Big changes to how WPs are processed starting February 21 - please read!!

[liisa227]

All of you whose current work permits are about to expire soon, please read the following thread! Ragluf made some very informative posts under the thread but I fear many of you haven't seen them (based on the small number of views that thread has gained)!

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/international-mobility-program-employer-compliance-system-and-new-fees-t269753.0.html

CIC is making a change starting February 21 to how new WPs/WP extensions/OWPs are applied. This applies to applicants that are exempt from LMIAs, so essentially all/most PNP nominees, and ALSO all those wanting to get a spousal OWP, BOWP, IEC, and PGWP.

Bottom line: If you apply for a WP or WP extension after February 21, you or your employer will have to pay additional fees!

If you're wanting to get a closed WP: your employer will have to pay an extra fee of $230 ("employer compliance fee") as well as provide additional documentation.
If you're wanting to get an open WP: you will have to pay an extra fee of $100 (in addition to the $155 processing fee).

Everyone, please make sure you read the CIC bulletin (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/notices/2015-02-09.asp) and make sure that you know how your situation is potentially going to change.

CIC is only giving 12 days from the release of the bulletin to start complying with these new rules. So if your current WP is about to expire soon, and want to be processed under the old rules, you need to apply for an extension right now!

 

[ragluf]

Bumped: ( @liisa227 - I do apologize for hijacking your thread)
=====
With respect to this line:

As of that date, a foreign national who is exempt from the LMIA process will not be able to get an employer-specific work permit if their employer has not submitted the required information and paid the fee before the work permit application is submitted.

Which means that - the employer must have already done the following:
- submit information about their business or organization,
- submit the Offer of Employment form,
- and pay a fee to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
BEFORE the applicant submits the WP application.

The notice does not link to the information needed by the employers - yet we do expect there will be some more guidelines added to this after 21 Feb.

.../atb

 

[ksiusha]

I think they realised now that they kinda forgot about PGWP and people who hold an open work permit, and those who are exempt.... so hopefully they will come up with smth.

 

[paulgovas]

Hope, Hope and Hope for PGWP everywhere. AINP is making us hope for better and EE is doing the same. Hope is now the magic word to keep moving.