So I had some trouble with this. I went to a border crossing today and was told that I could not get a new work permit until my current one had expired. This requirement seems to me to be in contradiction with the requirement that I get a new one, or leave the country, before the expiration of the current one. The officer also said that at that and all the other nearby border crossings, flagpoling is only allowed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (I'm not sure how I was expected to have found that information). And further, she said that to get a new work permit I would need to show my diploma to show that I was qualified for the job, which is something that was never mentioned to me by HR; and in fact, last time, getting a work permit for exactly the same job, I did not need to show a diploma.
She said that what I should have done was apply for an extension online. I explained that I didn't do that because I will be needing to take a trip to the U.S. later in February, and I was told that if I apply online I must remain in Canada. The only solution she could offer me was that I apply online today, before my current permit expires (thus giving me implied status), then travel to the U.S., get a new work permit at the border on my way back in, and then cancel my online application. This seems like a very roundabout way to do what should be a pretty simple thing, but fine.
So, I want to make absolutely sure that I do everything right and don't end up getting refused entry after my trip to the U.S., or end up being in Canada without a work permit and not getting paid. Some questions:
- On the imm5710e form that I'm filling out now to apply for an extension to my current work permit, there is a place where I have to fill out current country of residence (Canada) and the dates of my residence there. I don't know what to put for the "TO" date - should I put the expected end date for the extension to the work permit that I'm applying for (i.e. one year from now)?
- The form also asks for my original date of entry to Canada, followed by my most recent entry to Canada. Does "original" mean the first time I ever visited Canada? Or does it mean when I entered Canada to start working at my current job one year ago?
- Once I finish and submit the application today, I'll have implied status, but will I have any way of showing that I have implied status? In other words, when I go to the border, how can I prove to the border agent that I have applied and have implied status?
- How can I find a complete list of documentation that I will need to bring with me when I return from my U.S. trip, in order to get a new work permit? There seems to be no concrete list of what I need, and the different border agents that I've dealt with have asked for different requirements. I plan to bring: my offer letter for the extension to my job, a copy of the original contract with my employer, my current (soon to be expired) work permit, the diploma (or a copy?) for my PhD, the number given to me by my employer for exemption from LMIA, and my passport. Do you think that will be sufficient?
Thanks for any help on this.
