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SOWP at POE

pepeuni

Full Member
Sep 7, 2012
21
1
Hello everyone. Can anybody be kind enough to provide some information about if it is possible for my wife to apply for a open work permit at the airport. I have a Peruvian citizenship only and my wife and kids are US citizen. We have been living in Peru for the last few years. I have an approved closed work permit and I will be arriving to Pearson Int. Airport soon.

1. Can my wife and kids apply for a open work permit and study permit respectively at the Airport if we go together?

2. If possible, what are the required documents?

3. It is recommended (in terms of approval chances by the CBSA) to travel together or should I go first?

4. In case it is better for my family to come later, would it be better for them to apply coming from the US at a land border like the rainbow bridge?

Thank you in advance for any information provided.
 
Last edited:

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,504
13,486
Hello everyone. Can anybody be kind enough to provide some information about if it is possible for my wife to apply for a open work permit at the airport. I have a Peruvian citizenship only and my wife and kids are US citizen. We have been living in Peru for the last few years. I have an approved closed work permit and I will be arriving to Pearson Int. Airport soon.

1. Can my wife and kids apply for a open work permit and study permit respectively at the Airport if we go together?

2. If possible, what are the required documents?

3. It is recommended (in terms of approval chances by the CBSA) to travel together or should I go first?

4. In case it is better for my family to come later, would it be better for them to apply coming from the US at a land border like the rainbow bridge?

Thank you in advance for any information provided.
It would be best for them to apply for study permits and an SOWP before coming to Canada. If not they can try to get permits at a US land border but there are no guarantees they will be allowed to do so. Processing permits isn’t the main purpose of land borders so many of them have limited how many permits get processed a day and only process them on certain days. Would verify with the border about what times they issue permits before travelling to the border. This is only possible because they are US citizens. You can look up the full document requirements but off the top of my head they will need proof that they are US citizens, they will need proof that you have a WP and a letter from your employer confirming your full-time employment start date and length of employment.
 

pepeuni

Full Member
Sep 7, 2012
21
1
Ok I understand. Thank you very much for your response. I read that it is also possible to do it at the airport? Is that true? or it is better to do it at a US land border?
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,504
13,486
Ok I understand. Thank you very much for your response. I read that it is also possible to do it at the airport? Is that true? or it is better to do it at a US land border?
Believe you can only do SOWP at the airport not study permit and may not be at every airport.
 

ginnig

Newbie
Nov 5, 2017
8
0
Hello,

I am travelling with my spouse and infant to Toronto. I am on visitor visa and spouse on her PGWP. I had worked in Toronto previously for a year and still holds a job offer but my work permit has expired. Just wanted to know if i can request for SOWP in airport while i arrive in Toronto airport with documents proving that i was working with Canadian employer previously and still hold a job offer. Please advise. Thank you