Getting PR packet ready - what did I forget?

[christinebear]

I've been gathering stuff all summer for my PR packet, so that I will have everything ready before I submit. My question is: do I need to also apply for a work permit at the same time, or does a work permit status happen with PR acceptance?

My packet so far: Got my FBI check fingerprints sent out, waiting for Medical check, have friends/family writing letters on our behave, and have collected images, phone logs, and Facebook chats from the past couple of years and other proof of relationship...

(US citizen apply for PR under sponsorship by partner, Outland.)

I tried the work permit and student permit way first, to be easier on us, but no one so far is eligible to hire me and getting into master programs has been near impossible (no way to pay for it right now). :-[ School will have to wait.

Also, any common reasons that common-law get rejected? I want to be prepared. We're planning on getting married, but that'll have to wait.

Thanks in advance! Everyone here has been really helpful!

 

[canadianwoman]

Since you are applying outland, there is no work permit that comes with the application. When you apply inland, you can apply for an open work permit at the same time. Because it takes about 4 months to get this work permit, and many Americans applying outland get their PR in 5 or 6 months, it is not really worth it to apply inland just for the work permit.

Once you are accepted and land as a PR, you are a permanent resident of Canada and no longer need work permits. You can work at any job a Canadian could, except for a few government jobs that require a security clearance.

Common-law applications are sometimes rejected if the couple cannot prove that they lived together for 12 continuous months. They can also be rejected if the visa officer does not believe the relationship is genuine, or thinks that the applicant just wants to use the relationship to come live in Canada. American applicants are almost never suspected of a relationship of convenience, though.

 

[christinebear]

Since you are applying outland, there is no work permit that comes with the application. When you apply inland, you can apply for an open work permit at the same time. Because it takes about 4 months to get this work permit, and many Americans applying outland get their PR in 5 or 6 months, it is not really worth it to apply inland just for the work permit.

Once you are accepted and land as a PR, you are a permanent resident of Canada and no longer need work permits. You can work at any job a Canadian could, except for a few government jobs that require a security clearance.

Common-law applications are sometimes rejected if the couple cannot prove that they lived together for 12 continuous months. They can also be rejected if the visa officer does not believe the relationship is genuine, or thinks that the applicant just wants to use the relationship to come live in Canada. American applicants are almost never suspected of a relationship of convenience, though.

Thank you! I think I have enough evidence. It's hard to tell what "enough" is, so I'm just gathering everything I can. I'm not sure what all the officers are looking for. I'm going to include the urls to my social media, just in case they want that too.

American applicants are almost never suspected of a relationship of convenience, though.

This part makes me sad, for my friends. I volunteer with a man from Africa (I believe Ghana, but I can't remember. We're usually talking about art!) and a woman from China. Both are having a hard time and it makes me upset! Not fair.

Anyway, I haven't been able to get on a shared lease though, the office where we live is really slow and doesn't listen. I requested to be on the lease in the beginning of spring and I'm still not on it! I hope everything else is enough information.

 

[canadianwoman]

If you are applying common-law, you need solid proof you have lived together for 12 continuous months. A lease with both names is a good start.
If you can't get that, try to get an affidavit from the landlord stating that you have been living there since .... Utility bills in both names, covering the whole 12-month period, can also be used. If you don't have any in both names, one bill in one name and another in the other name, with the same address, can be used. You can also submit letters addressed to both of you, or each of you at the same address. If it is an official letter, it should have the date and your names on the letter itself. If it is personal correspondence, you should keep the envelope as well to prove it was really mailed.

 

[noors33]

Hello.
I have been wlrking on my package as well. However i have read a couple of places something called a cover page? What is that? And also regarding the barcode? Where do i put it?Each one of us has a barcode do i put the barcode page infrom of the batch of thier forms for each of us or do i put a copy of the relative barcodes on each and every form?
Thank u

 

[christinebear]

If you are applying common-law, you need solid proof you have lived together for 12 continuous months. A lease with both names is a good start.
If you can't get that, try to get an affidavit from the landlord stating that you have been living there since .... Utility bills in both names, covering the whole 12-month period, can also be used. If you don't have any in both names, one bill in one name and another in the other name, with the same address, can be used. You can also submit letters addressed to both of you, or each of you at the same address. If it is an official letter, it should have the date and your names on the letter itself. If it is personal correspondence, you should keep the envelope as well to prove it was really mailed.

Thank you. I haven't been able to get on the lease, but the office knows I'm here. We're hoping to get a letter from the office stating that I've lived here. We go back and forth on the bill payments. I'll need to get some together.

Thanks again.