Spousal Sponsorship, Permanent residency and Open Work Permits

[colind1977]

I recently gained my Citizenship by descent and wish to move to Canada as soon as possible as I have a job offer already.

I wish to sponsor my wife to come with me and looking through the guides has left me a little confused.

Am I correct in thinking that I fill in the Spousal Sponsorship form, but before my wife would be allowed to stay for longer than the standard tourist 6 months she would have to apply for permanent residency and for an open work permit (application made outside of Canada), or would the permanent residency application allow her to stay?

 

[canuck78]

I recently gained my Citizenship by descent and wish to move to Canada as soon as possible as I have a job offer already.

I wish to sponsor my wife to come with me and looking through the guides has left me a little confused.

Am I correct in thinking that I fill in the Spousal Sponsorship form, but before my wife would be allowed to stay for longer than the standard tourist 6 months she would have to apply for permanent residency and for an open work permit (application made outside of Canada), or would the permanent residency application allow her to stay?

Is your wife from a visa exempt country? What province are you moving to?

 

[colind1977]

Is your wife from a visa exempt country? What province are you moving to?

We're from the UK and moving to Nova Scotia.

 

[canuck78]

We're from the UK and moving to Nova Scotia.

Yes she can come to visit you when you move to Canada. You’ll need to apply for inland sponsorship and OWP to get implied status in Canada. If you don’t apply for the OWP and she remains in Canada she can apply to extend her stay as a visitor. If she doesn’t plan on remaining in Canada for the duration of the sponsorship process she should apply outland. Your spouse will not qualify for healthcare as a visitor so you’ll need to purchase emergency travel insurance and pay out of pocket for any routine care.

 

[colind1977]

We both intend to stay permanently in Nova Scotia hence looking at the PR card route with OWP.

We are beginning to get all the documents together and apply outside of Canada to begin with as I don't start work there until August.

We are selling up in the UK and already have a property in Nova Scotia.

 

[scylla]

We both intend to stay permanently in Nova Scotia hence looking at the PR card route with OWP.

We are beginning to get all the documents together and apply outside of Canada to begin with as I don't start work there until August.

We are selling up in the UK and already have a property in Nova Scotia.

If you apply outside of Canada, be aware that she will not qualify for an OWP.

 

[colind1977]

If you apply outside of Canada, be aware that she will not qualify for an OWP.

Thanks for that information. We were not aware of this. Does this mean we must apply only after I have moved to Nova Scotia in July?

 

[scylla]

Thanks for that information. We were not aware of this. Does this mean we must apply only after I have moved to Nova Scotia in July?

If you want to benefit from the OWP, then yes. You need to wait until you are BOTH in Canada to apply.

 

[colind1977]

That makes things a bit difficult. Unfortunately I think we are going to have to apply from outside of Canada as I will only be there from August. My wife will have to be there on an eta, which I think restricts her to 6 months max. in a 12 month period.

I guess she'll be asked to leave the country when the 6 months is up and will have to return to the UK, but at this point she won't have anywhere to live.

I may be missing something here, but would my sponsorship application and my wife's permanent residency with OWP be best done in August when she can visit on an eta.

Sorry for what may sound like stupid questions, but it's making my head hurt now as my wife is worried that she won't be allowed to stay with me in Canada for another 12 or so months and then only if the PR application is successful.

 

[scylla]

That makes things a bit difficult. Unfortunately I think we are going to have to apply from outside of Canada as I will only be there from August. My wife will have to be there on an eta, which I think restricts her to 6 months max. in a 12 month period.

I guess she'll be asked to leave the country when the 6 months is up and will have to return to the UK, but at this point she won't have anywhere to live.

I may be missing something here, but would my sponsorship application and my wife's permanent residency with OWP be best done in August when she can visit on an eta.

Sorry for what may sound like stupid questions, but it's making my head hurt now as my wife is worried that she won't be allowed to stay with me in Canada for another 12 or so months and then only if the PR application is successful.

There is no rule regarding a max 6 month visit in a 12 month period. She doesn't have to leave when the 6 months is up. She can simply apply to extend her status from within Canada to be allowed to stay longer.

I don't understand your other question. You have two choices: (1) Apply outland before you are both in Canada. No OWP. (2) Apply inland once you are both in Canada. Includes an OWP.