one-year pilot OWP for spouses and common-law partners

[Ponga]

The assessment questionnaires are terrible.
If you know exactly what you need to apply for, you can figure out how to trick it into letting you do so, but if you're actually honest with it it'll redirect you all over the place.

I tried following the questionnaire for renewing a Visitor Visa and based on my answers it decided I needed to apply for PR, which I of course already did, etc etc etc.
Gave up and just flag-poled. Took 5 minutes and renewal was free.

Yet another example of how CIC could improve their service and generate even more revenue.

They need to have a second layer of phone support...like Apple, for example. A person that you can call and pay a fee to have a real expert who understands the immigration matter that you're calling about, answer your questions!

Nah...that'll never happen!

 

[Janina]

Hi everyone. I'm not sure anyone can help me, but maybe you can give me some advice. I sent in my PR application together with the OWP to Mississauga in the end of February. I paid for both application and sent them on February 20th and not until later did I found out about the $100 extra fee that was added on February 21. I thought I was ok since I paid before February 21. But on my visa bill at the end of March I can see that $155 have been refunded. So I'm worried they refunded me because they didn't receive the payment until after February 21st. Now I'm faced with the question- should I try to pay the full fee of $255 and send in the receipt or wait for them to get back to me? And if I send it in should I send it to Mississauga or Vegreville?

If anyone has any advice or opinion on this matter it would greatly appreciated!

 

[PTJ]

Hi everyone. I'm not sure anyone can help me, but maybe you can give me some advice. I sent in my PR application together with the OWP to Mississauga in the end of February. I paid for both application and sent them on February 20th and not until later did I found out about the $100 extra fee that was added on February 21. I thought I was ok since I paid before February 21. But on my visa bill at the end of March I can see that $155 have been refunded. So I'm worried they refunded me because they didn't receive the payment until after February 21st. Now I'm faced with the question- should I try to pay the full fee of $255 and send in the receipt or wait for them to get back to me? And if I send it in should I send it to Mississauga or Vegreville?

If anyone has any advice or opinion on this matter it would greatly appreciated!

I am of the opinion that the new $100 started on February 21st and since you sent and paid for your application on February 20th, the $100 may not be applicable to you (in as much you paid online and included a receipt for it in your application pack.

 

[GustavesF]

Yet another example of how CIC could improve their service and generate even more revenue.

They need to have a second layer of phone support...like Apple, for example. A person that you can call and pay a fee to have a real expert who understands the immigration matter that you're calling about, answer your questions!

Nah...that'll never happen!

+1 for that idea.

I'd absolutely pay whatever fee I could to talk to someone who actually knew what was going on, and knew how to give valid advise.

 

[Married Man]

Hi guys, Ive been monitoring this forum for the past 3 months but did not make an account till today. I applied for the one year pilot OWP on December 24th and I received it yesterday. I am thrilled. Even though it was permitted on April 14th, it expires in January of next year. So in other words, it aint a year as they said online. But im scheduled to get my approval in principle in July (according to the CIC processing times) so i dont think it will be a problem! I think a swarm of permits are about to come out in the next few weeks so hold on guys!

 

[hithere]

Hi guys, Ive been monitoring this forum for the past 3 months but did not make an account till today. I applied for the one year pilot OWP on December 24th and I received it yesterday. I am thrilled. Even though it was permitted on April 14th, it expires in January of next year. So in other words, it aint a year as they said online. But im scheduled to get my approval in principle in July (according to the CIC processing times) so i dont think it will be a problem! I think a swarm of permits are about to come out in the next few weeks so hold on guys!

Congrats and Thanks for sharing man. I applied OWP for my wife on January 2. Hope to hear something back soon.

 

[jmarie]

When did you submit the PR application? Do you get AIP after the sponsorship approval, or before?

 

[Married Man]

When did you submit the PR application? Do you get AIP after the sponsorship approval, or before?

I submitted my PR application on January 2014, hoping to wait for 8 months for the AIP, but it extended to 17 months now. Im hoping for my AIP in the next 2 to 3 months. It is probably why they gave me 9 months on my pilot program permit.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I submitted my PR application on January 2014, hoping to wait for 8 months for the AIP, but it extended to 17 months now. Im hoping for my AIP in the next 2 to 3 months. It is probably why they gave me 9 months on my pilot program permit.

Is your passport expiring in Jan 2016? This is usually why work permits are issued for shorter times than a person may qualify for.

 

[hollynelson]

Hi guys, Ive been monitoring this forum for the past 3 months but did not make an account till today. I applied for the one year pilot OWP on December 24th and I received it yesterday. I am thrilled. Even though it was permitted on April 14th, it expires in January of next year. So in other words, it aint a year as they said online. But im scheduled to get my approval in principle in July (according to the CIC processing times) so i dont think it will be a problem! I think a swarm of permits are about to come out in the next few weeks so hold on guys!

This is so exciting!!!

I applied for my pr I March 2014 and sent off for my OWP on January 14th. I still haven't heard anything - will I need to do anything to get my work permit or will it literally just be mailed straight to me??

 

[Married Man]

Is your passport expiring in Jan 2016? This is usually why work permits are issued for shorter times than a person may qualify for.

Aha!!! That makes sense. Yes my passport expires January of next year. Good observation. Now I have to renew that as well.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Aha!!! That makes sense. Yes my passport expires January of next year. Good observation. Now I have to renew that as well.

With current processing times, you are looking at PR around April-May 2016. If you get a job and want to continue working beyond Jan 2016, you will need to apply to extend your OWP with your new passport. This would mean paying the OWP fees again.

 

[discriminatedbyCIC]

With current processing times, you are looking at PR around April-May 2016.

Considering how the processing times have exponentially increased every single year since Chris Alexander became Minister, I hardly doubt this will happen. Probably The processing times will increase in the upcoming months. Hopefully that will change after October when a competent Government is elected.

 

[GustavesF]

Considering how the processing times have exponentially increased every single year since Chris Alexander became Minister, I hardly doubt this will happen. Probably The processing times will increase in the upcoming months. Hopefully that will change after October when a competent Government is elected.

Considering processing times for this past year (April to April), and trending them linearly, someone submitting in January 2014 should be processed by May 2016.
Of course, if you only consider 2015, a January 2014 applicant might see something as early as October.

My jaded prediction is that when CIC finally updates the site we'll still be looking at processing October 2013. On track to disappoint as much as 2014.

 

[hooligander]

Just a heads up I submitted my wifes PR/OWP in late March

We just received the AOR yesterday.