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How long does it take to receive acknowledgement for Open Work Permit(OWP) for inland applicants?

tinker bell

Newbie
Aug 28, 2018
7
1
Hi everyone,

I'm a February 7, 2018, inland spousal sponsorship applicant, I have also sent my OWP along with my application. I have got my Police Clearance Certificate request and Schedule A request on March 7, 2018.

And then, I got my medical exam request on August 7, 2018. I have given my medical test already. But I have not received anything related to Open Work Permit yet. And it's been more than 6 months by now.

Should I wait for my medical exam clearance or contact CIC? If I had to contact CIC, how should I contact them?

Any help is highly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Wishing you all good luck! :)
 

np08

Hero Member
Jan 13, 2015
898
356
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga, OT
App. Filed.......
Feb 09, 2018
AOR Received.
Mar 07, 2018
Med's Request
Aug 8, 2018
Med's Done....
Aug 13, 2018
LANDED..........
Dec 18, 2018
Something is definitely wrong because you should have gotten the OWP (not just the OWP AOR, but the actual permit) probably by early June. My timeline is similar to yours and I got my OWP AOR a day after I got the PR AOR. I got my OWP end of May, after submitting everything on February 9.

You should have contacted them months ago so definitely do that now.
 
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Reactions: tinker bell

np08

Hero Member
Jan 13, 2015
898
356
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga, OT
App. Filed.......
Feb 09, 2018
AOR Received.
Mar 07, 2018
Med's Request
Aug 8, 2018
Med's Done....
Aug 13, 2018
LANDED..........
Dec 18, 2018
Adding to my previous post, even without the AOR for the work permit, you should have received the permit itself in the mail within 4 months from sending the package, provided everything is okay and they received the application. Definitely call asap and see what happened.
 

tinker bell

Newbie
Aug 28, 2018
7
1
Hi Everyone,

Finally, I got my Open work permit.

The problem was they didn't have any proof for my status maintenance. So they assumed I'm out of status in Canada. I have also called to IRCC twice before ( as you suggested), but the first time they didn't give me a proper instruction of what can I do rather than waiting. But when I called second, there was this nice guy who said I can give an explanation letter with proof that I'm maintaining status.

And I got my Permit in e-mail in next 16days. I should have done this earlier.

I wanna share this so that nobody needs to wait if they didn't get their open work permit in 4 months. Sending an explanation letter along with proof is really helping.

Thank you all for helping me!

Have a wonderful year ahead. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: np08

np08

Hero Member
Jan 13, 2015
898
356
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga, OT
App. Filed.......
Feb 09, 2018
AOR Received.
Mar 07, 2018
Med's Request
Aug 8, 2018
Med's Done....
Aug 13, 2018
LANDED..........
Dec 18, 2018
Hi Everyone,

Finally, I got my Open work permit.

The problem was they didn't have any proof for my status maintenance. So they assumed I'm out of status in Canada. I have also called to IRCC twice before ( as you suggested), but the first time they didn't give me a proper instruction of what can I do rather than waiting. But when I called second, there was this nice guy who said I can give an explanation letter with proof that I'm maintaining status.

And I got my Permit in e-mail in next 16days. I should have done this earlier.

I wanna share this so that nobody needs to wait if they didn't get their open work permit in 4 months. Sending an explanation letter along with proof is really helping.

Thank you all for helping me!

Have a wonderful year ahead. :)
Thanks for the update, I'm glad it all went well in the end! :)
 

tinker bell

Newbie
Aug 28, 2018
7
1
Do we have to wait for the mail or can we get the SIN number with the e-mail copy of work permit?


If so, how to get the SIN number? Are we allowed to set up a new bank account as well?
 

np08

Hero Member
Jan 13, 2015
898
356
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga, OT
App. Filed.......
Feb 09, 2018
AOR Received.
Mar 07, 2018
Med's Request
Aug 8, 2018
Med's Done....
Aug 13, 2018
LANDED..........
Dec 18, 2018
Wait for the actual copy. That one arrives soon, about a week after the email (though it might be a bit more now with the strikes).

You go to any registry for the SIN. And yes, you can set up bank accounts (some banks will open accounts for visitors too, but not all).
 

tinker bell

Newbie
Aug 28, 2018
7
1
Great! I have another good news too. My status got updated from IP1 TO NA2, Eligibility Passed.

Hurrey!!!

should we do anything after this this step?
 

airsheridan

Full Member
Nov 27, 2018
26
3
Hi Everyone,

Finally, I got my Open work permit.

The problem was they didn't have any proof for my status maintenance. So they assumed I'm out of status in Canada. I have also called to IRCC twice before ( as you suggested), but the first time they didn't give me a proper instruction of what can I do rather than waiting. But when I called second, there was this nice guy who said I can give an explanation letter with proof that I'm maintaining status.

And I got my Permit in e-mail in next 16days. I should have done this earlier.

I wanna share this so that nobody needs to wait if they didn't get their open work permit in 4 months. Sending an explanation letter along with proof is really helping.

Thank you all for helping me!

Have a wonderful year ahead. :)
Hi,

My wife and I submitter our inland spousal sponsorship (Me being the sponsor) on March 18th along with the OWP.

We haven't heard anything yet in relation to application number or AOR for either. When you say they didn't have proof of status maintenance what did that mean? We sent a copy of her current visitor visa along with our application but this finishes on May 31st. Is this enough?

Hopefully this thread isn't dead. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 

kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
Hi,

My wife and I submitter our inland spousal sponsorship (Me being the sponsor) on March 18th along with the OWP.

We haven't heard anything yet in relation to application number or AOR for either. When you say they didn't have proof of status maintenance what did that mean? We sent a copy of her current visitor visa along with our application but this finishes on May 31st. Is this enough?

Hopefully this thread isn't dead. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
It takes a couple months (minimum) to receive AOR and 3-5 months to receive OWP. Past May 31st, your partner will have implied status until a decision is made on the OWP. If the OWP app is returned for any reason past May 31 your partner will be out of status.
 

wanderer88

Full Member
May 1, 2019
49
5
Wait for the actual copy. That one arrives soon, about a week after the email (though it might be a bit more now with the strikes).

You go to any registry for the SIN. And yes, you can set up bank accounts (some banks will open accounts for visitors too, but not all).
Do you mean they give a copy of the work permit? I thought they stamp the passport with the work permit
 

wanderer88

Full Member
May 1, 2019
49
5
Hi,

My wife and I submitter our inland spousal sponsorship (Me being the sponsor) on March 18th along with the OWP.

We haven't heard anything yet in relation to application number or AOR for either. When you say they didn't have proof of status maintenance what did that mean? We sent a copy of her current visitor visa along with our application but this finishes on May 31st. Is this enough?

Hopefully this thread isn't dead. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
After how long did she finally receive the AOR? I am in the same situation. Had applied for spousal sponsorship along with OWP in October, but the application came back because of 1 wrong document. We sent it again in the end of November but still did not receive any acknowledgement. we were expecting it got delayed due to Christmas vacations, but it would be 2 months now after the application package was delivered to them.

My 6 months visitor stay ends in the beginning of March, and as per my knowledge I can apply for extension of stay. Receiving an acknowledgement number soon would have an advantage in applying for extension which I will have to apply max by mid of Feb.
 

airsheridan

Full Member
Nov 27, 2018
26
3
After how long did she finally receive the AOR? I am in the same situation. Had applied for spousal sponsorship along with OWP in October, but the application came back because of 1 wrong document. We sent it again in the end of November but still did not receive any acknowledgement. we were expecting it got delayed due to Christmas vacations, but it would be 2 months now after the application package was delivered to them.

My 6 months visitor stay ends in the beginning of March, and as per my knowledge I can apply for extension of stay. Receiving an acknowledgement number soon would have an advantage in applying for extension which I will have to apply max by mid of Feb.
Fortunately, in our situation in came shortly after that message, however from the searching I did at the time this duration can vary from 1 to a few months (3,4). I think you can call them up and inquire about your application, not sure if it speeds thing along but I remember calling shortly after getting the AOR. I think the number I used was 1-888-242-2100. I can't remember how I got to talk to a human but there was a forum thread that helped with this if I remember correctly.

Also, I believe that as long as your visitor visa isn't rejected (which is rare enough, at least in my experience) and your current visitor visa ends before you get an approval on your new visitor visa application, you will be covered under assumed status.