I have a full time job. What are my options after PGWP expires?

[stephen_hoang]

No, you cannot continue working while you wait for the LMIA decision.

Thank you scylla. What about working while waiting for WP (i.e., Am I allowed to work after having positive LMIA and applying for a WP?)

 

[scylla]

Thank you scylla. What about working while waiting for WP (i.e., Am I allowed to work after having positive LMIA and applying for a WP?)

Your question isn't entirely clear.

You can work if you have implied status. To work while you have implied status, you must apply for your new work permit before your old work permit expires. If your old work permit has already expired and you apply for a new work permit after that, you won't be able to work until the new work permit is approved.

 

[stephen_hoang]

Thank you very much scylla. Your response is clear to me.

 

[arvnd1793]

I'm planning to come to Canada. I got admission for a one year course (PgD) and basically I'm from India and my educational background is Engineering from India. I also have 3 year work experience in India (different domains). Will I be able to get a PR after my course. I tried the CRS tool for Express Entry and I guess my points come around 472. TIA

 

[config-terminal]

I'm planning to come to Canada. I got admission for a one year course (PgD) and basically I'm from India and my educational background is Engineering from India. I also have 3 year work experience in India (different domains). Will I be able to get a PR after my course. I tried the CRS tool for Express Entry and I guess my points come around 472. TIA

All depends. There are many variables. With one year course, you will get one-or-two years post-graduate work permit. You will have to secure a job in Canada in your field during this time to get PR. I am not sure without Canadian education/work experience, how did you score such high but if that is the case, you should already have an express entry profile and should get an ITA.

 

[Chocoboy]

Hi there, I am in similar situation to Arvind,with a few changes.
Indian , 25, with 3 years Software experience.With a 4 year Bachelor (BTech-ECE)degree from India , have enrolled for PG Diploma(ongoing- 1 year) via Distant mode.(Enrolled primarily to get Two/more certificates or diplomas). Recently, checked on the WES site and it showed PG Diploma as " 1 year Graduate study", which means my highest qualification would be a Bachelors.
Based on these, I have 2 options:
A.)With IELTS 8+ band , another 6 month certificate course, or a distant learning Masters in India(would take 2 years) , along with an average French skill(aiming for atleast band 3-5 in TEF for 4 CRS points). Briefly CRS would be for two./more certificates - around 474-478(possibly in 2021) and for Masters- around 481-485(in 2022)
B.) 1 year Masters from University of Calgary(software engineering) followed by 1 year job. Although I know this gives high score, I am much worried about the employment after Masters degree in Canada, since Calgary is primarily a hotspot(as I heard) for Petrochemical industries, and I would have 1 year PGWP.

Any advise in these lines as which option would be feasible and realistic, is much appreciated.

 

[config-terminal]

Hi there, I am in similar situation to Arvind,with a few changes.
Indian , 25, with 3 years Software experience.With a 4 year Bachelor (BTech-ECE)degree from India , have enrolled for PG Diploma(ongoing- 1 year) via Distant mode.(Enrolled primarily to get Two/more certificates or diplomas). Recently, checked on the WES site and it showed PG Diploma as " 1 year Graduate study", which means my highest qualification would be a Bachelors.
Based on these, I have 2 options:
A.)With IELTS 8+ band , another 6 month certificate course, or a distant learning Masters in India(would take 2 years) , along with an average French skill(aiming for atleast band 3-5 in TEF for 4 CRS points). Briefly CRS would be for two./more certificates - around 474-478(possibly in 2021) and for Masters- around 481-485(in 2022)
B.) 1 year Masters from University of Calgary(software engineering) followed by 1 year job. Although I know this gives high score, I am much worried about the employment after Masters degree in Canada, since Calgary is primarily a hotspot(as I heard) for Petrochemical industries, and I would have 1 year PGWP.

Any advise in these lines as which option would be feasible and realistic, is much appreciated.

I would say pursuing masters is a better option but after graduating, plan to move to Ontario. Toronto for example has a bright scene for tech jobs. Ultimately it doesn`t really matter what option you select as long as you meet the threshold of CRS points. If you are above, you`ll be invited to PR. IELTS is a lot more important than anything else. Things to keep in mind is that you won`t be able to extend your PGWP and because you will be new in Canada, chances of any companies helping you with LMIA would also be none to slim. Remember that the tech industry has lots of jobs but also there are just as many people with interest and degrees. It is a great field to be in once you are settled but when you are on a work/study permit, and new in the country without any Canadian experience, it will be very hard. All the best.

 

[Chocoboy]

I would say pursuing masters is a better option but after graduating, plan to move to Ontario. Toronto for example has a bright scene for tech jobs. Ultimately it doesn`t really matter what option you select as long as you meet the threshold of CRS points. If you are above, you`ll be invited to PR. IELTS is a lot more important than anything else. Things to keep in mind is that you won`t be able to extend your PGWP and because you will be new in Canada, chances of any companies helping you with LMIA would also be none to slim. Remember that the tech industry has lots of jobs but also there are just as many people with interest and degrees. It is a great field to be in once you are settled but when you are on a work/study permit, and new in the country without any Canadian experience, it will be very hard. All the best.

@config-terminal
Thank you very much for quick and detailed response. Yes, I am very much inclined towards the Masters option as it seems to be with low risk and high gain. However, for the Masters, I shall have to rely on an Edu loan. I'd consider to land in Canada on a study visa, and then apply for Express entry(FSW). Would this seem reliable with only 1 year PGWP and a loan back in home country, alongside POF for PR?

 

[sami_3s]

@config-terminal

First of all congratulations for your PR. The info u have provided here is great. I find you the right guy which can guide me..

I am from India. Age 34 years. B.tech (mechanical) with 10 years of experience in oil and gas projects and maintenance as Planner.
My CRS is less than 400. so i am now looking forward to opt Study in canada route.
Since Masters are costly and i dont want to take edu loan,i am thinking for 1 year post grad. certification. but 1 year PGWP will not be enough.

Now the options i am thinking about are:
1. after completion of 1 year certification course,can i continue my education there further. can i get education loan there easily?
2. which one is better 2 one year post grad. certificates or a 2 years masters?
3. If my PGWP expires and i get my wife enrolled in some course there. will i be eligible for open work permit as spouse?

Need your guidance.

 

[pkural]

@config-terminal

First of all congratulations for your PR. The info u have provided here is great. I find you the right guy which can guide me..

I am from India. Age 34 years. B.tech (mechanical) with 10 years of experience in oil and gas projects and maintenance as Planner.
My CRS is less than 400. so i am now looking forward to opt Study in canada route.
Since Masters are costly and i dont want to take edu loan,i am thinking for 1 year post grad. certification. but 1 year PGWP will not be enough.

Now the options i am thinking about are:
1. after completion of 1 year certification course,can i continue my education there further. can i get education loan there easily?
2. which one is better 2 one year post grad. certificates or a 2 years masters?
3. If my PGWP expires and i get my wife enrolled in some course there. will i be eligible for open work permit as spouse?

Need your guidance.

Hi,

FoA, Cheers on deciding to come to Canada! It is indeed a wonderful country!

So - I can't comment on whether you'd be able to get open work permit on basis on your spouse's study permit here, but I do think it is possible, and you should definitely explore that route. If you already have 10 years of work experience, those 2 years of either a Post graduate diploma (or even Masters in some case) may not matter much. Work experience holds more value here in the field when you go looking for a job. (Though having masters will help secure a higher pay or management positions).

Do consider though, if you go with that route, after how many years of work experience would you have enough points to get an ITA in express entry? And it should not exceed the length of open work permit you can get through your spouse's study here. (But you do have option for obtaining LMIA after 1 year of work experience, which can help to extend your WP to upto 2 years, as well provide additional points for Express entry, but it is a tedious process and expensive and only some employers do it, so don't rely on it completely).


Now - if you consider coming on a study permit yourself, I won't stretch the topic, and give you facts:

- If you do Masters:

- Better chances of employment, higher pay and top positions
- Much more worth it than 2 year diploma, especially since you are a seasoned worker. Most diploma programs or college level studies in general, can't compete with the quality of education you get at university level. Yes, it's more expensive, but it is more worth of every penny spent, then diploma.
- You can get a total of about 165 additional points (Bach from india + Masters here)

• Level of education = 135
• Study in Canada = 30

- If you do 1/2 year diploma:

- I'll say right off the bat, prefer a 2 year diploma over 1 year. You will only get 1 year Post Graduate Work Permit after 1 year of study.
Even doing 2 separate 1 years programs is risky, with the new rules.
Also check out for fast track courses. Most colleges have them. They basically let you complete a 2 year diploma in 16 months, by eliminating the scheduled breaks between semesters. But, some students prefer the breaks even though it takes longer, especially those who want to earn some money in the break to pay fee for next year.
- What you'll learn in class will be good in diploma, but it's not going to be great. Again, college level education is good, but not at par with universities.
- Diploma does not hold as much value as a degree. It may not make a huge difference overall for an employer looking at your resume after you've done the diploma. But your indian bachelors and work experience still would (and it's pretty good).
- You can get a total of about 143 points with this. (bach from india + 2 diploma here)

• Level of education = 128
• Study in Canada = 15

So score wise, Masters compared to 2 year diploma, the difference is about 22 points. Which can be insignificant or very huge, depending on several other things. But overall, if you see it beyond the PR in Canada, Masters would give you more value for lifetime. There are always scholarships too, even for international students, but some of them you'll qualify to apply for only after the first semester.

I'd also suggest - since you have such a solid work experience, try if you can secure a job directly here, in one of the Atlantic provinces, possibly with an employer which comes under AIPP. Or in Alberta, for an employer who can help with AINP. If you can do that, they can help apply work permit for you.
This would be the best option, though I know not easy. You'll save the money you'd otherwise spend on education here (which is around 3 to 4 times more than you'd be paying after you get PR).

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/atlantic-immigration-pilot/hire-immigrant.html


Lastly, two things to keep in mind -

Your age. You mentioned 34. This is going to decrease your score. And keep in mind, every next year, you're going to get 5 less points for Age factor in express entry. So when you're 35 you'll get 5 less points then what you get you'd get now.

IELTS - Most people don't give it much importance, but truth is IELTS score (especially in writing section) can make a HUGE difference in score. For example, with 8777 in LRWS respectively, you can get upto 125 points from IELTS alone.

Keep track of cut off score in past for express entry, for both non-pnp and pnp draws, and see how many scores you need. To give you a general idea, if without PNP, you can secure about 475 points at any stage, you're are in a VERY good standing.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/criteria-comprehensive-ranking-system/grid.html

Good Luck!

 

[sami_3s]

Hi,

FoA, Cheers on deciding to come to Canada! It is indeed a wonderful country!

So - I can't comment on whether you'd be able to get open work permit on basis on your spouse's study permit here, but I do think it is possible, and you should definitely explore that route. If you already have 10 years of work experience, those 2 years of either a Post graduate diploma (or even Masters in some case) may not matter much. Work experience holds more value here in the field when you go looking for a job. (Though having masters will help secure a higher pay or management positions).

Do consider though, if you go with that route, after how many years of work experience would you have enough points to get an ITA in express entry? And it should not exceed the length of open work permit you can get through your spouse's study here. (But you do have option for obtaining LMIA after 1 year of work experience, which can help to extend your WP to upto 2 years, as well provide additional points for Express entry, but it is a tedious process and expensive and only some employers do it, so don't rely on it completely).


Now - if you consider coming on a study permit yourself, I won't stretch the topic, and give you facts:

- If you do Masters:

- Better chances of employment, higher pay and top positions
- Much more worth it than 2 year diploma, especially since you are a seasoned worker. Most diploma programs or college level studies in general, can't compete with the quality of education you get at university level. Yes, it's more expensive, but it is more worth of every penny spent, then diploma.
- You can get a total of about 165 additional points (Bach from india + Masters here)

• Level of education = 135
• Study in Canada = 30

- If you do 1/2 year diploma:

- I'll say right off the bat, prefer a 2 year diploma over 1 year. You will only get 1 year Post Graduate Work Permit after 1 year of study.
Even doing 2 separate 1 years programs is risky, with the new rules.
Also check out for fast track courses. Most colleges have them. They basically let you complete a 2 year diploma in 16 months, by eliminating the scheduled breaks between semesters. But, some students prefer the breaks even though it takes longer, especially those who want to earn some money in the break to pay fee for next year.
- What you'll learn in class will be good in diploma, but it's not going to be great. Again, college level education is good, but not at par with universities.
- Diploma does not hold as much value as a degree. It may not make a huge difference overall for an employer looking at your resume after you've done the diploma. But your indian bachelors and work experience still would (and it's pretty good).
- You can get a total of about 143 points with this. (bach from india + 2 diploma here)

• Level of education = 128
• Study in Canada = 15

So score wise, Masters compared to 2 year diploma, the difference is about 22 points. Which can be insignificant or very huge, depending on several other things. But overall, if you see it beyond the PR in Canada, Masters would give you more value for lifetime. There are always scholarships too, even for international students, but some of them you'll qualify to apply for only after the first semester.

I'd also suggest - since you have such a solid work experience, try if you can secure a job directly here, in one of the Atlantic provinces, possibly with an employer which comes under AIPP. Or in Alberta, for an employer who can help with AINP. If you can do that, they can help apply work permit for you.
This would be the best option, though I know not easy. You'll save the money you'd otherwise spend on education here (which is around 3 to 4 times more than you'd be paying after you get PR).

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/atlantic-immigration-pilot/hire-immigrant.html


Lastly, two things to keep in mind -

Your age. You mentioned 34. This is going to decrease your score. And keep in mind, every next year, you're going to get 5 less points for Age factor in express entry. So when you're 35 you'll get 5 less points then what you get you'd get now.

IELTS - Most people don't give it much importance, but truth is IELTS score (especially in writing section) can make a HUGE difference in score. For example, with 8777 in LRWS respectively, you can get upto 125 points from IELTS alone.

Keep track of cut off score in past for express entry, for both non-pnp and pnp draws, and see how many scores you need. To give you a general idea, if without PNP, you can secure about 475 points at any stage, you're are in a VERY good standing.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/criteria-comprehensive-ranking-system/grid.html

Good Luck!

Thanks alot for such a detailed reply..

 

[Muhammad_999]

have a total of 3 years of ful

he does not qualify for the points given for a valid

Also, in most

So, in case you do not get an ITA before your work permit expires... options for a new work permit...

1) Ask if your employer is willing to apply for an LMIA.
2) Explore your eligibility under one of the IEC programs - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/eligibility.asp
3) Look into PNP programs (don't know where you are), both express entry and non-express entry.
4) There may be other options (e.g. if you're covered by NAFTA) but don't know your citizenship, NOC, etc.

\

I am planning to come to Canada for studies then get a PGWP, I thought that i can apply for Experience class after 1 year of full time job, i guess my case will be same, my NOC is 2174, my current score is 332 in express entry, will it reach over 430 if i study in Canada for 2 years then also work for more than a year under PGWP?

If at present, your highest qualification is bachelors then after 2 years of masters from Canada and 1 year of professional relevant NOC experience in Canada will give you total 110 points. NOTE: subtract 15 points from 110 if you are 30 years of age or above.
This is the split:
40 points for highest education equal to masters
30 additional points for doing masters in Canada
40 points for 1 year of full time professional job experience in relevant NOC.
5 points are subtracted each year after 30 years of age.

**Dear members please correct me if i'm wrong somewhere.**

 

[Darlywa]

Hi,

I am considering a relocation to Canada through the Permanent Residence (PR) program. Recently, I concluded a 2-year masters program in Financial Engineering from WorldQuant University. This is an online institution based in Louisiana, United States. The degree obtained is a Master of Science in Financial Engineering. I have tried to find the equivalency of this degree in Canada via WES web portal but the institution was not listed.

My plan is to seek for a second masters admission in Canada DLI, then apply for PGWP in preparation for enrollment in Express Entry Program and possibly PNP program. These processes are likely to take a minimum of 3 years from now and my concern is what happens if I am still pending on the queue when the express entry program comes to end in 2022.

Please, what are your best possible options for me to explore within this time frame. My bio details: Age-36, Country- Nigeria, Degree - Electrical/Electrical Engineering, 2+ years work experience in IT unit in a bank.

Thank you.

Darl

 

[rapirap]

That is correct. Unfortunately, no way to extend the WP without a positive LMIA. I`d suggest to start the processes as soon as possible. It took me about 8.5 months to get results on my LMIA. I`d also recommend hiring an immigration consultant as an intermediary between yourself and your employer. All these will only happen of course if your employer is willing to go down this scary and tedious road.

Hello good sir/mam,

I found your path to Canada inspiring. Congratulations on your successful journey.
I am also facing the same problems. My PGWP is expiring in 2 months and I'm thinking of hiring an immigration consultant/lawyer.
I just have a few questions for you:

1. Did you apply for a regular LMIA which requires the employer to advertise your job position for 3 months? If not, what was your LMIA process?
2. You mentioned you went back home while waiting for the LMIA. Was your employer waiting for you the whole time?
3. Are you working for the same employer that gave you the LMIA?
4. What happens if the employer moved on to other applicants while waiting for a decision on the LMIA but you still got positive LMIA. What happens to the LMIA?

Hoping for your reply. Thank you.

 

[config-terminal]

Hello good sir/mam,

I found your path to Canada inspiring. Congratulations on your successful journey.
I am also facing the same problems. My PGWP is expiring in 2 months and I'm thinking of hiring an immigration consultant/lawyer.
I just have a few questions for you:

1. Did you apply for a regular LMIA which requires the employer to advertise your job position for 3 months? If not, what was your LMIA process?
2. You mentioned you went back home while waiting for the LMIA. Was your employer waiting for you the whole time?
3. Are you working for the same employer that gave you the LMIA?
4. What happens if the employer moved on to other applicants while waiting for a decision on the LMIA but you still got positive LMIA. What happens to the LMIA?

Hoping for your reply. Thank you.

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out. Please see my answers below but also keep in mind this information is the best of my knowledge.

1. My employer applied for the regular LMIA in May 2018 and back then I think the job posting requirement was for one month. I had an immigration consultant who coordinated the entire process with me and my employer. 95%+ work was done by the employer in this case. I received a positive LMIA in Feb 2019.

2. I stayed in Canada 89 days after my PGWP expired (you could stay up to 90 days. not 91 remember they are strict) so I flew back to India and continue working from my home for the same employer. (yes I am lucky in that sense and a lot of that depends on your relations with your employer)

3. I am still working for the same employer however, after receiving my LMIA, it increased my CRS score by 50 points which enabled me to receive ITA on my express entry profile and in Nov 2019 I received my PR. so although I still have active LMIA (2 years validity), because of PR, I can work anywhere in Canada.

4. If your employer moves ahead with another candidate, your LMIA is no longer valid and they are legally required to inform IRCC and basically, that would mean you cannot use LMIA to apply for PR or VISA to enter Canada. (I hope that doesn`t happen in your case)

Keep in mind that a lawyer or immigration consultant or even your local MP/Mayor cannot do anything in terms of the actual results of your profile. Registered Immigration Consultant however can help you and your employer with the entire process because there is a lot of paperwork. Plus in your company, few departments will have to work on this. HR, Legal, Finance at least. LMIA process will require your company to show most of their confidential financial details. This in fact will require your legal dept. to create an NDA agreement that will have to be signed by your immigration consultant.

All the best and feel free to ask any other question you may have but try to be as specific as you can. Cheers.