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Milena said:
There are allot of things you can do with your time, we all wrote about it. I know it's tough and the whole process is so long and painful, some would say maybe disrespectful, but you have to look at things from a brighter perspective, try to make most of it, learn new language, get into fitness. Try volunteering in animal shelters, playing with puppies can do amazing things for ones emotional balance (true story).
You dont have to leave the country, try traveling across Canada. Explore it, it's really amazing country.
As for money, I understand it could be tough, but for 10 months I don't think one person could be that big of the expense. Food and some cloths. If nothing else there are tons of thrift stores around where you can find some very cheep stuff.

Again, this is temporary, just remember that. Start making the list of things to do and to buy once you start working. I'm planing to spend my entire first paycheck on shoes. :P

Working is not just about monetary compensation. We work to remain alive, to grow and for our mental wellbeing.
How is it that people struggle with this issue of not being able to work?
Does one need OWP to offer their skills to those willing to buy them online (in the US, UK)?
 
ArtSnow said:
You guys worry way too much about the expired status.
Once again is important to understand that the inland option only exists because the Canadian government wanted and needed to avoid the big number of people in this situation (ours) that would linger in Canada for years working illegally and without a chance of making their situation legal.
The moment you send your application and pay all your fees you have the so called "Implied Status".
This is the reality, I'm not saying that they will not ask you later why you didn't try to make an effort to have some sort of visitor status or other regulated, but it really has no influence on your process, as long as your sponsor qualifies and you haven't broke any other law...
Just my 2 cents.

It's nice to have someone remind us of that once in a while. If there was something wrong with applying while out of status, our applications wouldn't even be accepted. I think.
But again, I think it also depends who is dealing with your case, and how aggravated they are with life :P
 
ArtSnow said:
You guys worry way too much about the expired status.
Once again is important to understand that the inland option only exists because the Canadian government wanted and needed to avoid the big number of people in this situation (ours) that would linger in Canada for years working illegally and without a chance of making their situation legal.
The moment you send your application and pay all your fees you have the so called "Implied Status".
This is the reality, I'm not saying that they will not ask you later why you didn't try to make an effort to have some sort of visitor status or other regulated, but it really has no influence on your process, as long as your sponsor qualifies and you haven't broke any other law...
Just my 2 cents.

I renewed my visitor visa for one reason only.. And that's for provincial healthcare coverage. Some said in NS you can avail it on implied status but not in most provinces. I guess that's what most of us are concerned about. :)
 
Hello everyone...

Any bets for tomorrow about the processing times? I think it will go from Nov 4th to Nov 10th..
 
Cirene said:
Hello everyone...

Any bets for tomorrow about the processing times? I think it will go from Nov 4th to Nov 10th..
Hey Cirene. I know your dream came true last week to move it to Nov 4. Im betting it will be Nov 15. Can you please dream of that tonight? Lol
 
shyla36 said:
Hey Cirene. I know your dream came true last week to move it to Nov 4. Im betting it will be Nov 15. Can you please dream of that tonight? Lol

Haha absolutely! Nov 15th it is:D
 
charliem said:
Working is not just about monetary compensation. We work to remain alive, to grow and for our mental wellbeing.
How is it that people struggle with this issue of not being able to work?

Other people have given their accounts on how it is to have only one salary in the family. Then the situation really depends on external resources - how much each of us has saved before coming, how much support we can get from our families and, of course, how well we can budget and manage our lifestyle expectations. As for me, my savings have been blown - simply paying for private insurance all this time, getting a driver's license, the medical fees for the application, winter clothes and boots... it adds up. Canada is a very beautiful country and I'd love to see more of it - but until we have two stable incomes that's not possible as travelling, eating out, staying somewhere costs money. So while I have the time to go sight seeing there is only so much of it we can do.

As for how all this feels... well, it'll depend on each person, I suppose. I've been in Canada waiting for the first stage approval for about ten months now and it's really getting to me at times. I'm a programmer, and back home I was working for a major research institution - aside from the compensation aspect that meant I had a career, people relying on me, I was responsible for ministries' projects, etc. I was exercising and honing my craft all the time.

Here I have to invent reasons to get up in the morning and not just stay in bed. Go to the gym, keep moving, go for walks, do the lawn - something. Anything. In the mean time no matter how I try to keep myself current, the reality of the matter is when I reenter the workforce I'll have been out for a year. Employers will take notice and it might make the difference between getting a good job and... not. Who knows?

Now, this is likely near the end of the road. The uncertainty of not knowing even that still frustrates me. After all, come November/December what's to say they won't push it further down the line? Eleven months can become thirteen.

What I'm saying is, it's easy to become pessimistic as months pass. Some folks here are far better at keeping themselves grounded and seeing the bright side of things, and I applaud them for it, I really do.
 
Ariandel said:
Other people have given their accounts on how it is to have only one salary in the family. Then the situation really depends on external resources - how much each of us has saved before coming, how much support we can get from our families and, of course, how well we can budget and manage our lifestyle expectations. As for me, my savings have been blown - simply paying for private insurance all this time, getting a driver's license, the medical fees for the application, winter clothes and boots... it adds up. Canada is a very beautiful country and I'd love to see more of it - but until we have two stable incomes that's not possible as travelling, eating out, staying somewhere costs money. So while I have the time to go sight seeing there is only so much of it we can do.

As for how all this feels... well, it'll depend on each person, I suppose. I've been in Canada waiting for the first stage approval for about ten months now and it's really getting to me at times. I'm a programmer, and back home I was working for a major research institution - aside from the compensation aspect that meant I had a career, people relying on me, I was responsible for ministries' projects, etc. I was exercising and honing my craft all the time.

Here I have to invent reasons to get up in the morning and not just stay in bed. Go to the gym, keep moving, go for walks, do the lawn - something. Anything. In the mean time no matter how I try to keep myself current, the reality of the matter is when I reenter the workforce I'll have been out for a year. Employers will take notice and it might make the difference between getting a good job and... not. Who knows?

Now, this is likely near the end of the road. The uncertainty of not knowing even that still frustrates me. After all, come November/December what's to say they won't push it further down the line? Eleven months can become thirteen.

What I'm saying is, it's easy to become pessimistic as months pass. Some folks here are far better at keeping themselves grounded and seeing the bright side of things, and I applaud them for it, I really do.

Very well said. +1 from me!
 
Hi All!!! Just an update that my husband and I arrived back in Canada last night from England. We had no issues at all with the IO. All we did was show our proof of marriage and proof of our application for Inland Permanent Residency and that was that!! He asked how long we were away and then stamped our stuff and off we went!! Maybe we were lucky but it didn't seem to be an issue that my husband left Canada for 2 weeks.
 
SmithyLinds said:
Hi All!!! Just an update that my husband and I arrived back in Canada last night from England. We had no issues at all with the IO. All we did was show our proof of marriage and proof of our application for Inland Permanent Residency and that was that!! He asked how long we were away and then stamped our stuff and off we went!! Maybe we were lucky but it didn't seem to be an issue that my husband left Canada for 2 weeks.


So your husband who's currently applying for Common-law/Spouse left Canada during his application was being processed and came back in and they had no issues?
 
SmithyLinds said:
Hi All!!! Just an update that my husband and I arrived back in Canada last night from England. We had no issues at all with the IO. All we did was show our proof of marriage and proof of our application for Inland Permanent Residency and that was that!! He asked how long we were away and then stamped our stuff and off we went!! Maybe we were lucky but it didn't seem to be an issue that my husband left Canada for 2 weeks.

Well, if you or your husband (whoever is not Canadian or PR) is from a visa-exempt country, then I suppose there would not be much of a deal on re-entering.
As for the rest of us, when you leave Canada, you need a new TRV to re-enter. I wasn't lucky to get a multiple entry visa first time around.
 
Jamesdavid3 said:
So your husband who's currently applying for Common-law/Spouse left Canada during his application was being processed and came back in and they had no issues?

They won't refuse without good grounds. The officers do realize the impact of such a refusal.
 
Yes that's right......because he is visa exempt we had no issues. I was still very nervous leaving though because you just never know. I was only letting a few members know who asked me to write how it all went upon arrival back here. Its a question that has been asked many times on this forum so i was sharing our experience
 
SmithyLinds said:
Yes that's right......because he is visa exempt we had no issues. I was still very nervous leaving though because you just never know. I was only letting a few members know who asked me to write how it all went upon arrival back here. Its a question that has been asked many times on this forum so i was sharing our experience

Glad to hear all went well. I can only imagine the nerves on the way back in!

There is no reason they should deny entry...but you just never know if you get the wrong officer in a bad mood. It shouldn't be like that, but that's how it is!! ???
 
Is it just my computer?? Or have they not updated the processing time yet today??