Implied Status and Maternity Leave (and leaving the country...)

[azoreo]

My wife has a specific work permit for a specific company, with a case type 20 exemption.

The lawyers handling our renewal said while on implied status we could leave Canada with no problems. However, my employer let me know that if I left the country I would lose my implied status. The CIC website seems very clear, and when I called them they reaffirmed that yes - you lose your status. However, they weren't able to speak to whether or not you lose benefits.

My wife is on maternity leave. Will she lose her benefits while on implied status? Will she lose her benefits if she LOSES implied status by leaving the country? My wife said that once they confer the benefits they don't review them - so if they conferred the benefits knowing her permit was ending, then they will continue. That still begs the question of is she's eligible! If you'r NOT-eligible and receiving, governments often ask for the benefits back!

 

[Lammawitch]

Yes you would lose implied status if you leave the country.

Yes your wife would lose her benefits & implied status if she leaves the country.

To find out whether or not she is still entitled to receive benefits on implied status, she would need to contact CRA (not CIC) & ask.

ETA: (Is she a US government agency employee? If so, the requirements/entitlements might be entirely different...)