Extending tourist Visa while waiting for QSW Quebec Skilled Worker

[estinnis]

My girlfriend is in Canada on a tourist visa for 6 months (multiple entry), and we will most likely be looking to extend her tourist visa for another 6 months. My question is, should we apply for an extension from within Canada (telling them that we currently have an application in process for the QSW program... with the intention of getting PR), or should we just cross into the US and drive back to Canada to hopefully be granted another 6 months?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

 

[Jalex23]

My girlfriend is in Canada on a tourist visa for 6 months (multiple entry), and we will most likely be looking to extend her tourist visa for another 6 months. My question is, should we apply for an extension from within Canada (telling them that we currently have an application in process for the QSW program... with the intention of getting PR), or should we just cross into the US and drive back to Canada to hopefully be granted another 6 months?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

You basically can't do this unless one Visa entry stamp expires and then she can come back.

In that case then both ways are quite the same, whichever is easier (I recomend letting her visit her family for a month and then coming back).

 

[estinnis]

Okay.. I heard of a couple other options that I was hoping might work... I've heard that we can apply for an extension if we explain that we're attempting to gain common-law status? Is this true? What if we drive to the US the day her 6 month stamp expires, and then re-enter a few days later? Will that cause any problems?

 

[estinnis]

I forgot to mention that my girlfriend has a 5 year multiple entry visa which doesn't expire until 2017. Does this change anything? Her current entry stamp expires in September...

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Okay.. I heard of a couple other options that I was hoping might work... I've heard that we can apply for an extension if we explain that we're attempting to gain common-law status? Is this true? What if we drive to the US the day her 6 month stamp expires, and then re-enter a few days later? Will that cause any problems?

To get an extension to establish common-law, it is generally considered safer to apply for the extension online than to do a border run.