BOWP - How many of you have applied and received it successfully?

[kunishsa]

Wait until your work permit has less than four months remaining, and you have received your AOR. If your AOR is only ten days away, then you will have more than enough time to apply for the BOWP before your current permit expires.

Thanks for your reply. My situation is little different. Let me explain. My current WP validity is more than 4 months. BOWP has unfortunately became a mandate for all of us for our survival here in Canada.

We all work for an employer here in Canada working for a major banking client. The bank has decided not to keep any more LMO guys as their contractors from 1st Jan, 2014. My employer was forced to give a change of status for all his employees to the bank. So the status change of the current LMO guys into ICT / BOWP / PR would make them continue their stay in Canada. In a sense, we all should produce a status change before 20th December, 2013. I will be safe if VO agrees to give a positive BOWP. I am worried because my current WP is valid for more than 4 months, actually it is valid until November, 2014.

 

[LPS]

Thanks for your reply. My situation is little different. Let me explain. My current WP validity is more than 4 months. BOWP has unfortunately became a mandate for all of us for our survival here in Canada.

We all work for an employer here in Canada working for a major banking client. The bank has decided not to keep any more LMO guys as their contractors from 1st Jan, 2014. My employer was forced to give a change of status for all his employees to the bank. So the status change of the current LMO guys into ICT / BOWP / PR would make them continue their stay in Canada. In a sense, we all should produce a status change before 20th December, 2013. I will be safe if VO agrees to give a positive BOWP. I am worried because my current WP is valid for more than 4 months, actually it is valid until November, 2014.

There seems to be a few of these cases - people whose contracts are cancelled way earlier than originally planned, and they're stranded here on a closed work permit that doesn't expire for ages.

I believe you should apply for a BOWP anyway, and with a great explanation letter and a sympathetic visa officer, you may get lucky. At least one other guy on here has done this successfully, by explaining that he was made redundant and had no other way to work.

It's worth noting that the operational bulletin 485A, which describes who is eligible for BOWP, was recently amended, and part of the new text restates in more explicit terms that an applicant with more than four months remaining is not eligible. So I don't know if that reduces the VO's discretion.

You should try to find a new employer and LMO, of course, if that's a realistic option.

The BOWP is indeed intended to help permanent residence applicants who would otherwise be unable to work in Canada and be forced to leave, but it clearly hasn't been designed for everyone's circumstances.

 

[kunishsa]

Yeah. I am planning to send with clear explanation of my situation and wait for my fortunes. It would be very difficult for me to shift permanently from Canada along with my family for a period of 8-10 months and again come back with family once I receive my PR. But if this is what is written inevitable on my fate, do I have an alternative

 

[bhavik_ec]

Hi,

I would say my case was similar. My LMO locked WP is expiring on July 2014 and My Project work is ending on December 31st 2013 after which I have to go back. I had my AOR received on August 2013 and So, on September 18th, I applied for BOWP explaining my situation.

Waiting for the reply from CIC. I am tense as I don’t know what’s going to happen as I am not fully qualified. Hope, Officer would understand my situation and grant OWP. Called Customer Care just now and they said that they are working on Sep 17th application currently and wait for 1-2 weeks !!!

 

[lpc19800]

Hi,

I would say my case was similar. My LMO locked WP is expiring on July 2014 and My Project work is ending on December 31st 2013 after which I have to go back. I had my AOR received on August 2013 and So, on September 18th, I applied for BOWP explaining my situation.

Waiting for the reply from CIC. I am tense as I don't know what's going to happen as I am not fully qualified. Hope, Officer would understand my situation and grant OWP. Called Customer Care just now and they said that they are working on Sep 17th application currently and wait for 1-2 weeks !!!

Lol ignore the call centre - youll hear shortly - this week they should be tackling applications from around 25th so yours will be well on the way

 

[iam_toby]

Hello fellows,

Bowp applied Online-sep 20th, 2013
In Canada approval email - Oct 26, 2013 (email letter said 'A secured hard copy has been mailed to u, u'll receive in 2-4 wk, if not call CIC)
Hard copy was in my mailbox - Oct 28, 2013 :

LOTS of thanks for this forum and the members :-*

That's good news! Congrats!
That was two days in total then and not 2-4 weeks, eh? lol ???

 

[kunishsa]

Hello fellows,

Bowp applied Online-sep 20th, 2013
In Canada approval email - Oct 26, 2013 (email letter said 'A secured hard copy has been mailed to u, u'll receive in 2-4 wk, if not call CIC)
Hard copy was in my mailbox - Oct 28, 2013 :

LOTS of thanks for this forum and the members :-*

Hey Congrats. Can you confirm one thing please? Was your current WP valid for more than 4 months? Any help in this matter is really appreciated. Thanks.

Cheers,
Kunishsa

 

[bhavik_ec]

Hello fellows,

Bowp applied Online-sep 20th, 2013
In Canada approval email - Oct 26, 2013 (email letter said 'A secured hard copy has been mailed to u, u'll receive in 2-4 wk, if not call CIC)
Hard copy was in my mailbox - Oct 28, 2013 :

LOTS of thanks for this forum and the members :-*

Not sure whats the matter with my case....Applied on Sep 18th, no response so far. Let me wait till tomorrow and see what date they update on portal.

 

[Snehith]

Hurray!!!!

Applied on 17th September for BOWP.

Got online approval on 29th October.

I have more than 4 months left in my current closed work permit.

Waiting for the hard copy

Regards,

Deepthi

 

[bhavik_ec]

Hurray!!!!

Applied on 24th September for BOWP.

Got online approval on 29th October.

I have more than 4 months left in my current closed work permit.

Waiting for the hard copy

Regards,

Deepthi

That's the good news Deepthi....Congrts...You should be getting WP sometime this week (Mostly tomorrow).... As you had 4+ months, your case gives some positive hopes to my case.

 

[Toronto2013]

Hi my WP expires in Jun 2014. Can I apply for an open work permit now? I am contemplating job change and cannot do it on the current closed WP. I applied for PR in Sept and haven't received the AOR yet. Appreciate any inputs on this.Thanks

 

[kunishsa]

Hurray!!!!

Applied on 17th September for BOWP.

Got online approval on 29th October.

I have more than 4 months left in my current closed work permit.

Waiting for the hard copy

Regards,

Deepthi

Congrats Deepthi. Your BOWP case is giving me some hope. But still I want to know someone who has got the BOWP with more than 4 months validity and applied on or after 19th September, 2013 because that is when the 485A was officially announced.

Anyway congrats to you.

Regards,
Kunishsa

 

[lpc19800]

Congrats Deepthi. Your BOWP case is giving me some hope. But still I want to know someone who has got the BOWP with more than 4 months validity and applied on or after 19th September, 2013 because that is when the 485A was officially announced.

Anyway congrats to you.

Regards,
Kunishsa

See two posts above yours.....

 

[kunishsa]

See two posts above yours.....

But there was no mentioning about the current WP validity. I had asked for that information. Could you please redirect me to the person who has got BOWP with more than 4 months of current WP validity and applied after 19th September, 2013.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Cheers,
Kunishsa

 

[lpc19800]

But there was no mentioning about the current WP validity. I had asked for that information. Could you please redirect me to the person who has got BOWP with more than 4 months of current WP validity and applied after 19th September, 2013.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Cheers,
Kunishsa

Snehith applied 24 sept and has 4+ months
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/bowp-how-many-of-you-have-applied-and-received-it-successfully-t139027.0.html;msg2674783#msg2674783