Received AIP - out of status and applying for work permit

[suenim]

Hello all. I wanted to get feedback from any inland applicants or anyone at all who had been out of status and received AIP. Were there any problems applying for the OWP? Did you have to apply for restoration of status to get the work permit even though you had AIP? How long did it take? Thanks so much for any input.

 

[Ponga]

You should have no problem getting the OWP within the next couple of months. There's no need to restore your status (which you can't do anyway, unless your status expired within the last 90 days). Keep in mind that the OWP will NOT give you legal status again...it just allows you to work, get a driver license, health care, etc., which is still a big step forward! You won't have legal status again until you land as a PR.

I don't know if you'll also need to pay the extra $100 fee, or just the $155 that you would have paid if you had included the OWP application with the Inland application. I suggest that you do include it, just in case.

Good luck!

 

[suenim]

Thanks for your response Ponga. I didn't even realize that processing the OWP would take that long.

You should have no problem getting the OWP within the next couple of months. There's no need to restore your status (which you can't do anyway, unless your status expired within the last 90 days). Keep in mind that the OWP will NOT give you legal status again...it just allows you to work, get a driver license, health care, etc., which is still a big step forward! You won't have legal status again until you land as a PR.

I don't know if you'll also need to pay the extra $100 fee, or just the $155 that you would have paid if you had included the OWP application with the Inland application. I suggest that you do include it, just in case.

Good luck!

 

[Ponga]

Thanks for your response Ponga. I didn't even realize that processing the OWP would take that long.

It really shouldn't take that long, but...it likely will.

If you had included the OWP with your Inland application, it would have taken ~ 6 weeks (assuming they didn't lose it).

You might want to call CIC (ug!) and remind them that you now qualify to apply for the `regular' OWP and see what they say.

Good luck!

 

[suenim]

Thanks Ponga. The application has been in process for almost two years now... so before the pilot project came in. I am wondering if they should wait out for final DM or apply for the OWP.

It really shouldn't take that long, but...it likely will.

If you had included the OWP with your Inland application, it would have taken ~ 6 weeks (assuming they didn't lose it).

You might want to call CIC (ug!) and remind them that you now qualify to apply for the `regular' OWP and see what they say.

Good luck!