it's an outland request if they don't accept my request they will jut automatically send it to my place of citizenship for processing? It won't go to Dubai or anything =P Hahaha. I'm going to get everything together right now for an outland application, I won't be upset either way, hopefully it'll all come through before my visa is expired but doing it this way, worst case scenario is that I can go stay with friends after it does and it won't void my application like inland would under those circumstances. I can come back in on a visitor visa or apply for it to get it up to 6 months. It should be ok, our case is very straight forward, good proof of relationship and what not so I'm really hoping chances to interview are low. If I HAVE to go to Aus we'll make it work... it'd suck but we'd make it work hahaha. Ok, off to get a whole new application organized!

 

[Rob_TO]

Ok, so because it's an outland request if they don't accept my request they will jut automatically send it to my place of citizenship for processing? It won't go to Dubai or anything =P Hahaha.

Yes, it would ONLY go to your place of citizenship.

Actually looking at the Sydney VO thread, I don't think it's bad at all to process through there. http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/thread-for-applications-through-sydney-australia-office-t46958.1215.html . Some people are recently getting the full PR done in just a few months time total. Sydney VO seems to be lightning fast these days.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

One of the only changes I've noticed so far is that it's not a 'Spouse/ Common Law Questionnaire' its a 'Spouse/ Partner Questionnaire' for this one that states "to be completed by persons living outside of Canada". Is it just that way because it's an outland application now or do I leave in my original questionnaire that states for use of people in Canada?

 

[benjis_monikuss]

It seems bizarre because in this outland one it asks questions like "have you visited your sponsor during the period of your relationship?"... well yeah... we live together lol. Not sure what to doooooo.

 

[Westie]

Hi

If you want to have a look at the Sydney timelines. Here is the link http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/thread-for-applications-through-sydney-australia-office-t46958.1215.html

Sydney is really quick at the moment. I rushed my application in, In June thinking id be pushing it to be done in time (My IEC visa expires in May 2014)
They got through and I was approved by October 14th by Sydney.

Not many people have been called for interviews in fact it seems to be rare. As for the question "have you visited your sponsor during the period of your relationship?"... I just wrote that we lived together, however if we spent weekends away from each other then we would communicate via text, facebook etc.