Fireblade said:
The benefits of us applying for their PR outland ASAP are:
- The process will begin sooner
- The process is usually shorter
- An appeal can be made
- My wife will be able to travel in/out of Canada
I'm not so sure about process being shorter these days. Inland first stage is sitting at 6 months. I've been watching march 2012 applicants landing, though the published time would be 14 months.
An appeal is only useful if you need it. From what you've described you don't sound like a high risk application.
Fireblade said:
The drawbacks of us applying for their PR outland ASAP are:
- I have still not found work, I'm kinda being discriminated against due to my work experience all being in Greece and it'd be best if I first found employment so as to show it on the application (I know it's not required but may cause delays)
- we're still waiting for a Police Certificate which is already delaying us so far
- Greece is under the Rome IC and its processing time is 14 months, not much of a time saver compared to the inland route
- if my wife comes over next year and our PR application obviously has not been processed, she won't be able to apply for an open work permit but a regular one which isn't as good to have (won't allow her any kind of employment)
- she'll have to request an extension of her stay in Canada (application won't be processed within 6 months of her arrival)
- while in Canada, she and her daughter won't have health coverage and it's hardly certain if her dependent daughter will be able to enroll in Grade 10
- if required, she'll have to travel to Rome for any interview and it's not her country of origin, Greece is, thus extra expenses
- once processed and hopefully accepted, she'll have to leave Canada and come back in with her passport stamped with the PR visa(?)
Rome reports 5 months for 20% of applications, 6 months for 30% of applications, 7 months for 50% of applications, 11 months for 70% of applications, and 12 months for 80% of applications (for the 12 months ending 31 March 2012, so not the latest data set).
Health insurance eligibility depends upon the province. Ontario is the most stingy and requires either AIP (inland) or PR (outland) to qualify. BC, AB, SK, PEI, and NS all offer coverage to dependents living with the eligible Canadian resident although with varying requirements to demonstrate you are living together.
Fireblade said:
The benefits of us applying for their PR inland are:
- My wife will be able to apply for an open work permit which will be granted after I get approved as a sponsor (even though inland that'll take 6 instead of 2 months)
- I will have a decent job by then, thus strengthening my case that I'll be able to support them until they get accepted (compared to them asking for extensions here if going the outland route)
- There will be no need for my wife to request extensions to stay, or worry of having to leave Canada
- We can do everything for the application here, after she comes, instead of her doing all the necessary examinations, paperwork, translations, documentation etc etc by herself in Greece (her hands are full taking care of two kids and working as it is)
The drawbacks of us applying for their PR inland are:
- My wife won't be guaranteed entry back to Canada if she has to travel back to Greece (eg. one of her parents passes away, knock on wood)
- I'll be accepted as a sponsor in 6 months instead of 2, (meaning that my wife's daughter won't be able to attend Grade 10?)
- They'll get their PR in late 2014 instead of, say, early 2014
Generally, she would not be refused re-entry unless there was an inadmissibility issue. But yes, a BSO has the right to refuse her entry - but the BSO would have to be in a bad mood to do this without reason.
The drawbacks of us applying for their PR inland are:
Have I understood everything correctly, pros and cons?
What should we do?
My biggest concerns with the outland are 1) getting delayed due to weak financial prospects as I'm still not employed, 2) my wife having to worry about leaving Canada once here and of not being to work and her daughter attending school 3) the financial and emotional hassle arising from her and her dependent having to exit Canada and coming back once approved.
My biggest concerns with the inland are 1) the longer time for me to be approved as sponsor, meaning her daughter can't attend school 2) delaying the whole process by 6 or so more months.
I mention again that we're married for over 4 years already and we have a daughter of our own which will also be coming over but with her own Canadian citizenship.
I have to get this right, to choose the best course of action 'cause my wife is raising our baby daughter alone, without me, and future problems and separations are the last thing we'll need.
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Bottom line there's no way to know which path would be better. Having your family together is certainly very important, so the sooner you get the application started, the sooner it will be done and they can all come to Canada. Hopefully others will have insight to share here as well.
