Hello,
My visitor visa expired before I submitted my Family sponsorship application, so I applied for a visitor visa extension first. I was granted a six-month extension with a condition for a medical examination, which I completed within the given timeframe before applying for permanent residence (PR). The IRCC used the same medical examination for my PR application as well.
Here is a timeline of my application process:
- Applied on: June 23, 2023
- Medical Status updated: August 23, 2023
- Biometric: August 24, 2023
- Eligibility Approval: September 05, 2023
- Pre-Arrival E-mail: September 09, 2023
- Sponsorship Approval Letter: October 05, 2023
- Inland APR Eligibility Decision Letter: October 05, 2023
I have a few questions:
1) I received an Inland APR Eligibility Decision Letter that mentions my eligibility requirements for applying for permanent residence have been determined. Is this considered an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR)?
2) In my Inland APR Eligibility Decision Letter, it also states, "You must have legal temporary resident status in Canada to remain in the country legally." Since my Temporary Resident Permit extension is expiring next month and my PR application is still in process and awaiting a decision, do I need to leave the country or apply for a Temporary Resident Permit to remain in Canada legally?
3) In the same letter, it says, "If you have not already done so, you may now apply for an open work permit," which confuses me. When I applied for Family Sponsorship under the Canada Class, I indicated that I wanted to apply for an open work permit and paid $155 CAD along with the PR and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. I believed that the open work permit would be processed and issued after the AOR since IRCC has all my documents. If I proceed to apply for the open work permit separately, it asks for the work permit fees of $155 CAD again, which I already paid as mentioned earlier. Do I need to pay it again, and how can I prove that I've already paid it? I have a receipt for the payment I made, but it shows the total sum, so I'm not sure how to demonstrate this.
I would greatly appreciate any guidance on my situation.