Open work permit with inland spousal visa application

[dcl]

Hi
Hoping someone may have experience with this:

My wife is Canadian and living and working in Canada. I have stayed in Canada on a visitor visa and have an address and a lease there with my wife, but had to return to Australia to work (as I work in health industry there are workforce restrictions on my ability to obtain a standard work permit). Whilst there we applied for a paper inland spousal visa with open work permit for myself. This was in November 2016 and not heard back as yet.
My questions:
1 Do I have to be in Canada whilst I wait for the open work permit?
2 how long is the processing time for an open work permit?

I have tried to get some answers from CIC about these questions to no avail, so hope someone here may know

Thanks!

 

[simpsol22]

Hi
Hoping someone may have experience with this:

My wife is Canadian and living and working in Canada. I have stayed in Canada on a visitor visa and have an address and a lease there with my wife, but had to return to Australia to work (as I work in health industry there are workforce restrictions on my ability to obtain a standard work permit). Whilst there we applied for a paper inland spousal visa with open work permit for myself. This was in November 2016 and not heard back as yet.
My questions:
1 Do I have to be in Canada whilst I wait for the open work permit?
2 how long is the processing time for an open work permit?

I have tried to get some answers from CIC about these questions to no avail, so hope someone here may know

Thanks!

1. To apply Inland you need to be living in Canada. So yes you need to be in canada while waiting for the owp and during the processing of your pr app.
2. They take around 4 months.

Did you do your medical upfront? Without a medical....the work permit will have restrictions that include the medical field.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi

Inland requires that you actually be IN CANADA cohabiting with your partner throughout the process.

Expect your app to be refused when IRCC finds out you are no longer living in Canada.