Getting Job while waiting for PR

[derbeast]

Hi all,

If I take a job, get a 1 yr work permit and quit after a month can I still stay in Canada for the other 11 months? I am hearing mixed reports about it from people and would love to have it clarified. I am concerned that it may effect my PR application negatively.

Thanks,

D

 

[Mermaid3011]

Hi D.

it depends on the kind of visa you are getting - with a BUNAC work and travel visa you can stay whether you are working or not. If you are planning to get a temporary work permit for one year the visa you are receiving is - as far as I know - only valid as long as you are working with the employer you got the work permit for.

I know that once the job ends you are holding a TWP for you'd have to leave the country within 3 days or one week I believe or apply for change of status.

But why dont you consider the following:

if you are not depending on paid work, come as a visitor (6 months for most Europeans) and apply for prolongation of your visitor status 1 month before your visitor status expires. That might be the safest way.

Always remember: you are an open book to immigrations. They know at every POE if you have applied for PR and/or Work Permit aso... And every step will be noted in the system. You should play by the book in order to not jeopardize your PR application!

cheers
brigit

 

[derbeast]

Thanks Birgit for the response. Where is it written though that I need to change my status within a week of the job termination? Do you have an official reference for this? Its confusing because every person I talk to tells me a different answer. My 1 yr travel/work visa has expired and I am now on a tourist visa so I don't know if its a good idea to take the job I've been offered as I have a feeling the company will not be in operation in Canada for more than a month or 2 due to the recession.

 

[Leon]

Mermaid, where do you have it from that he would have to leave or change status if his work ends? I have never heard this.

My employer in AB had a lot of temporary workers and sometimes they would threaten them if you don't do overtime blah blah, then we will have to close the company and lay you off and then you have to go home. The union checked it out for them and they said it is your right to stay in Canada as long as your work permit is valid. If you have a valid work permit for one year, you can stay for one year, even if you quit the employer. You can then hang around and do nothing or you can look for another employer and file for a new LMO and a change of work permit.

Not sure why you would want to hang around in Canada and do nothing though. If that is your plan, why not come as a visitor. After your 6 months are up, you can file for visit visa extension.

 

[derbeast]

Thanks Leon for the response and for clarifying. Just to be clear, you feel it would have absolutely no reflection on my PR application if I stayed on the work permit without working?

 

[Mermaid3011]

Hi Leon, hi Derbeast,

I am sorry if I gave you a wrong information based on the things I heard.
And you are right... I was reading through the Immigration rules and throgh the operational bulletin for Foreign Worker and there is actually nothing in there saying, that the right to stay in the country with a TWP would expire if you leave the employer!!!

Thanks for enlightening and correcting me! That is obviously a modern myth I was believing!

have a good day!
Brigit

 

[Leon]

Thanks Leon for the response and for clarifying. Just to be clear, you feel it would have absolutely no reflection on my PR application if I stayed on the work permit without working?

No, I can't think of any problems with that. I doubt they'd even know that you quit unless you told them.