Extending work permit when applying for spousal sponsorship PR

[karlos_macca]

Hi,

I am wondering if it is possible to extend a work visa when applying for PR under spousal sponsorship. I am in Canada currently, 18 months into a 2 year work visa. I have been in a common-law relationship with my Canadian partner since I arrived, and thus I wish to stay.

My other option is to apply through express entry and simultaneously apply for a bridging work permit while is it being assessed. The problem is I checked my points under Express Entry and I am only reaching 408 points, less than the recent minimum entry totals pf srpund 450 points. I am employed as a geologist here, but due to the nature of the industry ( very quiet now) my employer can only keep giving me contract work and not a permanent job offer to help with this application.

So is the bridging work permit definitely not applicable for Spousal applications?? I really want to keep working and do not want to be sitting around for 18 months until PR is approved. Has anyone had any similar experiences?

 

[scylla]

What kind of work permit do you hold? PGWP? Closed work permit? IEC? Something else?

BOWP does not apply to spousal sponsorship applications. Only economic class.

Express Entry hasn't been at 450 points since last year. This year it hasn't gone below 474.

 

[karlos_macca]

I have IEC. Expires Mid March.

So it doesn't look good for me to continue working while the application is processed?

 

[karlos_macca]

Can I apply for an Open Work Permit once we have applied for Spousal PR?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Can I apply for an Open Work Permit once we have applied for Spousal PR?

If you apply inland, you can include an OWP app with the PR app.

However, depending on where you are from, it's usually always better to apply outland. There's no OWP option with outland but it's generally the faster process.

 

[karlos_macca]

Thanks. I'll apply for the OWP at the same time as the spousal PR application, so I can continue to work

I've got a good job here, so I would have to apply inland as I don't want to give it up and my fiancee can not move away also....so I know it will take quite a long time. Unfortunately I'll have only worked 9 months in it when IEC Visa expires so I can not apply for CEC PR, hence spousal looks like my only option.