SOWP Queries

[simran_rajhans]

Hi, I am applying for SOWP from India and my husband is on a study permit in Canada. I have all the necessary documents like the proof of relationship documents, financial and educational documents but i am applying by self and not with the help of any agent. I have few questions -
1) I have all the documents but is it necessary to get them notarised/signed by a gazetted officer?
2) Is one "Letter of Explanation" enough or should there be one more letter stating the relationship story or others?

If anyone has anything on the above, it will be of great help.
Thanks in advance!

 

[NVA004]

Your Educational Documents need to be notarised and you should provide a brief letter of explanation regarding your relationship i.e how you met, when you got married, where all you went for honeymoon, DM me I’ll share you some links for easy processing.

 

[canuck78]

Your Educational Documents need to be notarised and you should provide a brief letter of explanation regarding your relationship i.e how you met, when you got married, where all you went for honeymoon, DM me I’ll share you some links for easy processing.

No need to be notarized

 

[canuck78]

Hi, I am applying for SOWP from India and my husband is on a study permit in Canada. I have all the necessary documents like the proof of relationship documents, financial and educational documents but i am applying by self and not with the help of any agent. I have few questions -
1) I have all the documents but is it necessary to get them notarised/signed by a gazetted officer?
2) Is one "Letter of Explanation" enough or should there be one more letter stating the relationship story or others?

If anyone has anything on the above, it will be of great help.
Thanks in advance!

1. No need to be notarized.
SOWP for spouses or international students is not guaranteed. With new policies if your spouse is not doing a master or PhD then you no longer qualify for SOWP. It is unclear whether new policy is already in effect or not. Is your spouse doing a master or PhD? When does their study permit expire and when are they scheduled to complete their studies? Did you recently get married? If so was this an arranged marriage and of you have a lot in person relationship history?

 

[simran_rajhans]

1. No need to be notarized.
SOWP for spouses or international students is not guaranteed. With new policies if your spouse is not doing a master or PhD then you no longer qualify for SOWP. It is unclear whether new policy is already in effect or not. Is your spouse doing a master or PhD? When does their study permit expire and when are they scheduled to complete their studies? Did you recently get married? If so was this an arranged marriage and of you have a lot in person relationship history?

- The new policy is not implemented for the current students, it is implemented for the students who are joining from September 2024 intake (this was mentioned in the policy)
- My husband is not doing a master's or PG. He is doing a PGDM course (2 years) where he has a Co-op in the last semester.
- The study permit will expire in September 2025, and his studies will be completed by June 2025.
- Yes, we recently got married (July 2023) but we have a lot in person relationship history.

 

[canuck78]

- The new policy is not implemented for the current students, it is implemented for the students who are joining from September 2024 intake (this was mentioned in the policy)
- My husband is not doing a master's or PG. He is doing a PGDM course (2 years) where he has a Co-op in the last semester.
- The study permit will expire in September 2025, and his studies will be completed by June 2025.
- Yes, we recently got married (July 2023) but we have a lot in person relationship history.

Could you please attach information showing that spouses of international students still qualify for new SOWP if their spouses start studying before September 2024? If spouses already have an SOWP they can still apply to extend their SOWP irregardless of their spouses type of degree but from what I have read spouses applying for a new SOWP will no longer qualify for an SOWP when new policy regarding SOWP are implemented (could have already been implemented we don’t know).

 

[NVA004]

Could you please attach information showing that spouses of international students still qualify for new SOWP if their spouses start studying before September 2024? If spouses already have an SOWP they can still apply to extend their SOWP irregardless of their spouses type of degree but from what I have read spouses applying for a new SOWP will no longer qualify for an SOWP when new policy regarding SOWP are implemented (could have already been implemented we don’t know).

Can u share anything where it has been mentioned that it has been implemented or are we just speculating here

 

[simran_rajhans]

Can u share anything where it has been mentioned that it has been implemented or are we just speculating here

It said
"In the weeks ahead, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students in master’s and doctoral programs. The spouses of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible." and in the same post it mentioned
"Study permit renewals will not be impacted. Those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, and elementary and secondary education are not included in the cap. Current study permit holders will not be affected."

As said in the first part, it says... "In the weeks ahead", has yet to be implemented and I think if it were implemented then a notice would have been posted or any article that it will no longer be accepted.

I am hoping it is not implemented yet.
Link of the post - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/01/canada-to-stabilize-growth-and-decrease-number-of-new-international-student-permits-issued-to-approximately-360000-for-2024.html

 

[canuck78]

It said
"In the weeks ahead, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students in master’s and doctoral programs. The spouses of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible." and in the same post it mentioned
"Study permit renewals will not be impacted. Those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, and elementary and secondary education are not included in the cap. Current study permit holders will not be affected."

As said in the first part, it says... "In the weeks ahead", has yet to be implemented and I think if it were implemented then a notice would have been posted or any article that it will no longer be accepted.

I am hoping it is not implemented yet.
Link of the post - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/01/canada-to-stabilize-growth-and-decrease-number-of-new-international-student-permits-issued-to-approximately-360000-for-2024.html

This was general term and I highly doubt they will announce when it started being implemented. There is a good chance it has already been implemented. The vague statement was likely meant for them to be able to change policy without any warning. It has been around 6 weeks since the statement has been put out so good chance that already being implemented. There is rampant unemployment for international students already so it is not a good idea to add more people who will struggle to find housing and jobs.

 

[NVA004]

This was general term and I highly doubt they will announce when it started being implemented. There is a good chance it has already been implemented. The vague statement was likely meant for them to be able to change policy without any warning. It has been around 6 weeks since the statement has been put out so good chance that already being implemented. There is rampant unemployment for international students already so it is not a good idea to add more people who will struggle to find housing and jobs.

If that is the reasoning then spouses of Masters program should have also been banned.

 

[simran_rajhans]

If that is the reasoning then spouses of Masters program should have also been banned.

We have a new update that says if we have applied for the visa before March 19, then it will still be valid, and if not then we can't apply.

Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you meet the following 3 requirements:

• You have a valid study permit.
• You’re eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
• You’re a full-time student at one of these types of schools:
  • a public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec
  • a private college-level school in Quebec
  • a Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree)
    
    Here are the links for reference -
    https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/help-your-spouse-common-law-partner-work-canada.html
    https://www.cicnews.com/2024/03/breaking-ircc-updates-eligibility-requirements-for-spousal-open-work-permits-0343542.html#gs.63tk9h

 

[NVA004]

We have a new update that says if we have applied for the visa before March 19, then it will still be valid, and if not then we can't apply.

Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you meet the following 3 requirements:

• You have a valid study permit.
• You’re eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
• You’re a full-time student at one of these types of schools:
  • a public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec
  • a private college-level school in Quebec
  • a Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree)
    
    Here are the links for reference -
    https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/help-your-spouse-common-law-partner-work-canada.html
    https://www.cicnews.com/2024/03/breaking-ircc-updates-eligibility-requirements-for-spousal-open-work-permits-0343542.html#gs.63tk9h

Yup the CANUCK guy got it horribly wrong and might have caused a lot people to miss the deadline due to his ill informed statements.

 

[Naturgrl]

Yup the CANUCK guy got it horribly wrong and might have caused a lot people to miss the deadline due to his ill informed statements.

Why canuck’s fault. This is a volunteer forum and if you want legal advice then pay for it. And what is a “lot of people”. This is a small forum and you can see the views on this thread…not many. Why wouldn’t have people have applied anyways? The advice was that application may not be approved, not to not even apply. And new statements still says prior to March 19, you “may” be approved. Doesn’t mean IRCC is going to approve it.

 

[NVA004]

Why canuck’s fault. This is a volunteer forum and if you want legal advice then pay for it. And what is a “lot of people”. This is a small forum and you can see the views on this thread…not many. Why wouldn’t have people have applied anyways? The advice was that application may not be approved, not to not even apply. And new statements still says prior to March 19, you “may” be approved. Doesn’t mean IRCC is going to approve it.

Anyhow it was not proper information and he is not entitled to suggest the same, if he is not aware about the same.

 

[rcincanada2019]

Anyhow it was not proper information and he is not entitled to suggest the same, if he is not aware about the same.

Why would anybody be not “entitled” to “suggest”? As @Naturgrl said, this is a volunteer forum. If you want legal advice, get a registered immigration consultant or lawyer. Nobody is under obligation to follow any suggestions in this forum.