Hi Everyone,
Not sure if this will help anyone, but I went to the border last night to try and get my work permit through the new pilot program and I had a wild, but successful experience. I posted this in the FB group but thought I would put it here too as both group have a wonderful source of organic CIC information as my wife and I navigate this process.
So my experiment at the border worked, though, I figure I will tell the whole story because it is quite remarkable. My wife, son, and I crossed over into US. Again I have a visitor record as a US citizen that was obtained at the border, immediately upon the expiration of my closed work permit and record of my inland PR app being "in the system. After actually leaving Canada (which was made explicitly clear by Canadian border agent that leaving must occur as flagpolling is really frowned upon by Canadian border agents. For example, the CBSA agents, said, "go have a cup of coffee, get some gas, whatever, but don't just turn around on the bridge." Anyway. After grabbing dinner in Niagara Falls, NY, getting gas and ten delicious American microbrews (in bottles, I didn't drink them and show up hammered to the border). I go into immigration and the woman was initially quite cold, really wasn't interested in what I had to say, and just wanted from me. 1. Passport 2. Job Offer (which I have). 3. Resume. 4. Proof of Qualifications (i.e copies of my diplomas and transcripts). That was all she asked for. I had filled out a "application to change conditions" but she didn't want it. She took all of it, said little, made NO mention of the pilot program whatsoever, and then 15 minutes later asked me to come up and then sent me to go pay for another work permit (I had my receipt for original one with CIC, but she said, I would have to recover that money from them as they can't do it at the border. Fine, whatever, at this point, I am ready to jump for joy. AND THEN. Because my job is with a school, I needed a medical (which I have, provided proof that I had done it, but for the life of her, she couldn't find it in her database). She and another border agent, tried really hard for an hour to find it, but they couldn't. Ultimately, she told me there is no record, she had no idea why, was really sorry, but I should contact the medical provider I used and CIC to investigate further and in the meantime, get another medical, because once a medical was on record, I would be issued my work permit at the border - though she did say, it often takes 6-8 weeks for medicals to show in the system. I was crushed. So close. I didn't give her any crap at all, was kind because it was quite clear she felt awful for me and knew I wasn't lying about the medical. She then had my paid for work permit refunded, said goodbye, thanked her again and got into my car and left. By the way, another border agent gave my son a teddy bear and played him for a while. It was really nice. Okay. At this point, I am depressed on my drive home, but my wife and I are trying to make the best of it, thinking well, at least we know the medical isn't on record and I can resolve it now as opposed to finding out about it later. Nonetheless, it meant another 2 months without work permit and potentially another 400 hundred for another medical. Anyway. I am getting into bed and my cell phone rings. It reads, "Canadian Border Services" and I am thinking, "are you kidding me?" "Did I leave something there?" I pick up the phone and it is the border agent apologizing for calling so late (it is 11:00 pm) but she wanted to tell me that she had spent the entire time looking for medical and found them, but wanted to call me because she wouldn't be working for a week and figure i would want to know before the holidays. She said to come back tomorrow and I could get my work permit and everything was noted in the file. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I was shocked by her persistence in the matter and her kindness. She said, the problem was that that CIC has had some problems merging two database systems and there were sometimes clitches that left out information. It is an incredible story and I will be going back down the border to get my work permit. She said it would be issued for 3 years through, so I am not sure it is connected to the pilot program, but I will ask when I go back. Nonetheless, it did seem clear I needed a job offer. I did not need an LMIA - which my employer has been trying to get for nearly 6 months now (the TFW is another clustercuss at the moment). Anyway... it restored my faith in Canadian kindness. CIC definitely needs to work out their processes but in the end, people, like this kind woman at the border who called me and made it right, matter. Hope this helps some people, as I do think it is worth a shot for some who are in my situation to try their luck at the border. I would imagine you MUST be in status, It didn't hurt to be American, to be married (have wife with me), EVERY piece of supporting documentations of my life with me, and the kindness and work ethic of a border agent. I am baking the border people at Queenston-Lewiston bridge cookies and bringing them cookies and coffee this afternoon!