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

[anveshaluwala]

Thanks very much LPS for the quick reply!
I spoke to someone from the CIC call centre a few weeks back and they had advised I change status to visitor then apply for the bridging visa once I get my AOR. Good thing I posted on here!
What if I sent my BOWP on the 18th Feb by mail? Does ot take 2 weeks to get there? or is it sooner? That would give me maximum time allowed for the AOR
Also, what if I wrote a letter pleading my case for the case worker to postpone processing of my BOWP until I get a positive AOR?
What do you suggest I take my CEC application to, to make sure it's 100%?
And if none of this is viable, what if my girlfriend marries me? I understand she would then sponsor me and that maybe takes 6 months?!
Very stressful times!
Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hey hi ,

I just read ua case....Even I have applied Bowp without the AOR number on

Jan 3rd 2014 - applied BOWP
Nov 25th 2013- CEC filed
Jan 8th 2014- CC charged
Jan 10th 2014 -Aor received

I have applied a paper application so that i can buy some time..I have attached an explanation letter about aor..Now am on implied status..
What i knew through lawyer was we cant apply BOWP on if current work permit expires..rather to be on implied status was better..
Just my fingers crossed hoping for the best..
Good luck to u..

 

[LPS]

Its a paper application....cant we check online??

If you didn't apply online, the status of your application is not available online.

 

[LPS]

Thanks very much LPS for the quick reply!
I spoke to someone from the CIC call centre a few weeks back and they had advised I change status to visitor then apply for the bridging visa once I get my AOR. Good thing I posted on here!
What if I sent my BOWP on the 18th Feb by mail? Does ot take 2 weeks to get there? or is it sooner? That would give me maximum time allowed for the AOR

The application should arrive at their office before your work permit expires. Some people say that they go by the postmark date, but I'm very dubious on this.

Also, what if I wrote a letter pleading my case for the case worker to postpone processing of my BOWP until I get a positive AOR?

As a last resort, you might ask them to put your application at the back of the queue if there is no AOR yet. I doubt they would be keen to prolong someone's implied status by honouring this request. BOWP applications have been refused due to not providing "evidence of a positive eligibility decision", including for some people who believe their only error was to not enclose a copy of the AOR in their application. In any case, if no AOR exists when they open your application, then your chances of being approved are not good.

Note that there is no 'negative' AOR per se; if your CEC application doesn't pass the initial checks, then the application package is returned to you and no record is kept.

What do you suggest I take my CEC application to, to make sure it's 100%?

Not sure what you mean by this.

And if none of this is viable, what if my girlfriend marries me? I understand she would then sponsor me and that maybe takes 6 months?!

There's another section of this forum that could probably better help with that

 

[Aussam]

Hi LPS,
I meant "proofreading" the CEC application before sending it to make sure everything would be accepted.
Is there any documents you can send at a later date once you receive them i.e the T4 and NOA as that would come at the end of Feb which would be too late for me to send with my CEC application. I pretty much have to wait until my CELPIP results come back though, I do that this Sunday the 19th. How long did it take to receive yours?

The cover letter is pretty much my only option I have to do and hope they accept that with my BOWP. I've noticed a few others have done this on this forum.

 

[Aussam]

Also, if I did change to visitor status to wait for my AOR. Can I just apply for an OWP and not a bridging one? Is this acceptable?

 

[iamelle]

Hello everyone I have a rather complicated case. May I ask for your opinion.

I am on open work permit and my spouse is the one on closed work permit. Their project will end earlier than expected and by that time, I am already eligible to apply for CEC. But the thing is, even if we apply and get AOR, we're not yet eligible to apply for BOWP due to the 4-month-rule.

Is it possible for us to apply for BOWP and get approved even if there is about six months left on our work permits? Can we attach a letter to our application stating that my husband lost his job and he's on close work permit?

Anyone here who's on similar situation?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Aussam]

I also found this on the CIC website:

I want to apply for a work permit. Do I need to get a Labour Market Opinion first?

A Labour Market Opinion (LMO) is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada that gives your employer permission to hire you.

You may apply for a work permit without an LMO if you are in one of the following situations:

And one of them being,
You:

are a young worker in an international exchange program, such as
the Student Work Abroad Program, or
the Working Holiday Program,

Which I am on a WHP. Is this correct?? I can just apply for a work permit??

 

[LPS]

I meant "proofreading" the CEC application before sending it to make sure everything would be accepted.

It shouldn't be that hard - start preparing your application early, and review it several times before submitting. When you do submit, make sure you have used the latest version of all forms, in case they changed in the meantime. Get family or friends to check it out.

You may want to use an immigration consultant if your case is particularly complicated, though many here are suspicious of them and they can be expensive.

Is there any documents you can send at a later date once you receive them i.e the T4 and NOA as that would come at the end of Feb which would be too late for me to send with my CEC application. I pretty much have to wait until my CELPIP results come back though, I do that this Sunday the 19th. How long did it take to receive yours?

Certain documents, e.g. police certificates, can be submitted later, but I don't think T4 and NOA are among them from reading the document checklist. You might be able to submit other documentation - pay stubs etc - in lieu of these. Anyone else have advice on this?

My CELPIP arrived within the timeframe that they advertised - I don't remember exactly.

Also, if I did change to visitor status to wait for my AOR. Can I just apply for an OWP and not a bridging one? Is this acceptable?

Maybe, but the criteria set out in OB485A apply specifically to bridging permits. You'd have to find some other way to be eligible for an open work permit. Which brings us to:

You may apply for a work permit without an LMO if you are in one of the following situations:

And one of them being,
You:

are a young worker in an international exchange program, such as
the Student Work Abroad Program, or
the Working Holiday Program,

Which I am on a WHP. Is this correct?? I can just apply for a work permit??

It's not quite that simple - you don't "just apply" for an IEC (working holiday) open work permit. You have to apply through the WHP run by your home country, in the same way I presume that you got your original one. If you are still eligible for your home country's WHP, this would seem like an ideal solution to your problem. The only real reason I applied for CEC is that I passed the age limit for WHP.

 

[Aussam]

Thanks again!

Maybe, but the criteria set out in OB485A apply specifically to bridging permits. You'd have to find some other way to be eligible for an open work permit. Which brings us to:

I might call up CIC and see if this is viable.

It's not quite that simple - you don't "just apply" for an IEC (working holiday) open work permit. You have to apply through the WHP run by your home country, in the same way I presume that you got your original one. If you are still eligible for your home country's WHP, this would seem like an ideal solution to your problem. The only real reason I applied for CEC is that I passed the age limit for WHP.

I'm in the same boat, this is my final WHP. 32 now. But the wording on the website looks as though that if you're already on a WHP you can apply for work permit without an LMO?

How detailed do you have to have the background information for the CEC? I've travelled and been to a lot of places. Multiple places in the same month. Do I need absolute specifics?

 

[Aussam]

I just called the CIC call centre.
Sending my CEC then sending my BOWP and hope my AOR is ready in time before they receive it, They said I would not be on implied status as I know I would not be eligible. ( sending without AOR )
LPS, did you continue to work while waiting on your BOWP without AOR?

 

[LPS]

I'm in the same boat, this is my final WHP. 32 now. But the wording on the website looks as though that if you're already on a WHP you can apply for work permit without an LMO?

In the context of WHP, I think 'applying' for an open work permit is technically what you did at the border when you presented your introduction letter from your home country's WHP. Of course, once you've been accepted into the WHP this is pretty much a rubber stamp. But you need to reapply for WHP each time you want a new permit and continue to be eligible. This is a shame for me too (did you know the age limit is as high as 35 for some other countries?)

I just called the CIC call centre.
Sending my CEC then sending my BOWP and hope my AOR is ready in time before they receive it, They said I would not be on implied status as I know I would not be eligible. ( sending without AOR )

I don't know what they mean by you "would not be on implied status". Provided that you applied on time, implied status lasts from the expiry of your old permit until a decision is made on your new one, whatever that decision is.

I can understand if they are discouraging people from making frivolous work permit applications that they know will fail, as a tactic to get implied status. Really though, this only buys you a few extra weeks before you have to stop working.

Perhaps if they catch people doing this, they retroactively consider that person to not have had implied status, and if they worked during that period, they consider that work to have been done without authorization. But that's just a theory.

Again, people have tried and succeeded in applying for a BOWP before their AOR came, so it's a legitimate process. I think in your case, the AOR might just be too late and the BOWP application will be refused for not providing evidence of a positive eligibility decision.

LPS, did you continue to work while waiting on your BOWP without AOR?

Yes, I was on implied status for the best part of two months

 

[zoran]

Sending my CEC then sending my BOWP and hope my AOR is ready in time before they receive it, They said I would not be on implied status as I know I would not be eligible. ( sending without AOR )
LPS, did you continue to work while waiting on your BOWP without AOR?

I have the same situation. Send my BOWP paper application without AOR and in the meantime I received AOR. After my AOR was visible on E-CAS, I called CIC call center to ask if I have implied status and agent told me that I do. In addition, I asked her for confirmation for my employer, so she send me an email to confirm that I'm in implied status.

However, 10 days before I send my BOWP I was speaking with other agent who was very uncertain and for each my question has to ask her senior. She was trying to convince me that I can't apply for BOWP because I will have to wait at least 3-4 months for AOR. My impression is that some of these CIC call centre agents are not up to the task they are performing.

 

[anveshaluwala]

I have the same situation. Send my BOWP paper application without AOR and in the meantime I received AOR. After my AOR was visible on E-CAS, I called CIC call center to ask if I have implied status and agent told me that I do. In addition, I asked her for confirmation for my employer, so she send me an email to confirm that I'm in implied status.

However, 10 days before I send my BOWP I was speaking with other agent who was very uncertain and for each my question has to ask her senior. She was trying to convince me that I can't apply for BOWP because I will have to wait at least 3-4 months for AOR. My impression is that some of these CIC call centre agents are not up to the task they are performing.

Hey Hi Zoran..

Even im on the same boat..I have applied BOWP without the AOR as mentioned the details in the above messages..When did u apply for BOWP and did u got to know any status regarding it?? Am like really tensed..

Thanks in advance..
Anvesh aluwala

 

[zoran]

Hey Hi Zoran..

Even im on the same boat..I have applied BOWP without the AOR as mentioned the details in the above messages..When did u apply for BOWP and did u got to know any status regarding it?? Am like really tensed..

Thanks in advance..
Anvesh aluwala

Yes, waiting for it is a stressful, but I hope everything will be fine. I read here about many successful cases of receiving BOWP without sending AOR and nobody complained about being rejected in this approach.

I applied for BOWP Dec 11th
WP expired Dec 15th
Received AOR Dec 23rd

I'm expecting my application to be processed by the end of January or first week of February.

Good luck.

 

[Aussam]

Yes, waiting for it is a stressful, but I hope everything will be fine. I read here about many successful cases of receiving BOWP without sending AOR and nobody complained about being rejected in this approach.

I applied for BOWP Dec 11th
WP expired Dec 15th
Received AOR Dec 23rd

I'm expecting my application to be processed by the end of January or first week of February.

Good luck.

Hi Zoran,
When did you send your CEC application? And did you send a cover letter explaining that you are waiting for the AOR and will send it as soon as you can?

Thanks!