My future wife is American..I'm a Canadian Citizen..Lots of Questions

[SDennis]

We've known each other since May 27th, 2013. I flew down to her at Christmas time and proposed, giving her an engagement ring.

There has hardly been a day that's gone by when we haven't talked on the phone or texted. We've sent each other emails and old fashioned letters. We plan on getting married in April of this year, it's the earliest the both of us could get off our respective jobs. I am planning to sponsor her under the family plan as soon as we are married. But.....

It seems that the process is long and drawn out (22 - 26 months???). And if she is approved she can't work up here until permanent residency status is approved? Or move her stuff?

She has worked for 20 years at a non-profit care facility for the mentally challenged.

I make a good wage at my job ($75,000/yr) working for a municipal government. But our finances would be spread tight if she wouldn't be able to work up here within a reasonable amount of time (6 months).

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Ponga]

Hi,

Congratulations!

First of all, do you understand the spousal sponsorship process and, more importantly, that you have two `paths'...Inland or Outland?

The Inland process is the slower of the two and although she would not be allowed to work, she could remain in Canada during the process (estimated to be ~10 months for stage 1 approval and ~8 months for stage 2). However, once the Inland application is submitted it is strongly advised that she not leave Canada (this is one of the requirements for an Inland applicant), since she could be denied re-entry into Canada if she left, which would basically kill the application. If you apply Inland the only way that she would be allowed to work, would be with an Open Work Permit (OWP), which would not be issued until stage 1 approval. This is not likely to happen within 6 months.

The Outland process seems confusing, but it really isn't. A person can be physically present in Canada with an Outland application in process. You can find out more about this by searching the forum. However, she would not be allowed to work until she has received her PR...again, not going to happen in 6 months. The entire process for the Outland application is usually faster than the Inland and may even be as fast as 12 months.

The only way that I can see her working in ~ 6 months, is for you to apply for Outland sponsorship and she remains in the US at her current job until the process is complete.

Good luck!

 

[Rob_TO]

Apply outland. US citizens are processed through CPP-Ottawa office, and these days apps are done in around 8-10 months (assuming a strong and complete application). During that time she can continue to live/work in the US to make money, OR she could "visit" Canada indefinitely (in 6 month increments) while you are waiting for the PR to finish.

Applying outland she would not be able to work in Canada until full PR is approved, unless she got a work visa through a working holiday/IEC program, or had a job offer from company willing to go through LMO process.

 

[TG71]

My husband and I applied Inland - I am Canadian and he is from USA. Permanent Resident process took; a year less 5 days total. From my understanding you can apply for a temporary work permit at the same time you apply for Sponsorship, so once you receive your first approval for the PR spousal sponsorship the open work permit may be approved at that time.

 

[screech339]

My husband and I applied Inland - I am Canadian and he is from USA. Permanent Resident process took; a year less 5 days total. From my understanding you can apply for a temporary work permit at the same time you apply for Sponsorship, so once you receive your first approval for the PR spousal sponsorship the temporary work permit may be approved at that time.

You are referring to an open work permit. Not a temporary work permit. Two different work permits.

 

[Rob_TO]

My husband and I applied Inland - I am Canadian and he is from USA. Permanent Resident process took; a year less 5 days total. From my understanding you can apply for a temporary work permit at the same time you apply for Sponsorship, so once you receive your first approval for the PR spousal sponsorship the temporary work permit may be approved at that time.

Less than 1 years processing for complete inland process, is very quick and should not be considered an "average" or realistic for most people. Typically if one applies inland they are looking at 10-11 months for stage 1 approval and OWP, another 6-8 months for stage 2 approval, then another month or so waiting for landing appointment (depending on city) before finally getting full PR.
So during the stage 1 time, the applicant must remain in Canada, most likely unable to legally work.

 

[screech339]

The timeline listed on website for inland is suppose to include landing date time. So the timeline is suppose to be from the time CIC received the application to the time the applicant lands as PR.

 

[Rob_TO]

The timeline listed on website for inland is suppose to include landing date time. So the timeline is suppose to be from the time CIC received the application to the time the applicant lands as PR.

I wonder then how they distinguish between cities, since they only provide 1 time but landing appointment waits can vary from weeks to months. Perhaps they just average it out?

 

[screech339]

I wonder then how they distinguish between cities, since they only provide 1 time but landing appointment waits can vary from weeks to months. Perhaps they just average it out?

As for outland, I can't say much about it but assume it follows the same reasoning with the inland sponsorship timeline. If you look at the link in my timesheet below at bottom of timesheet, you see the average total timeline based on the those landed/landing. Even though the sampling is small, it does seem to fit close to the average total timeline including landing for inland. I included the initial 14 months and 18 months timeline. The average landed within 14 months is 66% and the average 18 month landing is 93%

 

[hockeyfan]

You are referring to an open work permit. Not a temporary work permit. Two different work permits.

It is still a temporary work permit though as it has a time limit on it and is tied to the spouse PR process...

 

[screech339]

It is still a temporary work permit though as it has a time limit on it and is tied to the spouse PR process...

Well technically it is a temporary work permit. But it implied that you have to stop working once the permit ends. This is not the case, you don't stop working. You can continue working after you land.

 

[hockeyfan]

Well technically it is a temporary work permit. But it implied that you have to stop working once the permit ends. This is not the case, you don't stop working. You can continue working after you land.

You do have to stop working when it ends though unless you renew before you get PR or get PR before owp expiry. Keep in mind, unfortunately, some people don't qualify for family sponsorship as well and get denied. Therefore, they would need to stop working.

 

[screech339]

You do have to stop working when it ends though unless you renew before you get PR or get PR before owp expiry. Keep in mind, unfortunately, some people don't qualify for family sponsorship as well and get denied. Therefore, they would need to stop working.

True enough.