What a headache this whole thing is..... here is what me and my partner decided.
We sent our PR and OWP app Sept 13, it was received Sept 18 2013.They're currently working on July 31st.
My common-law partners Post Graduate Work Permit expires Nov 30, 2014.
There is about a month and a half of apps before they get to ours.....most likely, her pgwp will expire before we get stage 1 approval.
Call center agents have stated numerous times that she can continue working under implied status even after her work permit expires but she will not have a valid SIN after November 30th. She read on japanese canadian immigration forums that call center agents dont always know the rules (wow...right...) and that you have to stop working once your PGWP expires... even if you have applied for PR and OWP. Otherwise they can deny you immigration because you worked illegally.
After carefully thinking about it....she has decided to stop working and she will 'volunteer' there and not get paid..but they'll hold her position. How sad is that.... We're going to have to survive on one income for however long it takes for us to get stage one approval.
I see that they moved the website forward one day this morning.... and that someone else got AIP...
maybe this is a sign that things will speed up ... I dont know... *fingers crossed*