Second International Experience Canada (IEC) visa - Application question!

[pete6256]

Greetings everyone,

I was wondering if some clever soul might offer me some wisdom on a question I have about the IEC application process.

I'm in the process of filling out the application forms for my second IEC work visa (I'm currrently living in Canada at the moment on my first visa). Part of the application forms is the 'IMM1295E Application for Work Permit Made Outside Canada', but I am very confused on how to answer sections 7,8 and 9 of the Personal Details part.

A basic eligibility requirement of the visa is that your usual place of residence is the UK and that you habitually reside there, but of course I have been living in Canada for a while under my current IEC work visa. Section 7 asks for your 'Current Country of Residence', so do I put the UK and put my status as 'citizen', or do I put Canada and and put my status as 'Worker' because this is where I have been living.

Section 8 asks about 'Previous Countries of Residence', I'm guessing I do have to put Canada and my status as 'worker' for this section.

But for Section 9, do I need to put my 'Country where applying' as Canada also with a status of 'Worker' also???


The instruction manual for this form is of little use, is anyone else in a similar situation?

Any help is greeatly appreciated!

Regards,

Pete

 

[joolchen1983]

Hello Pete,

I am currently applying for IEC 2012 and I am in a similar situation than you are. Have you been able to find an answer to your questions?

My situation is the following: I am a German citizen but have been living in Canada as a visitor since August 2010. I applied for an extension of my visitor status in January 2011. While still waiting for the answer (this gave me an implied visitor status) I left Canada to go on vacation to Germany in May 2011 and came back in June. I got a new visitor record valid until December 18th 2011. Meanwhile I decided to apply for the IEC 2012. But since the application forms were put online only at the end of December 2011, I had to ask for another extension of my visitor status in November. So, once again I have an implied visitor status here in Canada.

The Canadian Consulate in Berlin told me that I don't necessarily have to be a resident in Germany, I only have to be a German citizen and I need to have a postal address in Germany. They even told me I can use my parents' address. Also in the instruction manual or in the FAQs (can't remember where exactly) it is said that it is legit to reside in a third country (as a student for example).

So, as for question 7 I decided to answer, that my "current country of residence" is "Canada" and my "status" there is "other" and then I would put "implied visitor status" in the field "other". So in your case I would also go for "Canada" as the "country of residence" and than "worker" for your "status".

As for question 8 I would put "Germany" /"citizen" and "France" /"worker (I used to live in France for 5 years) in my case and in yours I would put "UK" / "citizen" presuming that you have been continuously living in Canada since the moment you left the UK.

But if I go with my answers mentioned above I get stuck at question 9. It asks if the "country where I am applying is the same as my current country of residence". Since I have been living in Canada for over a year and I consider Canada as my country of residence I would answer "no" to this question. Of course, now they want to know the country where I am applying. So, I am asked to chose the country where I apply, which would be "Germany". I would chose "citizen" as my status since I am still a German citizen. So far so good. But what do they mean by "From - To"? My German citizenship doesn't end because I have been a tourist, permanent resident or whatever in Canada.

Or do I have to chose "Canada" again from the drop-down menu and tell them once again (as in question 7) that I am a "visitor"? But then I would have to put the expiry date of my last visitor record and I think they might get confused between my answers of question 7 and 9 and which one is the actual status. But I can't answer "Other" / "implied visitor status" (as in question 7) and then leave the "To"-section blank either.

I think the 2nd and 3d option make no sense. When you think about it....the purpose of this question is to know either your current country of residence and the country you are applying to are identical or not. You are applying for a Canadian work permit anyways (under a specific program). So why would they even ask for the country your are applying to, if the answer is Canada? Canada as the answer would make the whole question redundant. Maybe they are asking this question because sometimes one Consulate has to handle applications from more than country (this is the case for Germany who also handles applications from NL).

But then again, why can you chose Canada in the drop down-menu as the country you are applying to? Is it because this form originaly derives from the inland work permit application form? And why do I have to give an "expiry date" for my citizenship.

For a moment I thought these 3 questions are only confusing because we already are in Canada. But even if I imagine residing in another country, e.g. France, it makes no sense. I still would have to apply in Germany. For instance. Country where applying same as current country of residence? NO... so the answer would still be either Germany/citizen and then the dates ??? or once again I would tell them that I am residing in France under whatever status.

I couldn't find an answer in the instruction manual. I guess this (our) situation is too particular. I also sent an email to the IEC-team in Germany but am still waiting for their response. So I thought it might be quicker to search the internet for answers.

Have you come up with a solution to this problem?

Regards,

Jule

 

[tessanl]

Hi both of you,

I recognize this problem as I am currently in Canada on a tourist visa and also applying for a IEC. Unfortunately I don't have any answers for you guys. The information about applying is sometimes very unclear and the Dutch consulate, nor Canadian immigration are willing to give me some clear answers. But it looks like one of you might.
Is it possible to apply while being in Canada? So, validating the "IMMI1295E" form here, printing it and signing it.

It sounds like both of you have some experience with Canadian immigration, and I barely do.
Anyway, I hope one of you can help me out here, 'cause I really don't know what to do, and I don't wanna waste my money on flying back to The Netherlands to sign a stupid form!

Cheers,
Tessa

 

[joolchen1983]

Hi Tessa,

what helped me with answering some questions was the IEC info guide on the Australian homepage of the Canadian Embassy.

You are dutch? So you have to apply via the Canadian Consulate in Germany, too?

This Consulate told me (and you can find it somewhere on their website), that it is possible to apply for the IEC although you are already in Canada. Just make sure, your tourist visa is still valid (and will be for a few more weeks). What you need is a dutch postal address (I took my parents' address although my current residential address is a Canadian one). You will also need this dutch address once you receive your letter of introduction, because you will have to leave and re-enter Canada in order to be issued a work permit at the port of entry. At the port of entry (= Canadian boarder) they want to see a (travel) insurance. This is another reason why you need a dutch address (at least in Germany the insurances only insure you if you can provide a German address). I haven't got any insurance yet, I will figure this out, once I receive the letter of introduction.

As for your question: Yes, you can apply while being in Canada, you can fill in and print out IMM1295, it's just a little bit more complicated. That's why I had all these questions mentioned in my post. Also I had to get my police background check from here but via Germany. This took about 4 weeks, although in person (in Germany) you get it in one day. But this may be different for the NL.

At least, I filled in and sent my application from Canada. Now I am waiting and hoping to receive an (positive) answer very soon.

Hope I answered your question. Good luck.

Jule

 

[waxweasel]

Question for all of you: How can one of you be staying in Canada on a Visitor Visa for 18 months and another for 1 year or whatever each of you has been doing?

I thought a vistor visa (as in my case: Aus passport-holder) was valid up to 6 months?

If you are living in the country from August 10 up to now (18 months) on visitor visas, do they really believe that you're not working all this time?

Can you really live in Canada so long by just moving from one vistor visa to another?

 

[joolchen1983]

hi waxweasel ,

in my case it was as follows:

came to canada in august 2010. got a visitor visa at the airport valid until february 2011. asked for extension of visitor status in january 2011 (you have to submit your request 30 days before your current visitor visa expires).

- on the extension application form you can put the date you wish the extension (2nd visitor visa) will be valid. i asked for an extension until march 2012.
- for the processing time (of your extension application) until the decision of the immigration office (extension yes or no) you hold a so-called "implied visitor status" under which you can still stay in canada. you only have to leave the moment you receive the negative response (extension refused)

I had to wait from february 2011 to july 2011 to get a response....

... meanwhile I went on vacation to Germany (may and june).... therefore my extension request was "cancelled" when I came back to canada in mid-june 2011. why did they let me in once again? i think in my case this is due to my personal situation. having a child with a canadian citizen. since we both are his parents and the child is living in canada i have to bring him back. otherwise it would be child abduction. on the other side they can't prevent me from beeing with my child. so for this reason they kind of have to let me in. but i was clearly told at the airport that going back and forth from canada to germany is not a long-term solution and that i have to figure out my situation. they told me that next time i might be unlucky and beeing refused entry.

for any other visitor in a more common situation: you have to prove to the immigration authorities that you are able to finance yourself during your stay. so if this is the case, why shouldn't they let you in? if you have the ressources. and canada is a huge country. so you can easily overstay your visitor visa and haven't seen half of it.

so when i came back in june i got another visitor record valid until december 2011. again i asked for an extension in november. this time via the online form (last time did it by mail). this time the processing took only a month. i got the positive answer a few days before i officially had to leave the country.

now i am free to stay for one more year. actually i just asked for this extension in order to avoid an overstay. since i am currently waiting for the answer of the IEC. as soon as i get their response i will go back to germany, take a few weeks vacation and return to canada (this time with a letter of introduction which will hopefully give me my work-permit at the canadian boarder).

in my opinion, what they consider whether they grant your extension request are: your financial ressources, the duration you want to stay, the reason you want to extend your stay and whether you have never overstayed or something like that. i think just being honest and right-forward is the best way. why should the refuse somebody who wants to come and visit their country after all? as long as he/she can afford it....

and btw: i know one person here that has been staying for more than 15 years. came on a visitor record. never left the country. had an appartment, a normal life. and now, after all this time of "beeing illegal" got his permanent residency though immigration knew exactly about his past.

 

[waxweasel]

hi waxweasel ,

in my case it was as follows:

came to canada in august 2010. got a visitor visa at the airport valid until february 2011. asked for extension of visitor status in january 2011 (you have to submit your request 30 days before your current visitor visa expires).

- on the extension application form you can put the date you wish the extension (2nd visitor visa) will be valid. i asked for an extension until march 2012.
- for the processing time (of your extension application) until the decision of the immigration office (extension yes or no) you hold a so-called "implied visitor status" under which you can still stay in canada. you only have to leave the moment you receive the negative response (extension refused)

I had to wait from february 2011 to july 2011 to get a response....

... meanwhile I went on vacation to Germany (may and june).... therefore my extension request was "cancelled" when I came back to canada in mid-june 2011. why did they let me in once again? i think in my case this is due to my personal situation. having a child with a canadian citizen. since we both are his parents and the child is living in canada i have to bring him back. otherwise it would be child abduction. on the other side they can't prevent me from beeing with my child. so for this reason they kind of have to let me in. but i was clearly told at the airport that going back and forth from canada to germany is not a long-term solution and that i have to figure out my situation. they told me that next time i might be unlucky and beeing refused entry.

for any other visitor in a more common situation: you have to prove to the immigration authorities that you are able to finance yourself during your stay. so if this is the case, why shouldn't they let you in? if you have the ressources. and canada is a huge country. so you can easily overstay your visitor visa and haven't seen half of it.

so when i came back in june i got another visitor record valid until december 2011. again i asked for an extension in november. this time via the online form (last time did it by mail). this time the processing took only a month. i got the positive answer a few days before i officially had to leave the country.

now i am free to stay for one more year. actually i just asked for this extension in order to avoid an overstay. since i am currently waiting for the answer of the IEC. as soon as i get their response i will go back to germany, take a few weeks vacation and return to canada (this time with a letter of introduction which will hopefully give me my work-permit at the canadian boarder).

in my opinion, what they consider whether they grant your extension request are: your financial ressources, the duration you want to stay, the reason you want to extend your stay and whether you have never overstayed or something like that. i think just being honest and right-forward is the best way. why should the refuse somebody who wants to come and visit their country after all? as long as he/she can afford it....

and btw: i know one person here that has been staying for more than 15 years. came on a visitor record. never left the country. had an appartment, a normal life. and now, after all this time of "beeing illegal" got his permanent residency though immigration knew exactly about his past.

Thanks for your reply mate.
Was just wanting to make sure that it was possible to get a new visitor's visa after a 6-month one is up, if one can prove they have funds to support themselves.

I'm sure the person you mentioned (who stayed for 15 yrs) obviously had to have been working (?) during that time....
Who has funds to survive for 15 years ?

On what grounds did this person finally get accepted for PR?

 

[joolchen1983]

hello waxweasel,

yeah, no problem, you are welcome. just make sure you apply 30 days prior to the expiration date (more would be better).
another thing that just pops to my mind. in order to pay the application fee you either need a credit card and pay online or you can order some kind of bank draft paper online (i don't remember the name, sorry and i don't know if you need a canadian bank account. i did this one's via my partner's bank account) which will be sent to your place. but this will takte 2 weeks (officially; inofficially you can add another two weeks or more). i don't know how much time you have left, but if you have no choice but sending your application by mail get started asap.

you can find all relevant information on the website of cic. you can also apply online. it's 70 CAD. so just get started asap.

concerning this person. i have no clue how he financed himself during all this years. working without a work permit? maybe he worked under the table or had some rich relatives back in his home-country.
i also don't know how he got his pr through but i guess it must have been somewhat based on the fact that after all these years he kind of considered Canada as his new home country and had built up a whole new life here. some sort of customary right. i know that you can also apply for pr under so-called humanitarian and compassionate reasons. maybe that's what he did.

good luck

 

[Line.a]

It seems like i'm in a bit of the same situation as you guys are.
I applied for my international experience canada visa back home in Denmark and then went out to Canada to stay with my boyfriend. I got grilled SO hard this time for visiting too much in the past and coming back 3 weeks after leaving (oops) so i was then given limited stay. That really worried me.. So i'm currently here on my tourist visa and my IEC visa got approved almost immediately.. but i'm scared beyond words going to the border to do a flagpole, because of my experience.


So i guess you can actually do a flagpole with an IEC visa?

Ouch.. i just wanna get it over and done with!

 

[PMM]

Hi

It seems like i'm in a bit of the same situation as you guys are.
I applied for my international experience canada visa back home in Denmark and then went out to Canada to stay with my boyfriend. I got grilled SO hard this time for visiting too much in the past and coming back 3 weeks after leaving (oops) so i was then given limited stay. That really worried me.. So i'm currently here on my tourist visa and my IEC visa got approved almost immediately.. but i'm scared beyond words going to the border to do a flagpole, because of my experience.


So i guess you can actually do a flagpole with an IEC visa?

Ouch.. i just wanna get it over and done with!

Yes, you don't have a choice. As long as you have the proof of insurance, the $$$$$ and Letter of Introduction, return ticket, you will be fine. That is assuming you haven't been outside your country of residence for more than 18 months in the past 3 years.

 

[Line.a]

I have everything but a returning ticket i thought that wasn't necessary for an international experience canada visa? and what do you mean with the "That is assuming you haven't been outside your country of residence for more than 18 months in the past 3 years." ?

thanks for your reply PMM really appreciate it

 

[PMM]

Hi

I have everything but a returning ticket i thought that wasn't necessary for an international experience canada visa? and what do you mean with the "That is assuming you haven't been outside your country of residence for more than 18 months in the past 3 years." ?

thanks for your reply PMM really appreciate it

From the web site

To be eligible for the Working Holiday category you must:

be between the ages of 18 and 30 inclusive at the time your application is received. Your application must be stamped as received by the High Commission of Canada to the UK on or after your 18th birthday, and before your 31st birthday;
be a citizen of the United Kingdom and be able to demonstrate habitual residency (i.e. physically living) in the UK for at least three years directly prior to your application to the IEC;
be holding a UK passport that remains valid throughout the period of stay in Canada. When the work permit is issued in Canada, it will not be longer than the validity of the passport.
be in possession of a departure ticket leaving Canada at the end of your authorized period of stay or sufficient financial resources to purchase such a ticket;
have the equivalent of C$2,500. to help cover expenses at the beginning of your stay, for the first 3 months of the stay;
accept to purchase, prior to entering Canada, insurance for medical and health-care, including hospitalization and repatriation, for the duration of your stay – you may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada;
pay a participation fee when prompted to do so by the High Commission of Canada to the UK in London.


What does “3 years habitual residency requirement” mean?

This means that that a candidate’s habitual residence (i.e. physically residing/living) must be in the UK for a period of at least three years full-time directly prior to applying to the IEC. An exception can be made if the candidate has temporarily resided in a foreign country for studies or short-term work, but the time spent outside the UK must not exceed 18 months cumulative over the three previous years.

Substitute your country of residence for the UK if different and check the age requirement if non UK.

 

[Line.a]

I've got sufficient funds to buy a new one but i wanna know when my visa is valid, before i go and buy one

I've resided in the UK earlier but I have then moved my adress back to Denmark (I'm a Danish citizen) and after permission I was allowed to be given a work permit through the Embassy of Canada to Sweden who takes care of the Danish ones since it's such a small country.

And on their website the requirements says following:

•Up-to-date Passport
•Letter of Introduction from Canadian Visa Post approving your participation in International Experience Canada
•Declaration Card from Canada Border Services (completed and signed on the plane)
•Proof of Private Healthcare Insurance with coverage extending for the duration of your stay in Canada
•Proof of Sufficient Funds to support yourself for two months
•Proof of Canada-approved Medical Examination and Medical Clearance** arranged through the Canadian Visa Post in your home country prior to your trip.


That's all it says!

I wonder why the UK one is stricter than mine?

 

[PMM]

Hi

I've got sufficient funds to buy a new one but i wanna know when my visa is valid, before i go and buy one

I've resided in the UK earlier but I have then moved my adress back to Denmark (I'm a Danish citizen) and after permission I was allowed to be given a work permit through the Embassy of Canada to Sweden who takes care of the Danish ones since it's such a small country.

And on their website the requirements says following:

•Up-to-date Passport
•Letter of Introduction from Canadian Visa Post approving your participation in International Experience Canada
•Declaration Card from Canada Border Services (completed and signed on the plane)
•Proof of Private Healthcare Insurance with coverage extending for the duration of your stay in Canada
•Proof of Sufficient Funds to support yourself for two months
•Proof of Canada-approved Medical Examination and Medical Clearance** arranged through the Canadian Visa Post in your home country prior to your trip.


That's all it says!

I wonder why the UK one is stricter than mine?

1. The age for the UK is 30 and you need the return ticket
2. UK requires return ticket or funds, but you can participate twice, Danes only once.
3. It is reciprocal work permit, so Canadians participating in Denmark probably don't require return ticks.
4. But it is interesting, the Danish IEC for Canadians is more restrictive.

"If you qualify for the working holiday permit, you can be granted a residence permit for a maximum of 12 months. The primary purpose of your stay must be a holiday, but you may work during your stay in Denmark to earn extra funds to support yourself. You are allowed to study for a maximum of 6 months, and work part time or full time for a maximum of 6 months during the 12-month period. You can work for the same employer for a maximum of 3 months."

 

[Line.a]

My main concern is if I need a return ticket when I'm doing a flagpole! It still doesn't say anything about return ticket - but it does on the uk one and that makes me wonder why that's different!