Canada/U.S. Job Offer - Need Help ASAP!

[jomz]

How long did it take your application to go through outland? I am seeing that for California, the L.A offices it looks lil 28 days to get approved for a sponsor and 24 months for her application? How accurate are these times.

Applying inland and roughing it out for 7-12 months looks like this is the only to go?

Thanks for your help everyone!

If you have a straight forward application (no criminality, prior sponsorships, misrepresentations etc, your application would go to CPP -Ottawa, and a lot of applicants get approved in less than 12 months.

 

[GoJets]

After you are approved what exactly are you considered; a full permanent resident with a Social Insurance Number and all that jazz?

 

[Hnhkrk]

After 7 months I was completely approved, a I have a social insurance number and all that jazz.

I applied outland, but I stayed in Canada as a visitor during that time and it was hard but I did it and I don't regret it.

 

[jomz]

After you are approved what exactly are you considered; a full permanent resident with a Social Insurance Number and all that jazz?

Yes, after 2nd stage approval your wife will be a PR with all benefits available to her (except cannot vote in Federal elections and cannot get a canadian passport until she get her citizenship)

 

[GoJets]

Hnhkrk, What office did you apply from/what country did you come from? From what it looks like applying outland is the way to go? Is that both of your opinions for the quickest route?

 

[Zarilenth]

Hnhkrk, What office did you apply from/what country did you come from? From what it looks like applying outland is the way to go? Is that both of your opinions for the quickest route?

If you're (or your wife is) an American, then you really should apply outland. Yes, she can stay with you in Canada, and no, she will not be able to work, but she will be a permanent resident in approx. 7 months. Inland is a very bad idea for Americans, as it'll take 7-8 months JUST for the first stage. After the first stage she will be able to work, but then you'll have to wait another 8ish months to get permanent residency. Plus, the office that used to process inland applications (Vegreville) is not processing them anymore, Mississauga is, so it may slow down the process a lot.

LA will not be your visa office. Ottawa is the visa office for Americans. And typically looking at other posts on this forum, they are taking around 7 months for the whole process to be completed. Applications only get sent to LA or NY if there are red flags in it and there are questions about the validity of the marriage.

 

[GoJets]

Okay, thank you guys for the help! It was way cheaper than a lawyer telling me that!

 

[keesio]

I sponsored my wife from the US last year. It took 7 months from application submission date to when she got approved and received her landing papers (COPR). Once you get your papers, you can immigrate to Canada and become a full fledged permanent resident.

 

[Ponga]

I'll throw two more options into the mix:

Apply Outland and have her remain in California (for a few months) so she can work while you are waiting for her PR approval. She can `visit' after that which keeps her unemployed in Canada for only the last few months (based on the 12 month estimate for it to be complete). Sure, it's going to be tough to be apart for those few months, but it will help with the financial hurdle(s).

Or

Have her find a way to telecommute (via the internet) from Canada.
As long as she is not remunerated in Canadian funds by a Canadian employer, she would not need a work permit.

 

[GoJets]

I'll throw two more options into the mix:

Apply Outland and have her remain in California (for a few months) so she can work while you are waiting for her PR approval. She can `visit' after that which keeps her unemployed in Canada for only the last few months (based on the 12 month estimate for it to be complete). Sure, it's going to be tough to be apart for those few months, but it will help with the financial hurdle(s).

Or

Have her find a way to telecommute (via the internet) from Canada.
As long as she is not remunerated in Canadian funds by a Canadian employer, she would not need a work permit.

You have a great couple ideas. That suggestion brings up another question:

If we apply outland, and she comes up with my right away and 'visits' for 6 months can she apply for an extension through a visitors visa or is that not allowed because of us applying outland?

Additionally, would my healthcare from either Canada, Alberta or my employer cover her while she is visiting?

Thanks!

 

[Zarilenth]

You have a great couple ideas. That suggestion brings up another question:

If we apply outland, and she comes up with my right away and 'visits' for 6 months can she apply for an extension through a visitors visa or is that not allowed because of us applying outland?

Additionally, would my healthcare from either Canada, Alberta or my employer cover her while she is visiting?

Thanks!

Yes, she'll be able to apply for an extension, it doesn't matter that you're applying outland. And I have heard that Alberta healthcare might be able to cover her, but I'm not too sure!

 

[QuebecOkie]

Just going to chime in and agree that outland is the way to go. An issue I'm not sure was mentioned with inland is that, if she were to apply inland, she really shouldn't leave Canada for the duration of the process. Entry to Canada is never guaranteed until she is a permanent resident. If she left Canada and was for some reason denied reentry, an inland application would be considered abandoned. A denial at the border would not affect an outland application.

You'll have to ask your employer about whether your insurance will cover her. My husband is Canadian military, and I was covered on his insurance after we were married, before I had status in Canada.

 

[Hnhkrk]

Just going to chime in and agree that outland is the way to go. An issue I'm not sure was mentioned with inland is that, if she were to apply inland, she really shouldn't leave Canada for the duration of the process. Entry to Canada is never guaranteed until she is a permanent resident. If she left Canada and was for some reason denied reentry, an inland application would be considered abandoned. A denial at the border would not affect an outland application.

You'll have to ask your employer about whether your insurance will cover her. My husband is Canadian military, and I was covered on his insurance after we were married, before I had status in Canada.

If you will have private insurance in Canada through an employer it should cover her. My husband was able to put me in his assurance BEFORE I had PR. And even if you don't have private healthcare, doctors visits and prescriptions for things like birth control are so cheap it shouldn't be a worry.

I applied outland as a US citizen. First my application went through LA, then it was switched to Ottawa.

 

[GoJets]

Yes, she'll be able to apply for an extension, it doesn't matter that you're applying outland. And I have heard that Alberta healthcare might be able to cover her, but I'm not too sure!

That is good news, I was thinking that she would be limited to staying for only 6 months.

Last question(s):

What is the quickest way to go about getting a criminal backgound check, any private firms that can do it faster than a month or two? - And does the background check have to be submitted with the orignal application or can we add it later, without delaying or messing up the application process. From the sounds of this I want to start the application right away rather than waiting around for a background check and then submitting?

Additionally:

What is the quickest way to go about the medical?
- Do it right away and submit with the application?
- Do the medical and have them start the paperwork?
- or submit the paperwok and then wait for the medical?

Thanks!

 

[Zarilenth]

That is good news, I was thinking that she would be limited to staying for only 6 months.

Last question(s):

What is the quickest way to go about getting a criminal backgound check, any private firms that can do it faster than a month or two? - And does the background check have to be submitted with the orignal application or can we add it later, without delaying or messing up the application process. From the sounds of this I want to start the application right away rather than waiting around for a background check and then submitting?

Additionally:

What is the quickest way to go about the medical?
- Do it right away and submit with the application?
- Do the medical and have them start the paperwork?
- or submit the paperwok and then wait for the medical?

Thanks!

Since you're applying outland, I would suggest doing both the FBI check and the medical BEFORE you send in the application. I didn't, and I'm only 1 1/2 months in and it's a huge headache for me. I luckily got accepted as a sponsor without those two things, but usually they'll just send your application back as incomplete. They just wrote on my sponsorship approval to do the medical ASAP or my application will be delayed/denied. The FBI check has to be through the FBI, not a second hand person. CIC will not accept it otherwise, so it looks like you'll have to wait for that although I can't be 100% sure that it matters if you send it in with the app or later. They so far haven't mentioned anything about the FBI check that I did not include. I just wrote that my husband has already done it, and we will send it to the visa office as soon as we get it.

With the medical though, you can do it and submit the application the next day. All you include with your package is the receipts from the medical office. The doctor will submit the results to the online databank. The only wait you'll have with that is booking an appointment (some are fully booked for a month or so)