Starting a family while waiting for visa

[marta cocchi]

I am an Italian citizen in a common law relationship with a Canadian born citizen.
We live in Canada and six weeks ago I sent my application for PR.
Today I saw online that the waiting times for inland common law application are 27 months.
That is a very long time to wait to start a family, I am approaching 40 and we are considering trying to get pregnant now, without waiting for my PR.

I have a few questions, if you could please help me. Please note that I am not allowed to work and my common law does not have medical through work as he is self-employed.

What exactly would happen if I got pregnant while waiting for my PR?

Would I have to start all over again and start a new application?

Would the waiting time for PR get even longer?

Would I get medical coverage or would have to pay for the pregnancy exams? If so, how much would you say it would cost me?

Thank you so much.

 

[Aquakitty]

Did you apply inland or outland? If you applied inland you would be able to work, unless you are out of status. If you applied outland, your processing will be much shorter than 27 months.

 

[scylla]

Did you apply inland or outland? If you applied inland you would be able to work, unless you are out of status. If you applied outland, your processing will be much shorter than 27 months.

They applied inland. Outland would have been better (IMO) - but it's obviously a personal choice.

Hard to comment on whether any expenses relating to pregnancy will be covered without knowing the OP's province. In some provinces, it's possible to get coverage sooner. In others (like Ontario), even getting the OWP at the four month mark doesn't seem to qualify you for coverage.

 

[marta cocchi]

Applied inland.

We live in a small community in BC.

I don't think I'm allowed to work, in my application I stated I'm not working.

 

[Ponga]

As mentioned, you are eligible for an Open Work Permit based solely on your inland sponsorship application, as long as you still have legal status in Canada.

If there aren't any employment opportunities in your community, or if you don't want to pay the $255 fee for the OWP, it's a moot point.

 

[Rob_TO]

Applied inland.

We live in a small community in BC.

I don't think I'm allowed to work, in my application I stated I'm not working.

Didn't you submit an Open Work Permit application along with your inland PR app? This is what actually gives you implied status in Canada so you don't need to keep renewing your visitor status, and would get you the work permit after approx 4 months.

 

[MrsHBKelly]

I came to Canada for a 6 month stay with my husband in Calgary this past May. Got pregnant in June. Applied for a visitor extension and was approved beginning of November for a travel visa expiring in Nov 2017. Well, a few weeks later I got DM on my outland PR application submitted in March and my CoPR showed up this week. I had Alberta Health Services coverage in without a problem this whole time due to matriage to a citizen. Not sure about other provinces rules.

In my experience it was a pretty smooth process and totally worth the risk, but that is only in hindsight. Before my visa extension was granted and my PR was decided on, it was very very stressful... not to mention being pregnant so far from home, without my friends and family (except my wonderful husband) has been quite stressful. Also the added burden financially on my husband to take care of me and now the baby coming very soon and I don't have time to get hired and accumulate hours at a job to get maternity leave is an added stress.

Worth it, but don't make the decision lightly! I appreciate the desire to start a family, but the PR wait times are quite exaggerated. Maybe wait 6 months and see what kind of progress your application makes?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Applied inland.

We live in a small community in BC.

I don't think I'm allowed to work, in my application I stated I'm not working.

I agree with scylla that outland would have been a better choice. Rome is a fast office, averaging around 8 months for PR.

Getting health coverage in BC before PR is VERY difficult. Very few people manage to do it and those who do really have to fight MSP to get it.

I had Alberta Health Services coverage in without a problem this whole time due to matriage to a citizen. Not sure about other provinces rules.

but the PR wait times are quite exaggerated. Maybe wait 6 months and see what kind of progress your application makes?

Alberta is very unique in giving coverage to spouses here as visitors. Other provinces don't do that, especially BC, OP's province.

Inland wait times are pretty much as posted. It is not the same as the outland processing times.

 

[Gemini020]

If you're not pregnant yet, you can get a private medical insurance. I don't know if you can get it as a non Dutchy but have a look at https://www.oominsurance.com/going-abroad/oom-living-abroad-insurance for an example. Just make sure you get one that covers pregnancy (obviously) and without a wait time (if you don't want to wait) (the Deluxe version of the OOM insurance for example.).

Also I would not get discouraged by the comments here and try for MSP (and not give up too soon)

 

[Ponga]

It's not a matter of getting discouraged, just simple fact that dealing with MSP, before an applicant has AIP, is a nightmare!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Also I would not get discouraged by the comments here and try for MSP (and not give up too soon)

As Ponga said, it's not a matter of discouragement. It's a matter of preparing someone for the fact that they might not get coverage.

Have you dealt with MSP in this situation? I have. After months of being given the runaround, being told wrong information by multiple employees and having my partner's coverage refused, I ended up writing a huge formal complaint to the Minister of Health detailing every failure of MSP. A few hours after they received my letter, my partner was given coverage. That is an exception to the usual course. The forum has many people who fought for MSP coverage but were refused until after PR.

 

[Aquakitty]

Dealing with BCMSP has been a nightmare even with PR status. They lost our information 3x, failed to inform us of my spouse's lack of coverage due to a faxing error, and so on. Still waiting for them to fix the situation. Their call centre people sound like they are on lithium.

 

[Gemini020]

I'm just saying at least try. I've seen people say not to even try. Canuck you got it in the end. Call me naive but the more they deal with it, the better they'll know their own rules. People avoiding to even try won't improve the situation.

I'm not saying to fully count on it, I'm even giving an alternative that she can look into now before it's too late (after she gets pregnant)