Can my sponsored spouse enter Canada & apply for a TRV with ONLY an eTA Visa?

[hansfast]

Hello!

I am a Canadian citizen sponsoring my German spouse through the Family Class sponsorship. After living in Germany for the past year we are moving to Canada. On July 14th 2016 we will be in the States for 13 days and then on July 27th we will be in Canada. Through this wonderful forum we have wisely decided to send an inland application once we are in Canada. Upon entering Canada my wife will only have a simple eTA Visa (she has no work permit, no study permit). Will this be enough to convince the border officer to let her in Canada or does she need a Temporary Resident Visitor Visa or some additional permit in order to be allowed to enter Canada??? Upon arriving in Canada we would ideally like to stay put and not have her move back to Germany.
Our idea is to have her apply for a Temporary Resident Visiter Visa from inside of Canada (only takes approx. 9 days currently) and then apply for an Open work permit afterwards.

 

[Aquakitty]

Oh boy. You need to do some more reading I think you might be mixing up a few things.

German citizens don't need visas to enter Canada as a visitor. What she will need to bring is a return ticket and some proof of ties to home, and a bank statement showing you have funds to support her "visit". Then, once in Canada, she can visit for 6 months, and if she needs to "visit" longer, renew her status at the 5 month mark.

As for an open work permit, this is nearly impossible to get unless 1) you apply for PR inside Canada or 2) apply for an IEC visa (which I think is by lottery now or 3) already have an employer lined up who is willing to go through the LMIA process. Only a skilled, in-demand worker would fall into the latter category.

Now the problem with 1) is applying inland generally takes much longer than applying outland. Its usually NOT the "wise" decision. Sure she will get a work visa out of it, but it's probably not worth it.
Applying outland while in Canada is not the same thing as applying inland. It's two different applications.

Apply outland either when in Canada or while in Germany, come to Canada as a "visitor", renew the status if necessary and wait for the PR is my suggestion.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Oh boy. You need to do some more reading I think you might be mixing up a few things.
Apply outland either when in Canada or while in Germany, come to Canada as a "visitor", renew the status if necessary and wait for the PR is my suggestion.

i second this. applying inland certainly is NOT the "wise" choice in this situation. apply outland.

 

[hansfast]

Thanks for the info's!

We have the inland PR application already filled out and are planning on sending it immediately once we arrive in Canada. We're assuming she would be able to get a work permit out of this. The longer processing time doesn't bug us since she will have a work visa for most of the time. Why is this not worth it?

 

[CDNPR2014]

Thanks for the info's!

We have the inland PR application already filled out and are planning on sending it immediately once we arrive in Canada. We're assuming she would be able to get a work permit out of this. The longer processing time doesn't bug us since she will have a work visa for most of the time. Why is this not worth it?

because more than likely, she can be completely approved and landed as an outland PR applicant in the same amount of time, less time or not much longer than receiving the owp. also, depending on what province you live in, the OWP does not automatically make someone eligible for healthcare. in Ontario, you have to prove 6 mo. full time employment (and submit a letter with specific language) to qualify for OHIP with the OWP. many people have reported healthcare qualification issues with this OWP. So essentially, best case scenario, you're still waiting 10 months for healthcare as an inland applicant - more if you don't have a job right away or it takes more than 4 months to get the OWP. Pretty sure most german nationals are landed as PRs within that amount of time through outland.

 

[hansfast]

We will be living in BC, does that make a difference regarding health insurance with an OWP?
Do you mean we can send an Outland application from within Canada as a "visitor" w/o a Visitor visa?

It still seems to be more worth it though to apply for the OWP in Canada with the inland application because the 11 month processing time for the outland application is an assumably longer waiting period than the OWP waiting period. Just looking at the costs.

 

[CDNPR2014]

We will be living in BC, does that make a difference regarding health insurance with an OWP?
Do you mean we can send an Outland application from within Canada as a "visitor" w/o a Visitor visa?

It still seems to be more worth it though to apply for the OWP in Canada with the inland application because the 11 month processing time for the outland application is an assumably longer waiting period than the OWP waiting period. Just looking at the costs.

i can't speak to bc's healthcare. check the inland applicant thread and ask there.

as the other poster mentioned, a german citizen is visa exempt and does not require a visa to visit or stay in canada as a visitor, nor are they eligible for a TRV. she can enter on the strength of her passport - that is all she needs until the ETA grace period ends. an outland applicant can certainly be inside canada as a visitor, worker or student and apply outland. applying outland has nothing to do with where the applicant physically is. it is about what citizenship they are. the only "risk" is that if an interview is called, it will probably be in her home country. MOST outland applicants (especially those visa exempt) are waived interviews, so it really isn't a reason to not apply outland.

if you are getting "11 months" from the CIC website, note those times are NOT averages. 11 months means 80% of applications are processed WITHIN that time - meaning a majority of applications are processed in less time than what is posted. to know the current wait time that real life people are experiencing, go to the thread specific for the visa office that would process a german application. more than likely you'll see an "average" of half the time or less than what is posted. i'm not sure where german applications are processed, so once that is established you'll be able to see how quickly applications are being approved right now. a large number of applications from around the world are being approved in record times - 3-5 months total.

 

[hansfast]

I thought gov. Canada was handing out OWP automatically while applicants had to wait? Based off your calculation regarding the "true" waiting times, my sponsored spouse might only have to wait 5 months for her PR. Is that truly quicker than the OWP waiting time?

 

[CDNPR2014]

I thought gov. Canada was handing out OWP automatically while applicants had to wait? Based off your calculation regarding the "true" waiting times, my sponsored spouse might only have to wait 5 months for her PR. Is that truly quicker than the OWP waiting time?

OWP are not automatic. it takes 4ish months to receive it once the application is submitted with the PR application. yes, outland applicants, depending on where they are from, are landing within 3-5 months. there are many february and march 2016 applicants who have already landed. i believe april appilcants are currently receiving passport requests. it's your choice if you feel it's better to wait 4 months for an owp and then another 1.5 years for total approval or wait 3-6, maybe 8 months to get approved pr as an outland applicant. most people choose outland for those obvious reasons.

 

[hansfast]

awesome, thank you so much for this help! we'll definitely apply with the outland application. we'll just have to bite the extra 4 months of paying hefty travel insurance but then enjoy the full working pleasures of having a PR much sooner. thanks again!

 

[CDNPR2014]

awesome, thank you so much for this help! we'll definitely apply with the outland application. we'll just have to bite the extra 4 months of paying hefty travel insurance but then enjoy the full working pleasures of having a PR much sooner. thanks again!

double check which office your application will be sent to. vienna, warsaw, london? not sure there is an office IN germany? i'm sure others will confirm either way. the only office that seems to not be processing quickly is london, though it's still much less time than inland and still doesn't make sense to apply inland. some london applicaitons are being sent to ottawa and are processed quickly. it seems to be luck of the draw.

 

[Regina]

There is a waiting period for BC Medical Service Program. Let's say if she enters BC (Canada) on any day in July she will be enrolled on the 1st of September.

 

[CDNPR2014]

There is a waiting period for BC Medical Service Program. Let's say if she enters BC (Canada) on any day in July she will be enrolled on the 1st of September.

even on visitor status?

 

[yvr1234]

even on visitor status?

I think she means landing.
I don't think you can get BC Healthcare coverage as a visitor.
I had to fight to get my husband added to mine even after AIP and hubby received OWP . (I applied inland back then)