Entering Canada with Pending Work Permit

[Matlok]

Dear all,
I hope you can help me with this. I am from Germany and will be doing my practicum in Nanaimo as a teacher's assistant, for which I will receive no pay. Nevertheless, I needed a work permit. I have received the letter of introduction from the school on February 2nd and mailed it to the embassy in Vienna on February 12th - I wanted to finish my semester first. Bad idea. When I checked the processing times, I got a small heart attack: 60 days! Work days! The post office told me that all my documents arrived in Vienna at February 15th. I will be arriving in Vancouver on April 15th. I wanted to ask the embassy, if my open Work Permit will be done in time, but on the homepage it says to not bother asking them about pending work permits. What am I to do now?

-May I enter Canada as a tourist with a pending work permit?
-Should I explain everything to the immigration officer?
-Am I allowed to enter Canada at all, for my flight back will be scheduled 4 months from my arrival?
-If I receive my work permit by mail, am I to cross the American border, walk three steps, turn around and present this immigration officer my work permit?

I am so excited to learn and teach in Canada, but all this worrying if giving me a stomach ache. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[iam_toby]

You can enter Canada as a visitor. You don't have to tell the officer about your pending work permit as he doenst really care unless you
have all the papers with you.

-May I enter Canada as a tourist with a pending work permit?

Enter as a visitor, once you get your work permit approved you can flagpole. That means, you leave Canada at
a land crossing, tell the US officer you're here to activate your work permit, he will deny entrance to the US and send
you back to the Canadian border. There you present all the necessary paperwork and get your work permit stapled
in your passport.

-Should I explain everything to the immigration officer?

No. I wouldn't. Only makes the process more complicated.

-Am I allowed to enter Canada at all, for my flight back will be scheduled 4 months from my arrival?

Yes, and a visitor visa allows you to stay for up to 6 months

-If I receive my work permit by mail, am I to cross the American border, walk three steps, turn around and present this immigration officer my work permit?

see 1.


Hope this helps.

 

[Matlok]

Thanks a lot Toby! I really appreciate all your answers. You just took a bunch of worries off my chest.

 

[iam_toby]

No problem! Ask away if you have any questions. Von mir aus auch auf deutsch. Have a great day!

 

[Kyberxs27]

Hi there, i'm not sure if my question is related to this topic.
but i just want to ask some information if we could request a copy of Open work permit from the border?
my husband applied for open work permit but did not came on mail together with my Approval in principle.
We spoked to CIC call center agents and was advised that it was approved on February 28, 2013 and gave us the permit number.
but due to technical problem the said Open work permit was'nt printed. how is this possible? since its been 6 weeks from feb 28.
are we allowed to go to the border and ask his open work permit?
i appreciate your help.. Thanks in advance!