I married my wife last summer who is Canadian I am British and we are currently living in Canada. I entered on a visitor visa and she has applied to sponsor me so I can receive residency and a work permit. I want to know am I allowed to leave the country before I get a permanent residency card? Or can I leave once I have a work permit (which takes short, I am told)? If I leave can I re-enter? Has anyone else experienced this?
Can I leave the country?
- Thread starter jimmyspeath
- Start date
If you have a valid work visa/permit you can leave and return as you please. If you're on a visitor visa, once you leave it is cancelled and you'll need to qualify to reenter - sufficient funds, convince the officer you'd leave Canada if your PR application was rejected etc.
I've personally done both. Left and reentered mid visitor visa and was given another 6 months, and left numerous times on the work visa. Leaving on a visitor visa is much more risky. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it.
Oh and depends if you're applying Inland or outland...
I've personally done both. Left and reentered mid visitor visa and was given another 6 months, and left numerous times on the work visa. Leaving on a visitor visa is much more risky. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it.
Oh and depends if you're applying Inland or outland...
JamesBox said:
Thanks. Do you know if my wife also has to work? She has a PT job at the moment but is studying for law bar exams and her job is taking up studying time. Would she be able to quit her job and live off our savings and still sponsor me?
jimmyspeath said:
Assuming you applied for PR INLAND along with the Open Work Permit, you and your sponsor are supposed to live together inside Canada during entire duration of processing.
If you left for a short trip, re-entry to Canada is up to the CBSA officer you encounter. While 99% of the time a UK national shouldn't have any problem re-entering Canada, just be aware that if you're denied entry for any reason your inland PR app would be considered abandoned and you'd have to start again from scratch with an outland app.
jeffporfirio1
Hero Member
I know nothing of this, but I would do as the ol' Russian adage says: "It is better to ask forgiveness, than to ask permission"
So go
Nostrovia!
So go
Nostrovia!
JamesBox said:
if you applied inland, you are advised not to leave even if you have the open work permit. Reason being, if for some reason the border officer denies you, your application could get cancelled and you can't appeal it. The open work permit says on the bottom of it that it does not authorise re entry to Canada. The only people with a "guaranteed" entry are PR's and citizens, otherwise they can deny you if they wish. It is also at the officer's discretion. Some have left and come back ok, and some have had issues. If you want to take the risk that is up to you. I chose not to as didn't think it was worth it.
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