PGWP Expiration - share your story

[hamoonExpressEntry]

I am also an EE applicant but I have an even more important issue to resolve! My work permit is expiring! I thought maybe some of you are also struggling with the same issue, so I post here:

My Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) expires in June 2015. To extend my work permit, I need to either

1)have an LMIA, or
2)have a proof that my employer applied for an LMIA through ESDC and I am waiting for a decision to be made.

Since LMIA takes a long time, I think I have to go with option 2. CIC says the following about option 2:
"To be eligible to submit such proof, you must not be requesting restoration of status and your status must be expiring in the next two weeks."

So first I need to ask my employer to apply for LMIA. Then I have to get the proof that they have applied and send that proof to CIC in June less that two weeks from my work permit expiration. Is that right? Do I have enough time to do these?

Would you please share your stories if you have done this? Let's help each other understand this procedure a little better.

Best,
Hamoon

 

[BankingExpressE]

I'm in the same boat as you - PGWP expires in June and currently waiting for an ITA through EE. My employer will most likely not do LMIA, however, I do qualify for CEC and FSW.

For my EE profile, I scored in the high 400s, even after not claiming points for my previous foreign work experience as I knew it would be almost impossible to get a reference letter.

As someone who has lived in Canada for almost seven years and made, in my opinion, a meaningful contribution to society through taxes, tuition fees and my job (investment banker right out of university), I find it extremely frustrating to see people with sub 900 points get an ITA. I know LMIA is important and all that, but to me something is not right when a cook (according to this forum) got an ITA in the first draw. How someone can credibly claim that there isn't a Canadian out there that can perform that task is beyond me...

Anyways, hoping that the next few draws will be more favourable towards us PGWP holders and that I can get my bridging work permit sorted before the summer, otherwise I'm not really sure what to do.

 

[hamoonExpressEntry]

It is all very disappointing my friend! I am sorry to hear this. I hope you get ITA, but in case you could not, what is your plan to extend your work permit?
You know that you need LMIA to apply for work permit, right?

 

[hamoonExpressEntry]

One option is the one I mentioned in the main post! but we need to hurry up for that one, cause our employers are really lazy, specially HR.

The other option is to apply for PNP. If you have provincial nominee certificate, and you have a job offer, then you don't need LMIA. It usually takes 3 months.

These are the 2 options I could find! Let me know if you came across some other solutions!

All the best,

 

[zhk]

cic call centre agent confirmed today that the quota for cec has been reached meaning my application will be returned. my work permit expires in april. ive got only 2 months left and my employer wouldnt do LMIA!

what to do now??? this is a miserable situation!

 

[BankingExpressE]

My understanding, after speaking to a CIC agent, is that after you have successfully completed your EE application (submitted all documents and paid the fee), you can apply for a BOWP, so no LMIA required.

I've looked into PNP, and it seems like I wouldn't qualify for the EE PNP as I completed my degree more than two years ago and it is in finance. I could be wrong on this though.

If all fails, I guess it's goodbye to all that.

 

[doubleym]

My understanding, after speaking to a CIC agent, is that after you have successfully completed your EE application (submitted all documents and paid the fee), you can apply for a BOWP, so no LMIA required.

I've looked into PNP, and it seems like I wouldn't qualify for the EE PNP as I completed my degree more than two years ago and it is in finance. I could be wrong on this though.

If all fails, I guess it's goodbye to all that.

Just a quick question, you say CIC said you could apply for a BOWP after you had submitted your EE application and paid the fee, would you not still have to wait for an AOR?

 

[BankingExpressE]

Just a quick question, you say CIC said you could apply for a BOWP after you had submitted your EE application and paid the fee, would you not still have to wait for an AOR?

Yes, the point I was trying to make was that you don't need a LMIA to get a BOWP under EE.

 

[doubleym]

Yes, the point I was trying to make was that you don't need a LMIA to get a BOWP under EE.

No you don't but you'd need to get an AOR back before your permit ends, or you couldn't apply for a BOWP.

 

[BankingExpressE]

No you don't but you'd need to get an AOR back before your permit ends, or you couldn't apply for a BOWP.

Of course

 

[hamoonExpressEntry]

BankingExpressE that's really promising. Thanks for sharing this with us.

zhk: You might have to stop working until you can get PNP. I hope you are eligible for PNP. It takes 3 months in Ontario.

 

[raj veena]

Hi

Even I have the same situation.mmy work permit expires in Jul 2015.

I have 2 yrs Canadian experience .iI applied pr Nov 2014 not sure what's happening with that application
I am thinking to apply in EL ..bbut without lMia it's not possible for now..

My company might get lmia for me but it will be after Jun .
should I apply In EE now

 

[noodle_soup]

Hi,

First time posting here, but I have been lurking on this forum for the past few weeks.
I found the information posted here to be generally very helpful so I thought I would contribute...

I am basically in a very similar situation (PGWP expiring in June, no ITA).
My tentative plan is to apply for a work holiday permit under IEC as soon as it opens (hopefully in mid-Feb) and assuming I get accepted, re-enter Canada via US to get a new 1 year open work permit before my PGWP expires. This way, I think I should be able to keep working for my current employer without LMIA (work holiday permits are LMIA exempt from what I understand).
During the 1 year period (under IEC), I will hopefully get an ITA, in which case I can submit my PR application (under CEC/FSW) and request BOWP to effectively "extend" my IEC open work permit. (FYI, I got 469 points)

Depending on how things play out over the next few draws, I may also consider abandoning the EE/CEC route and going with the family sponsorship route (my common-law partner is Canadian and she is willing to sponsor me). If I take the sponsorship route, I can request an open work permit on the basis that I have applied for PR (according to the new pilot program announced in Dec. 2014). As long as I time things right, I should be able to get a new work permit before my IEC permit expires.

I know this won't be helpful to everybody because IEC is only available to citizens of specific countries, but hopefully this will encourage people to explore that option.
I'd also appreciate any thoughts regarding my tentative plan and any flaws (i.e. why it may not work, etc).

 

[hamoonExpressEntry]

Raj veena: What keeps you from filling EE profile? It takes less than one hour if you have your IELTS results. Who knows what might happen in the next draw? You might get lucky.
noodle_soup: Thanks for sharing your story with us. I am sure people in the same situation will benefit from it.

 

[PK_11]

BankingExpressE that's really promising. Thanks for sharing this with us.

zhk: You might have to stop working until you can get PNP. I hope you are eligible for PNP. It takes 3 months in Ontario.

It says 3 months(Ontario), My company has applied for prescreening since 4 months, still no reply. It usually takes 4 to 5 months for prescreening. But your company can apply for PNP prescreening, if your workpermits is about to over and u dont have LMIA, in that case you can apply for extension (paper application) as visitor visa.