essential worker, visa will expire

[carol_sama]

Hello people!
I am here in Canada under a working holiday and my visa will expire in a month and a half. I intend to stay in Canada and for that my option was the EE. With COVID stopping most of the tests (ECA and IELTS) I don't really know what to do
I am a regular part-timer (25 hrs/week) at a old folks home which is considered essential service (I am working normally 5 days a week). Is it possible to get and extension based o that?
I am located in Victoria BC.
Thank you

 

[scylla]

Hello people!
I am here in Canada under a working holiday and my visa will expire in a month and a half. I intend to stay in Canada and for that my option was the EE. With COVID stopping most of the tests (ECA and IELTS) I don't really know what to do
I am a regular part-timer (25 hrs/week) at a old folks home which is considered essential service (I am working normally 5 days a week). Is it possible to get and extension based o that?
I am located in Victoria BC.
Thank you

Unfortunately the answer is no at this time. IRCC has not announced any changes to current work permit rules that would allow you to extend your work permit. Possible they might. But nothing so far.

Do you qualify for a second participation in the IEC program? (Only select countries do.) That's worth checking out if you haven't already.

Normally we would suggest that your employer obtain an approved LMIA. However you are super super short on time for that given they typically take several months to process and the advertising portion alone takes a month. Having said that, your employer can certainly try.

Even without COVID-19, you would have had to stop working. If you didn't already have IELTS and ECA done well before COVID-19 hit, you really didn't have enough time to get an EE profile in, be selected and submit your complete application to qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (and be able to continue working). Did you have a back up plan to Express Entry? How many points would you have under the EE points system?

 

[carol_sama]

Unfortunately the answer is no at this time. IRCC has not announced any changes to current work permit rules that would allow you to extend your work permit. Possible they might. But nothing so far.

Do you qualify for a second participation in the IEC program? (Only select countries do.) That's worth checking out if you haven't already.

Normally we would suggest that your employer obtain an approved LMIA. However you are super super short on time for that given they typically take several months to process and the advertising portion alone takes a month. Having said that, your employer can certainly try.

Even without COVID-19, you would have had to stop working. If you didn't already have IELTS and ECA done well before COVID-19 hit, you really didn't have enough time to get an EE profile in, be selected and submit your complete application to qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (and be able to continue working). Did you have a back up plan to Express Entry? How many points would you have under the EE points system?

I dont have IELTS or ECA yet. I did a simulation teste and I get 581 points at EE (I am 32, gadruated in a Bachelors degree in Visual Communication, and fluent in English, French and Portuguese). I will keep on trying to do the tests.

If I apply for an extension (knowing that it will be denied since its a WH) will that help me get the time that I need?
Thank you

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I dont have IELTS or ECA yet. I did a simulation teste and I get 581 points at EE (I am 32, gadruated in a Bachelors degree in Visual Communication, and fluent in English, French and Portuguese). I will keep on trying to do the tests.

If I apply for an extension (knowing that it will be denied since its a WH) will that help me get the time that I need?
Thank you

Not a good idea. If you apply for an extension when you don't qualify, the app will likely be refused as incomplete. That would mean no Implied Status and all work done after your current permit expires would be illegal.

 

[scylla]

I dont have IELTS or ECA yet. I did a simulation teste and I get 581 points at EE (I am 32, gadruated in a Bachelors degree in Visual Communication, and fluent in English, French and Portuguese). I will keep on trying to do the tests.

If I apply for an extension (knowing that it will be denied since its a WH) will that help me get the time that I need?
Thank you

581 is a very good score. Make sure you aren't claiming the 50 points for having a job offer (you don't qualify for these unless your employer obtains an approved LMIA). What was your plan originally to continue working? Again, even without COVID-19, you didn't leave yourself enough time to get the language tests done (and receive results) and then submit an EE profile, get ITA and submit your complete application before your IEC expires. You would have still been way way short on time even if things were normal and would have had to have stopped working. So what was your original plan knowing you didn't have enough time for EE?

If you apply for an extension, you'll end up being refused and will then be in Canada out of status / illegally. Also, any work experience gain since your IEC work permit expired will not count towards any Canadian immgiration program. You must have valid status in Canada to apply for PR if you are applying from within Canada. Once you are out of status, you will need to apply to restore your status to visitor (obviously you won't be able to work). Restoration can take months to complete. Best solution is to apply to change your status to visitor before your IEC expires to keep your status valid in Canada and then stop working as soon as your IEC expires. Then you'll keep your status in Canada valid and will be able to apply for PR as soon as you qualify.

 

[carol_sama]

Best solution is to apply to change your status to visitor before your IEC expires to keep your status valid in Canada and then stop working as soon as your IEC expires. Then you'll keep your status in Canada valid and will be able to apply for PR as soon as you qualify.

Yes, that is indeed a very good idea!
I managed to book the CELPIP for this month already, now I need to translate my docs to English and go for the ECA.
However, a do have a doubt: if I apply to change my status to visitor and its accepted before my IEC finishes, I will have to stop working as soon as my status as a visitor is accepted? Or it will automatically change AFTER my IEC expires and then I become a visitor?
Thank you for the pro tip s2

 

[scylla]

Yes, that is indeed a very good idea!
I managed to book the CELPIP for this month already, now I need to translate my docs to English and go for the ECA.
However, a do have a doubt: if I apply to change my status to visitor and its accepted before my IEC finishes, I will have to stop working as soon as my status as a visitor is accepted? Or it will automatically change AFTER my IEC expires and then I become a visitor?
Thank you for the pro tip s2

You can work until your IEC expires. You do not have to stop working earlier.

 

[carol_sama]

You can work until your IEC expires. You do not have to stop working earlier.

Thanks! I will work until then and become a visitor afterwards so I can still be here and apply for the EE.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks! I will work until then and become a visitor afterwards so I can still be here and apply for the EE.

1. You may not be eligible for EI, as one the criteria is "available for work" with a visitor record, you aren't available for work.

 

[carol_sama]

Hi1. You may not be eligible for EI, as one the criteria is "available for work" with a visitor record, you aren't available for work.

EI as in Employement Insurance?
I am not applying for EI, I am applying for Express Entry (EE).

@scylla Is it possible to acquire the Bridge open work when I am a visitor?

 

[scylla]

EI as in Employement Insurance?
I am not applying for EI, I am applying for Express Entry (EE).

@scylla Is it possible to acquire the Bridge open work when I am a visitor?

No. Not possible. You must be holding a valid work permit at the time you apply for a BOWP.