PGWP and Lay off due to COVID19

[mshah95]

I hold a 1-year PGWP which is going to be expired in June and I am 7 weeks short from 1 year canadian work experience because I was temporarily laid off due to COVID19 and I applied for EI.
I wonder if the period I am receiving EI is considered as my work experience? Or will IRCC let me extend my PGWP, eventhough it is a one time deal since COVID19 happened out of no where and is beyond anybody's control. Under normal circumstance I would have been working now.

I am at 467 and I was intending to apply under CEC.

I have a similar situation like yours have you found anything that helps us??

 

[scylla]

I have a similar situation like yours have you found anything that helps us??

The period you are receiving EI unfortunately cannot be counted as work experience. IRCC is also has made no announcements about being able to extend PGWPs due to COVID-19. I would recommend looking at other options like seeing if you can find an employer willing to go through the LMIA process. Or perhaps changing your status back to study permit and returning to school full time. Good luck. Tough times.

 

[scylla]

Guys can someone help me please. My PGWP is coming to an end by January 09, 2021.
Date of PGWP applied: Oct 08, 2019
PGWP issued: Jan 09, 2020
PGWP expiry: Jan 09, 2021

1st Job - Oct 08, 2019 - Jan 04, 2020
2nd Job - Jan 07, 2020 - Mar 12, 2020 (Laid off due to lockdown)
Layoff from March 13,2020 to June 20, 2020
3rd Job - June 21, 2020 - Present.

In my case I am completing my 52 weeks exactly on the last week of my PGWP. Can someone tell me is it possible to get BOWP if I receive ITA after my PGWP expires? Or can I put extension on my PGWP (without LMIA) and keep working until it gets rejected?

You must be holding a valid work permit at the time you apply for a BOWP. So no, it is not possible to apply for a BOWP after your PGWP has expired.

Submitting an extension on your PGWP wtihout an LMIA won't work long term. The extension will eventually be refused and then the BOWP will be refused as well. You will be able to continue working until the extension is refused however at that point you will then be in Canada without status.

You have a few options. One is to return to your home country after your PGWP expires and then wait for ITA and the processing of your PR application there. Another option would be to convert your status to visitor and remain in Canada without working until the PR application is approved. Yet another option would be to try to find an employer who will give you a job offer + approved LMIA so that you can apply for a closed work permit. Probably the last option would be to return to school as a full time student (switch back to a study permit). You'll be able to work 20 hours per week as you know. However you won't qualify for another PGWP.

 

[scylla]

"Submitting an extension on your PGWP without an LMIA won't work long term. The extension will eventually be refused and then the BOWP will be refused as well. You will be able to continue working until the extension is refused however at that point you will then be in Canada without status." - Can you please tell me whether it is possible to work for that short period? I know I will get rejected within a month or 2 months without LMIA but I need to know whether I can keep working till getting rejection.

"Yet another option would be to try to find an employer who will give you a job offer + approved LMIA so that you can apply for a closed work permit." - My current employer wont do LMIA but he will offer me employment after I apply for extension(without LMIA) till it gets rejected.

"Another option would be to convert your status to visitor and remain in Canada without working until the PR application is approved." - I can do this for sure but I am don't want to lose my current job.

Yes, you can continue working until you get the rejection.

 

[RAMAAA91]

"Submitting an extension on your PGWP without an LMIA won't work long term. The extension will eventually be refused and then the BOWP will be refused as well. You will be able to continue working until the extension is refused however at that point you will then be in Canada without status." - Can you please tell me whether it is possible to work for that short period? I know I will get rejected within a month or 2 months without LMIA but I need to know whether I can keep working till getting rejection.

"Yet another option would be to try to find an employer who will give you a job offer + approved LMIA so that you can apply for a closed work permit." - My current employer wont do LMIA but he will offer me employment after I apply for extension(without LMIA) till it gets rejected.

"Another option would be to convert your status to visitor and remain in Canada without working until the PR application is approved." - I can do this for sure but I am don't want to lose my current job.

What he said is right but just a correction PGWP doesnt have any extension option it is once lifetime if expired you can extend as closed WP if you have LMIA which in your case doesnt apply any.So you cannot apply for PGWP dont waste time and money..Only option applying visitor visa if you dont want to go back home and wait for PR approval.

So dont think about extending PGWP there is no such otpion..

Your score usually gets updated within 11months of work exp as system calculates alltogether instead of month to month.And if you have enough score to get ITA apply to PR after you finish 1yr exp like you said u will finish exactly last week of expiry if the day is monday and if you still got 2 or 3days left that doenst matter you will get AOR and then u can apply for BOWP and after that u can continue working on implied status until decision is made..on implied status same rules apply as your PGWP..

If you are so unlucky and the 1yr exp you finish by last day of your PGWP its hard because u have to wait until u finish 52weeks though system updates a month ahead to be safe side its better to apply after completinh 52 weeks.Sometimes the AOR gets in 2hrs somecases 24hrs..so you have to plan and keep the documentation ready ahead..

 

[RAMAAA91]

Thank you for the response. My PGWP expires on January 09, 2021. And my last day of 52 weeks will be 7th of January (if they take 30hrs per week). So can I apply for BOWP on 8th or 9th of January and continue working?

Yeah they consider only 30hrs/week and if you finish by 7th jan and you get ITA by then apply on 8th Jan and hopefully you get AoR the same day.Then u can apply for BOWP..to apply for BOWP u need to have AOR which u will get only after submitting PR application..what is your score and are you CEC inland or do u have any home country work exp?

 

[RAMAAA91]

My score will be 483 (after completing 1 year Canadian experience and including my back home experience) but the issue if I have not mentioned my back home experience in my study permit and my consultant missed to mention it. I think I have to write an explanation letter regarding that and its up to the officer whether they consider it or not.

It doesnt need to be on study permit i mean you were saying when u come to canada on study permit you didnt mention about work exp back home?
If so it depends on the officer because there will be some cases where you leave the job once your study permit got approved and did the processing ahead.because for study permit we dont need to provide work exp and we gt the exp letter after leaving the job..One of my frnd did the same and his PR got approved but there are ppl with same scenario and got rejected.So better explain in LOE with proper reason.

And with 483 sure shot u will get ITA so i guess by Dec 7th ur score will get updated and get the documentation ready before jan7th and submit on jan8th..
All the best