Question Help needed:

[sam4187]

Hello,
I came on a study permit to do PhD in Canada and my wife came as my dependent. So, my wife got her work permit on the basis of my being a student. My study permit is valid until 2016 and same for my wife's work permit. Now, she is about to comeplete one year in her job as a software engineer and we are planning to apply in CEC category on her basis. So, in our PR application she will be principle applicant and I am going to be her dependent. But due to some issues I want to discontinue my studies as soon as possible. Sofar I could not because that was a sole basis of our status in Canada. But once we apply in CEC, do I need to wait to quit my studies until our PR arrives or I can quit before PR arrives? somebody told me that my wife should be eligible to get her independnet work permit and I can become her dependent and then I can quit it, but the person was not sure about it. Please help us regarding this question. Also, please advise if there is any other route which can solve our problem too. Thank you very much.

 

[cee12345]

Hello,
I came on a study permit to do PhD in Canada and my wife came as my dependent. So, my wife got her work permit on the basis of my being a student. My study permit is valid until 2016 and same for my wife's work permit. Now, she is about to comeplete one year in her job as a software engineer and we are planning to apply in CEC category on her basis. So, in our PR application she will be principle applicant and I am going to be her dependent. But due to some issues I want to discontinue my studies as soon as possible. Sofar I could not because that was a sole basis of our status in Canada. But once we apply in CEC, do I need to wait to quit my studies until our PR arrives or I can quit before PR arrives? somebody told me that my wife should be eligible to get her independnet work permit and I can become her dependent and then I can quit it, but the person was not sure about it. Please help us regarding this question. Also, please advise if there is any other route which can solve our problem too. Thank you very much.

I will help answer based on the points:

**PR Eligibility under CEC - as long as your wife becomes eligible under CEC then I highly suggest to apply. She has to ensure though she meets the requirement (Here is the link to help check her eligibility: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/apply-how.asp)
**Quiting your studies is all up to you. Remember that even if she qualifies for CEC - the processing time takes about 12 months more or less to process and it is not always guaranteed. If you quit/change status before you becoming a PR and gets a rejection then you will hvae to start from scratch..
**Independent work permit on what basis? Currently she is under your work permit thus her work permit is based on yours. Thus, changing your status would likely change hers too. Unless if her current company is willing to go through the LMO route for her and she applies for a work permit and you apply an OWP based on that.
**If you are referring to the BOWP when you say Independent work permit - then she will only able to apply for it once she gets her AOR and that her current work permit will expire within 4 months then she will be eligible. If not, then you can always try but most likely you will get a rejection.

 

[sam4187]

Thank you very much for the guidance, appreciated!